Songs where the chorus is an instrumental

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For example "Party Fears Two" by The Associates

― everything, Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:00 (twenty years ago)

Every MBV song.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:02 (twenty years ago)

Baker Street, obviously.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:03 (twenty years ago)

Saint Etienne - "Nothing Can Stop Us"

― Brian Miller (Brian Miller), Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:27 (twenty years ago)

"White Lines" - Grandmaster Flash
"Lovely Head" - Goldfrapp
"One Love" - Massive Attack

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:37 (twenty years ago)

I love these kinds of songs, even if I can't think of any more right now.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:38 (twenty years ago)

Baker Street, obviously.
-- edward o

Damn, edward, you got there first.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:39 (twenty years ago)

Lycia - "Bare"
Nick Drake - "Cello Song"
The Cure - "Lullaby"

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:42 (twenty years ago)

I hate it when the thing I was going to say turns out to be the first message in the thread.

I'm sure there's a Smiths one that does this but I can't think which one.

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Philip Philip Annoyman (Ferg), Thursday, 7 October 2004 23:48 (twenty years ago)

I love songs where the first time through the chorus is played as an instrumental, and then subsequently sung. But the only example I can think of off hand is Lloyd Cole and the Commotions' "Speedboat" I used to rip this idea off all the time.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Friday, 8 October 2004 01:10 (twenty years ago)

Half the songs by the band I used to be in. Choruses weren't our strength.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 8 October 2004 01:16 (twenty years ago)

Duran Duran, "All She Wants Is."

And a near-miss closer to what noodle vague has in mind: Double, "The Captain of Her Heart."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 8 October 2004 02:14 (twenty years ago)

Also Chase, "Get It On."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 8 October 2004 02:14 (twenty years ago)

Metallica - Fade to Black

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 8 October 2004 06:24 (twenty years ago)

Your Silent Face by New Order

― wtin, Friday, 8 October 2004 10:22 (twenty years ago)

Walk this way.

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 8 October 2004 10:26 (twenty years ago)

Aerosmith, "Sweet Emotion"

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 8 October 2004 10:31 (twenty years ago)

Buzzcocks - "A Different Kind Of Tension"

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 8 October 2004 11:31 (twenty years ago)

"Lazarus" by Boo Radleys.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Friday, 8 October 2004 11:33 (twenty years ago)

rush's "tom sawyer"?

― pfeffernuesse (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 8 October 2004 11:50 (twenty years ago)

i'm confused about some of these. "walk this way"? "sweet emotion"? i'm pretty sure the choruses of those songs are where they sing the title lines.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 8 October 2004 12:10 (twenty years ago)

led zeppelin's "the ocean"?

― pfeffernuesse (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 8 October 2004 12:13 (twenty years ago)

OMD - "La Feme Accident" (almost)

― Mark (MarkR), Friday, 8 October 2004 12:16 (twenty years ago)

rush's "tom sawyer"?

okay never mind; this song has like six thousand choruses and only one of them is instrumental.

― pfeffernuesse (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 8 October 2004 12:33 (twenty years ago)

"Useless (Kruder & Dorfmeister remix)" - Depeche Mode

― Wooden (Wooden), Friday, 8 October 2004 12:37 (twenty years ago)

we could walk together by the clientele

― debden, Friday, 8 October 2004 13:12 (twenty years ago)

The Cure - "The Loudest Sound"

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Friday, 8 October 2004 13:18 (twenty years ago)

Uh, "Sweet Emotion"? "The Ocean"? I thought instrumental meant "no singing".

There's a White Stripes song like that -- I think it might be the first song on the album, but I swear I don't know because I swear I never had the album.

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 8 October 2004 13:19 (twenty years ago)

I think it's called "Seven Nation Army".

― Wooden (Wooden), Friday, 8 October 2004 13:22 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I forgot that he does repeat the last line of the previous verse at the end of the chorus in "The Loudest Sound".

― Dan Perry '08 (Dan Perry), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:40 (twenty years ago)

Kitchens of Distinction - "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule". Best part of this great song too.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:41 (twenty years ago)

Can - 'I want more'

― Morgen, Friday, 8 October 2004 14:42 (twenty years ago)

Kitchens of Distinction - "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule"

is a superb example because the sound is actually part of the lyric; "the third time we opened the capsule/everything went ..." WHOOOOOOOOSH.

i fucking LOVE that song. i haven't heard it for years either. must dig it out.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:49 (twenty years ago)

Yes! I love that little lyrical/musical moment too.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:52 (twenty years ago)

The best is Joy Division's "Atmosphere".

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Friday, 8 October 2004 14:54 (twenty years ago)

The first chorus of Open Your Heart - Human League

― Shooz (shooz), Friday, 8 October 2004 17:20 (twenty years ago)

I consider the guitar melody from I'm a CUckoo a chorus

― tremendoidmandel, Friday, 8 October 2004 18:09 (twenty years ago)

Led Zeppelin - "The Wanton Song"

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 8 October 2004 18:49 (twenty years ago)

sundar otm! Nice.

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 8 October 2004 19:29 (twenty years ago)

Newest one I heard was:
The Strokes "12:51"

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Friday, 8 October 2004 19:53 (twenty years ago)

Several of the songs on Phil Collins' "..But Seriously..." album are like this.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 8 October 2004 23:19 (twenty years ago)

"I Just Can't Get Enough" by Depeche Mode sort of fits in, at least if the synth hook counts as a chorus.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 8 October 2004 23:25 (twenty years ago)

five months pass...

Slowdive - "40 Days"

― What we want? Sex with T.V. stars! What you want? Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Ma, Thursday, 31 March 2005 22:32 (twenty years ago)

Walk this way.
-- dave225 (right.knewi...), October 8th, 2004 4:26 AM. (Dave225)

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Aerosmith, "Sweet Emotion"
-- Myonga Von Bontee (scottyfield...), October 8th, 2004 4:31 AM. (Myonga Von Bontee)

Both of these Aerosmith songs have choruses that distinctly feature the songs' titles being sung! WTF!

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 31 March 2005 22:36 (twenty years ago)

Weezer - Burndt Jamb
Ash - Uncle Pat

― Crackity (Crackity Jones), Thursday, 31 March 2005 23:31 (twenty years ago)

radiohead - "pop is dead"

― mark p (Mark P), Thursday, 31 March 2005 23:36 (twenty years ago)

Swell Maps - Cake Shop

― Sasha (sgh), Friday, 1 April 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

OMD - enola gay, 2nd thought, electricity. I've always found em to be masters of the wordless chorus.

― Bjorn Deleuze (Ocelot Wildly), Friday, 1 April 2005 02:10 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

Aerosmith, "Sweet Emotion"
-- Myonga Von Bontee (scottyfield...), October 8th, 2004 4:31 AM. (Myonga Von Bontee)
Both of these Aerosmith songs have choruses that distinctly feature the songs' titles being sung! WTF!

-- gygax!

Yeah, you're right - dunno what I was thinking. I suppose I was considering "Sweet Emotion"'s heavy guitar part function as a chorus, just because it shows up after every verse.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 08:12 (twenty years ago)

Propaganda - "P:Machinery"

― OleM (OleM), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 09:20 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 48 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Manfred Mann Chapter iii - "One Way Glass"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTExEWt7zN4

― Mark G, Friday, 9 January 2015 23:07 (ten years ago)

Men Without Hats - Pop Goes the World

― cock chirea, Saturday, 10 January 2015 01:36 (ten years ago)

Guru Josh - Infinity

― cock chirea, Saturday, 10 January 2015 01:36 (ten years ago)

"Disconnect the Dots" - of Montreal

― when is the new Jim O'Rourke album coming out (spazzmatazz), Saturday, 10 January 2015 02:02 (ten years ago)

Geto Boys - 'My Mind's Playing Tricks On Me'

― austinato (Austin), Saturday, 10 January 2015 02:35 (ten years ago)

If we want to be nerdy, shouldn't it be "refrain" rather than "chorus" in the thread title?

― walid foster dulles (man alive), Saturday, 10 January 2015 03:10 (ten years ago)

Does R.E.M.'s "Belong" count here?

― the strawberries are for the entrepreneurs (SlimAndSlam), Saturday, 10 January 2015 03:49 (ten years ago)

SPOTTIEOTTIEDOPALISCIOUS

― quan voice (voodoo chili), Saturday, 10 January 2015 13:23 (ten years ago)

Pavement - Grounded

― Darvin H.A.M. (AlexPh), Wednesday, 21 January 2015 21:12 (ten years ago)

Yo La Tengo - From a Motel 6

― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 21 January 2015 21:38 (ten years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuqEbRzy_t8

― Tuomas, Wednesday, 21 January 2015 22:59 (ten years ago)

War - "Low Rider"

― fan boy three (Lee626), Wednesday, 21 January 2015 23:52 (ten years ago)

Gary Numan - "Cars"

― when is the new Jim O'Rourke album coming out (spazzmatazz), Thursday, 22 January 2015 03:29 (ten years ago)

David Bowie - "Ziggy Stardust"

― when is the new Jim O'Rourke album coming out (spazzmatazz), Thursday, 22 January 2015 04:09 (ten years ago)

A refrain is not the same as a chorus, "Living on the ceiling" has both..

― Mark G, Thursday, 22 January 2015 07:52 (ten years ago)

A refrain is not the same as a chorus

it kind of is

― you've got no fans you've got no ground (anagram), Thursday, 22 January 2015 08:31 (ten years ago)

Iiiiitt kind of is, yeahhhh..

― Mark G, Thursday, 22 January 2015 10:28 (ten years ago)

If (chorus AND refrain)=0 AND (chorus OR refrain) = 1 THEN chorus=refrain

― Mark G, Thursday, 22 January 2015 10:30 (ten years ago)

The main riff in Ziggy Stardust is definitely the chorus, the "So where were the spiders?" bit is the pre-chorus

― when is the new Jim O'Rourke album coming out (spazzmatazz), Thursday, 22 January 2015 16:14 (ten years ago)

True, if the riff was left out, this is a song without a chorus.

― Mark G, Thursday, 22 January 2015 16:16 (ten years ago)

The Beatles, "I'm Looking Through You"

― Οὖτις Δαυ & τηε Κνιγητσ (Phil D.), Thursday, 22 January 2015 16:58 (ten years ago)

^ where?

― fan boy three (Lee626), Friday, 23 January 2015 05:09 (ten years ago)

yeah, two chords on the farfisa is not a chorus.

― Mark G, Friday, 23 January 2015 11:53 (ten years ago)

Given how loose people are being with terminology, I don't see why not. Where else is the chorus? The "Why, tell me why did you not treat me right?" part is a bridge/middle eight, and the entire verse builds to the four-bar organ/guitar part.

― Οὖτις Δαυ & τηε Κνιγητσ (Phil D.), Friday, 23 January 2015 12:00 (ten years ago)

four years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auJ_wkSxiKA
("if you ever change your mind..." is definitely the bridge)

― PaulTMA, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 12:48 (six years ago)

Fever Ray - To the Moon and Back

― Tuomas, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 13:50 (six years ago)

I'm slightly hesitant to be the pedant here, but In that Squeeze song, isn't the "Never chew a pickle" bit the chorus?

― enochroot, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 15:05 (six years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPeQGWL7fok

This one counts too, right? I mean, the "can't stop now, don't you know / I'll never let you go, don't go!" bit is cleary the pre-chorus, and the chorus melody only starts after it.

― Tuomas, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 17:13 (six years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbaygmy30Z8

And Yazoo's other big hit is an even more obvious example of this.

― Tuomas, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 17:15 (six years ago)

For example "Party Fears Two" by The Associates

Also "Paper House" by The Associates.

― Ned Caligari (Tom D.), Wednesday, 8 May 2019 17:16 (six years ago)

That M83 song

― We were never Breeting Borting (President Keyes), Wednesday, 8 May 2019 17:20 (six years ago)

Thin White Rope’s version of “some velvet morning” where they simply replace Nancy’s bit with dual lead guitars

― valet doberman (Jon not Jon), Wednesday, 8 May 2019 19:37 (six years ago)

Does R.E.M.'s "Belong" count here?

No, there are (wordless) vocals.

Pavement - Grounded

The chorus is, “Boys are dyin’ on these streets...”

― get your hand outta my pocket universe (morrisp), Thursday, 9 May 2019 02:52 (six years ago)

Geto Boys - 'My Mind's Playing Tricks On Me'

The chorus (if it has one) is, “My mind is playin’ tricks on me...”

― get your hand outta my pocket universe (morrisp), Thursday, 9 May 2019 03:20 (six years ago)

UPTOWN FUCKIN' FUNKKK

Uh...

― get your hand outta my pocket universe (morrisp), Thursday, 9 May 2019 03:27 (six years ago)

If the guitar bit in Grounded had vocals you - ok I - would definitely say it was the chorus, and 'boys are dying on these streets' the bridge, or the last line of it.

― The Pingularity (ledge), Thursday, 9 May 2019 07:52 (six years ago)

"21st Century Schizoid Man"

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Thursday, 9 May 2019 08:31 (six years ago)

four years pass...

Ivy - “Baker”

I know this song very well but today it has me picturing a bleary eyed Baker Mayfield staring at the Cleveland skyline at 3am after finding out the Browns got Deshawn Watson.

― brimstead, Friday, 9 February 2024 00:24 (one year ago)

xxp It couldn’t have vocals, it’s just a gtr riff! But even if he sang something over it, I’d still say “Boys are dyin’…” is part of the chorus. It’s certainly not the bridge(?)

― atmospheric river phoenix (morrisp), Friday, 9 February 2024 03:01 (one year ago)

Pavement songs don’t often have bridges, IIRC… they’re lesson in, “only include a bridge if you really write a kickass one” (e.g., “Stereo”).

― atmospheric river phoenix (morrisp), Friday, 9 February 2024 03:04 (one year ago)

You never, never know when the bridge falls apart.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, 9 February 2024 03:36 (one year ago)

these threads are kind of fascinating. it's amazing for a board that loves music how so many people don't seem to know what a chorus is

― budo jeru, Friday, 9 February 2024 05:46 (one year ago)

Vocabulary is what we make it (but also lol completely otm)

― H.P, Friday, 9 February 2024 07:59 (one year ago)

Kraftwerk, "Tour de France". Actually most (all?) Kraftwerk songs, I think?

― The British Boy of Film Classification (Tom D.), Friday, 9 February 2024 08:09 (one year ago)

Paul Simon - Duncan

― Valentijn, Friday, 9 February 2024 11:16 (one year ago)

Depeche Mode - Shame

― Kim, Friday, 9 February 2024 14:16 (one year ago)

"Duncan" is a great one!

― budo jeru, Friday, 9 February 2024 16:47 (one year ago)

A ton of EDM songs I guess count here

― Rich E. (Eric H.), Friday, 9 February 2024 17:47 (one year ago)

one year passes...

Lodi

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 28 September 2025 13:22 (three days ago)

Blondie “Atomic”

― J. Sam, Sunday, 28 September 2025 14:11 (three days ago)

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