SONGS WITHOUT CHORUS: STRANGE DAYS AND OTHER GREAT TUNES
The track that gives The Doors' second album its name was recorded by
the group without an actual refrain, opening up a fascinating and mysterious
path. While not unique, this circumstance was nonetheless very rare in 1967.
Until then, and for a few more years, most songs were organized around
the verse-chorus structure.
The insertion of short sections designed to vary this structure (known
as "bridge" and "middle eight") was not enough to break
away from this musical format, nor were the increasingly frequent instrumental
digressions introduced by several bands from 1966 onwards.
Within this established musical framework, the tune "Strange
Days" reveals a notable originality, unfolding through the poetic flow of
psychedelic rock that captivates and amazes the listener.
Each verse of the song ends with a variation in the melody (listen at
min. 0:47, min. 1:49 and min. 2:50), but without deviating from it in a
significant way. The change is perceptible yet occurs without altering the
rhythm or melody of the verse itself. This section sounds much more like the
end of the main stanza than a well-defined chorus.
Eliminating the refrain does not negatively affect the song's appeal; on
the contrary, it enhances its hypnotic continuity, focusing attention on the
inspired dialogue between vocals and instruments.
As mentioned above, this feature also appears in other pieces from this period. Like "Strange Days", these compositions are exceptions to the clear distinction between verse and chorus. One example is "I'm Waiting for the Man" by the Velvet Underground (link here), which was included on their first LP, released in March 1967 — a few months before The Doors' record.
In this masterpiece of innovation and expressive authenticity, written
by Lou Reed between 1965 and early '66, the same features observed in
"Strange Days" can be seen.
The verse ends with a variation of the ongoing melody, and therefore without a real chorus. The rough, pounding rock only changes its harsh, mocking inflection slightly by rippling the general trend of the arrangement for just a few seconds (listen at 0:31, 1:05, 1:39, 2:48 and 3:26).
Focusing on the same time period, December 1967, we would also like to mention "John Wesley Harding" (link here), the title track of Bob Dylan's album of the same name.
Here, the melodic line of the song is once again almost completely
intact, alongside the progression of stanzas. Dylan's simple, evocative, lean
folk-rock composition tells the protagonist's story in short episodes which are
never interrupted by refrains.
Returning to The Doors' 'Strange Days', the compositional mode that we
have highlighted through these examples should be considered even more daring
when we consider the time at which the song was conceived and written.
In fact, although it was released on the band's second album on 25
September 1967, it had already been included in their live performances in the
first few months of the previous year.
P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is available on Amazon.com, .uk, .mx, .it, etc.
Here’s a link:
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