Hello and thank you for being a DL contributor. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. Please click here to update your account with a username and password.

Hello. Some features on this site require registration. Please click here to register for free.

Hello and thank you for registering. Please complete the process by verifying your email address. If you can't find the email you can resend it here.

Hello. Some features on this site require a subscription. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month.

What's the word for that?

What's the word for an opening verse to a song that doesn't follow the same musical pattern as the rest of the song? Songwriters in the '20s, '30s and '40s used the technique often but when you hear the songs, those intros (that's not the term, though) are usually cut.

Off the top of my head, the example I can think of is "It Might as Well Be Spring". The actual first part of the song is...

The things I used to like

I don't like anymore.

I want a lot of other things

I've never had before.

It's just like mother says...

I sit around and mope.

Pretending I am wonderful.

And knowing I'm a dope.

This part of the song is often cut, and doesn't use the musical pattern of the song that follows ("I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm" is usually where most recordings begin.

What the word for that unique opening verse?

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 33June 22, 2019 1:28 AM

I know the part in the middle that sounds different is called the bridge. All I can think about is that the first part is called the hook but I’m sure that’s wrong

by Anonymousreply 1June 19, 2019 8:56 PM

I think it's called the prologue, same as in literature, as the prologue is usually in a different authorial tone. But there may be another term for it.

by Anonymousreply 2June 19, 2019 8:58 PM

refrain?

by Anonymousreply 3June 19, 2019 9:05 PM

I thought they were refrain was just something I was repeated , kind of like the chorus

by Anonymousreply 4June 19, 2019 9:06 PM

intro...

by Anonymousreply 5June 19, 2019 9:08 PM

A wank ?

by Anonymousreply 6June 19, 2019 9:10 PM

Night and Day has one of the most famous of such intros.

by Anonymousreply 7June 19, 2019 9:11 PM

It’s only in American standards. It doesn’t happen in today’s music.

by Anonymousreply 8June 19, 2019 9:13 PM

I don't know why they usually cut the intro from those old songs. It's funny that two of the best-known songs of all time ("Over the Rainbow" and "White Christmas") have intros that most people aren't familiar with. I understand that they're both from films and were probably edited for time, but couldn't they at least have released the full versions on record?

by Anonymousreply 9June 19, 2019 9:14 PM

The Rolling Stones song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” starts with the London Bach Choir opening the song (album version only), highlighting throughout, and bringing it to its conclusion. I think this qualifies.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 10June 19, 2019 9:15 PM

They are usually not very melodic. Cut them to keep up with time

by Anonymousreply 11June 19, 2019 9:17 PM

Cole Porter’s “You’re the Top” has the beginning described by OP. It’s like two songs in one.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 12June 19, 2019 9:18 PM

A lot of pop standards were originally written for musicals. I think that the half-spoken/half-sung intros were meant to help the transition from dialog to song.

by Anonymousreply 13June 19, 2019 9:54 PM

Verse

by Anonymousreply 14June 19, 2019 9:57 PM

Intro / song opening

verse

refrain

verse

refrain

bridge (sometimes an instrument solo)

verse

refrain

refrain

by Anonymousreply 15June 19, 2019 10:07 PM

R15, please refrain from repeating that word. It’s triggering my fibromyalgia.

by Anonymousreply 16June 19, 2019 10:09 PM

Yep--Intro

by Anonymousreply 17June 19, 2019 10:12 PM

Let’s Go Crazy by Prince has that intro/song opening.

by Anonymousreply 18June 19, 2019 10:12 PM

Patter

by Anonymousreply 19June 19, 2019 10:18 PM

Most people think "We're Movin' On Up to the East Side" is the beginning of "The Jeffersons," Not so.

by Anonymousreply 20June 19, 2019 10:46 PM

They're called the "verse". I always think of the Gershwin's "But Not for Me" which has a verse that's like a story and then a very lush, melodic chorus.

by Anonymousreply 21June 20, 2019 1:36 AM

Is she a natural blonde? Her eyebrows are always dark.

by Anonymousreply 22June 20, 2019 2:10 AM

Gershwin, R22? I think “he” was a brunette.

by Anonymousreply 23June 20, 2019 2:13 AM

Wikipedia is your friend:

From the entry on Song Structure:

"The most common format in modern popular music is introduction (intro), verse, pre-chorus, chorus (or refrain), verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge ("middle eight"), verse, chorus and outro."

by Anonymousreply 24June 20, 2019 2:30 AM

R15 is Someone To Watch Over Me an example?

by Anonymousreply 25June 20, 2019 2:40 AM

My story is much too sad to be told,

but practically everything

leaves me totally cold.

The only exception i know is the case,

when i'm out on a quiet spree,

fighting vainly the old ennui

and i suddenly turn and see,

your fabulous face.

by Anonymousreply 26June 20, 2019 4:22 AM

Cole Porter was not verse! He was a BOTTOM!

by Anonymousreply 27June 20, 2019 4:43 AM

OP, it’s simply the verse. It was almost Beverly follows he structure of the rest of the song, which is the refrain (in your example, the refrain starts at “I’m as restless as a willow ...”. The bridge is the middle, connecting part of the refrain (often it goes A,A,B,A, and B is the bridge).

by Anonymousreply 28June 20, 2019 4:45 AM

R27, and if he’s the bottom, are you the top?

by Anonymousreply 29June 20, 2019 4:49 AM

R28 is correct. Verse, then refrain, then bridge “ I keep wishing...”

by Anonymousreply 30June 20, 2019 5:34 AM

I still think there may be a special word so I'm bumping it for the DL's Friday night crowd of drunkards and whorechilds.

by Anonymousreply 31June 22, 2019 1:05 AM

You can get fancy and call it a prelude, only if you call the last repeated refrain a coda.

by Anonymousreply 32June 22, 2019 1:16 AM

Whorechild is the word.

by Anonymousreply 33June 22, 2019 1:28 AM
Loading
Need more help? Click Here.

Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." Take a look at our privacy/terms or if you just want to see the damn site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, click ACCEPT. Otherwise, you'll just have to find some other site for your pointless bitchery needs.

×

Become a contributor - post when you want with no ads!