Popular Song

Structures

Popular Song

Structures

Section A

Verse 1

Section A

Verse 1Section

A

Verse 2

Section A

Verse 2Section

A

Verse 3

Section A

Verse 3Section

A

Verse 4

Section A

Verse 4

Same music, different

words

Same music, different

words

Same music, different

words

Same music, different

words

Same music, different

words

Same music, different

words

While Shepherds watched their flocks by night

All seated on the ground

The Angel of the Lord came down

And glory shone around

While Shepherds watched their flocks by night

All seated on the ground

The Angel of the Lord came down

And glory shone around

“Fear not”, said he, for mighty dread

Had seized their troubled minds

“Glad tidings of great joy I bring

To you, and all mankind”

“Fear not”, said he, for mighty dread

Had seized their troubled minds

“Glad tidings of great joy I bring

To you, and all mankind”

“To you, in David’s town this day,

Is born of David’s line

A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord

And this shall be the sign”

“To you, in David’s town this day,

Is born of David’s line

A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord

And this shall be the sign”

“The heavenly babe you there shall find

To human view displayed

All meanly wrapping in swaddling clothes

And in a manger laid”

“The heavenly babe you there shall find

To human view displayed

All meanly wrapping in swaddling clothes

And in a manger laid”

Strophic (Verse form)

Section A

Verse 1

Section A

Verse 1Section B

Refrain

Section B

Refrain

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a Merry Christmas

and a happy new year

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a Merry Christmas

and a happy new year

Section A

Verse 2

Section A

Verse 2

Now bring us so figgy pudding

Now bring us so figgy pudding

Now bring us so figgy pudding

And bring some out here

Now bring us so figgy pudding

Now bring us so figgy pudding

Now bring us so figgy pudding

And bring some out here

Same music, different

words

Same music, different

words

Section B

Refrain

Section B

Refrain

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a Merry Christmas

and a happy new year

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a Merry Christmas

and a happy new year

Section A

Verse 3

Section A

Verse 3

And we won’t go until we’ve got some

And we won’t go until we’ve got some

And we won’t go until we’ve got some

So bring some out here

And we won’t go until we’ve got some

And we won’t go until we’ve got some

And we won’t go until we’ve got some

So bring some out here

Same music,

different words

Same music,

different words

Section B

Refrain

Section B

Refrain

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a Merry Christmas

and a happy new year

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We wish you a Merry Christmas

and a happy new year

Same music,

same words

Same music,

same words

Same music,

same words

Same music,

same words

Verse - Refrain Structur

e

Verse - Refrain Structur

e

Shorter sectionShorter section

VerseVerseThe night we met I knew I needed you soAnd if I had the chance I'd never let you goSo won't you say you love me? I'll make you so proud of meWe'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go

The night we met I knew I needed you soAnd if I had the chance I'd never let you goSo won't you say you love me? I'll make you so proud of meWe'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go

ChorusNew

music

ChorusNew

music

So won't you, please? (Be my, be my baby)Be my little baby (My one and only baby)Say you'll be my darlin’ (Be my, be my baby)Be my baby now (My one and only baby)Whoa oh oh oh

So won't you, please? (Be my, be my baby)Be my little baby (My one and only baby)Say you'll be my darlin’ (Be my, be my baby)Be my baby now (My one and only baby)Whoa oh oh oh

VerseSame music

Different words

VerseSame music

Different words

I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and seeFor every kiss you give me, I'll give you threeOh, since the day I saw you, I have been waiting for youYou know I will adore you 'til eternity

I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and seeFor every kiss you give me, I'll give you threeOh, since the day I saw you, I have been waiting for youYou know I will adore you 'til eternity

ChorusSame as before

ChorusSame as before

So won't you, please? (Be my, be my baby)Be my little baby (My one and only baby)Say you'll be my darlin’ (Be my, be my baby)Be my baby now (My one and only baby)Whoa oh oh oh

So won't you, please? (Be my, be my baby)Be my little baby (My one and only baby)Say you'll be my darlin’ (Be my, be my baby)Be my baby now (My one and only baby)Whoa oh oh oh

Often repeate

d

Often repeate

d

Contrasting Verse - Chorus Structure

Contrasting Verse - Chorus Structure

You can add an

introduction, bridges

between the sections

and a coda to this

structure.

You can add an

introduction, bridges

between the sections

and a coda to this

structure.

I I I I7

IV IV I I

V IV I V7

Line 1

Line 1

Line 2

Line 2

Line 3

Line 3

Did you ever sit thinking with a thousand things on your mind?

Did you ever sit thinking with a thousand things on your mind?

Did you ever sit thinking with a thousand things on your mind?

Did you ever sit thinking with a thousand things on your mind?

Thinking about someone who’s treated you so nice and kind

Thinking about someone who’s treated you so nice and kind

12 Bar Blues Form12 Bar Blues Form

AA

AA

BB

This is essentially in strophic structure but each verse follows this AAB pattern

This is essentially in strophic structure but each verse follows this AAB pattern

Section A

8 Bars

Section A

8 Bars

Somewhere over the rainbowWay up high,There's a land that I heard ofOnce in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbowWay up high,There's a land that I heard ofOnce in a lullaby.

Section A

8 Bars

Section A

8 Bars

Somewhere over the rainbowSkies are blue,And the dreams that you dare to dreamReally do come true.

Somewhere over the rainbowSkies are blue,And the dreams that you dare to dreamReally do come true.

Section B

8 Bars

Section B

8 Bars

Someday I'll wish upon a starAnd wake up where the clouds are far behind me.Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.

Someday I'll wish upon a starAnd wake up where the clouds are far behind me.Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.

Section A

8 Bars

Section A

8 Bars

Somewhere over the rainbowBluebirds fly.Birds fly over the rainbow.Why then, oh why can't I?

Somewhere over the rainbowBluebirds fly.Birds fly over the rainbow.Why then, oh why can't I?

Coda *Coda * If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow.Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow.Why then, oh why can't I?

Intro * Intro * When all the world is a hopeless jumble and the raindrops tumble all aroundHeaven opens a magic lane When all the clouds darken up the skyway there's a rainbow highway to be found Leading from your windowpane, to a place behind the sun, just a step beyond the rain

When all the world is a hopeless jumble and the raindrops tumble all aroundHeaven opens a magic lane When all the clouds darken up the skyway there's a rainbow highway to be found Leading from your windowpane, to a place behind the sun, just a step beyond the rain

32 Bar

Song

32 Bar

Song

* These don’t count as part of

the 32 bar structure. In fact, they are not even

in all the recordings of this

song!

Section 1

Section 1

Section 2

Section 2

Section 3

Section 3

AA

BB

CC

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? …

… Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me

Mama, I just killed a man…

… I sometimes wish I’d never been born at all

Guitar solo 1

Section 4

Section 4

DDI see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche! Scaramouche!Will you do the Fandango?! …

… Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me!

Through-ComposedThrough-

Composed

Section 5

Section 5

Section 6

Section 6

EE

FF

So you think you can stop me and spit in my eye?!?!So you think you can love me and leave me to die?!?!Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby,Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here!

Guitar solo 2

Section 7

Section 7

GGNothing really matters, Anyone can see,Nothing really matters,Nothing really matters to me.Anyway the wind blows...

New music in each

section.

It may be thematicall

y linked.

New music in each

section.

It may be thematicall

y linked.