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Great Bridges in Pop Music


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Originally posted by Jeff Da Weasel:

No way does a bridge require lyrics.

 

A section of a song with or without a lyric or an instrumental solo that is seperated from the rest of the song is a bridge, for sure. No words needed.

Absolutely.

 

What constitutes a bridge is open to debate. I hear a lot of musicians referring to a section of music as a "break", while I might call it a bridge.

 

Here's one: Can a bridge consist of nothing more than a key change?

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Ok... if it's not like the chorus... and it's not like the verse, it's gotta be the bridge, right?

 

Hell... as long as I don't have to pay a toll... I'm all over it. :D

 

Great examples so far! If I ever stop drinking... I'll try and think of one!

 

Ricky

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In Nick Lowe's "Cruel To Be Kind", you know the 2 bars with the "Ooh-ooh-ooh" vocals that precede the guitar solo (over the changes of the chorus)? Is that a bridge?
Words or no words, it's a bridge.

 

One of my all-time favorite bridges is the middle section of Steely Dan Aja - Wayne Shorter and Steve Gadd taking pop music to a new level.

 

Here's one: Can a bridge consist of nothing more than a key change?

I'd say no. It has to contain at least a note of alternative content.
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Originally posted by Dan South:

If you can play that bass solo convincingly, you ARE the man.

If you can play it flawlessly WITHOUT A PICK, you are the man.

 

If you use a pick. You are a guitarist playing bass.

 

...not that there's anything wrong with that. :freak:

So Many Drummers. So Little Time...
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I'm with all y'all on the Rush comments. Wish I could sing it AND play it at the same time.

 

As for the topic at hand, Todd Rundgren is pretty good for a classic middle-eight. Take "Love is the Answer" to name just one from his "difficult/Utopia" period.

J. Eliot Howe (Chief Gear-Pimp)

 

Guitaravenue L.L.C.

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Here's a truly great one: "One Rainy Wish"- Jimi Hendrix.

 

"I have never

laid eyes on you..."

 

This time the bridge has a totally different character to the rest of the song, and just takes off running...

 

That's one of my all time favorite Hendrix tunes- why is it so seemingly obscure?

A WOP BOP A LU BOP, A LOP BAM BOOM!

 

"There is nothing I regret so much as my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?" -Henry David Thoreau

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It would depend on the way the change is used. In Thomas Dolby`s `Wind Power`, there`s a key change which is indeed a bridge-but ONLY because the song returns to its original key after that. Most songs modulate and then ride out on the change, that wouldn`t qualify.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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Originally posted by skipclone 1:

It would depend on the way the change is used. In Thomas Dolby`s `Wind Power`, there`s a key change which is indeed a bridge-but ONLY because the song returns to its original key after that. Most songs modulate and then ride out on the change, that wouldn`t qualify.

I agree about key changes. When I think of a successful version of this, I think of Ravel's Bolero. Not pop and not really a bridge, but the definitive use of a key change for impact -- wakes you up before the pie-in-the-face ending.

 

Years ago I was writing a Michael Bolton parody and forced myself to listen to a few of his songs. In one song he had a bridge and then a key change. And an octave change. Unfortunately, he didn't explode at the end of the song.

 

Deef

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