21 Binary Songs [AB Form Music Examples]

Spread the love

“Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman

Song year: 1988

I regard Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” as a foretelling of musical styles that would be pushed to the forefront of popular music in the 90s (think Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Vertical Horizon, etc.), with an emotive guitar hook and dynamic lead vocal.

The song’s length didn’t exactly fit the radio format, but that doesn’t seem to have impacted its popularity any.

In terms of chord progressions, “Fast Car” only has two, and while the song isn’t constrained by the AB form, it follows it relatively closely.

“Hey Jude” by The Beatles

Song year: 1968

Paul McCartney’s Ode to Jules (Julian Lennon) boasts a seven-minute plus runtime, something that was quite revolutionary in its time. There’s little doubt it paved the way for “Stairway to Heaven,” “Layla,” and other lengthy epics though.

Some music experts say “Hey Jude” follows an AB form, and while I don’t think it fits the bill perfectly, the sentiment holds that it’s not a hard song to follow, and it is quite repetitive to boot.

And most importantly, for those studying music, it’s an important tune to add to your repertoire.

“Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses

Song year: 1988

This enduring 1988 hit probably shares more in common with folk or country music than hard rockers would lead you to believe or even like to admit. It’s a little too upbeat for a power ballad, but it’s not matching the energy of a hard rock banger like “Welcome To The Jungle,” and you’d be crazy to think it was.

Gun N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child o’ Mine” is one of their most recognizable. And while the post-chorus instrumentals might throw you off a bit, a case could certainly be made that it is following an AB form.

Songs with two sections

“Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran

Song year: 2017

It feels like only yesterday that Ed Sheeran’s tropical house of “Shape of You” was unleashed upon the listening masses. Sheeran did not originally write it for himself but as a duet for Rudimental and Rihanna. I admit, it could have been rather interesting as a duet.

Either way, not to insult the intelligence of Sheeran fans, but I’m not sure this song has a B. It follows the same chord progression throughout. Sure, there are some peaks and valleys thanks to changes in the melody and modern production, but there is very little artistry or sophistication on display arrangement-wise.

I don’t know if the “singular” form is a thing, but if it is, this song uses it.

“La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens

Song year: 1958

Historically, “La Bamba” is a Mexican folk song stemming from the state of Veracruz. Ritchie Valens was the one to turn it into an immortal Spanish rock and roll hit, however, ultimately reaching audiences all over the world.

Valens would, unfortunately, meet an untimely death in a plane crash just eight months into his music career. As a result, “La Bamba” stands as his most important contribution to music.

The song practically follows the same structure throughout, and I’m not sure if it even has a B section.

“Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish

Song year: 2019

Infiltrating the radio airwaves, sound systems, and car commercials of the world, Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” came disguised in “unique” pop clothing delivering the same electropop we’ve heard before, just in a whispered, stuttering package.

Female empowerment is big business, though, as the likes of Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga proved and continue to prove.

I suppose you could make the argument that “Bad Guy” follows a binary form. The song only uses three chords, though, and they repeat over and over. The only section that’s a little different from the rest is the drop in the outro, which only uses one chord.

Understanding song form

“Someone Like You” by Adele

Song year: 2011

Cashing in on the melodrama of bad breakups, we find Adele’s “Somone Like You” a delightful guilty pleasure. The piano-driven ballad shares much in common with John Legend songs, though we dare not say who’s following who. Sorry if that hits you the wrong way, but it’s true.

“Someone Like You” is quite simple in terms of arrangement, and if I were to look at the verse, pre-chorus, and chorus as a package deal, then I could sort of make a case for binary form. Even, then, though, I think it might be closer to AABC.

“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd

Song year: 2019

The Weeknd puts a modern spin on retro 80s music yet again with “Blinding Lights.” There’s something that sounds vaguely familiar about that description… what is it… oh yeah, virtually every Weeknd hit! But hey, at least he’s consistent.

The intro / verse / pre-chorus / chorus is effectively a package deal, as it repeats twice. Then the song moves into a bridge, repeated chorus, and an outro of sorts. So, from that perspective, you could say that it follows a binary form. I think it would still be AAB to be precise, though.

“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

Zi_XLOBDo_Y

Song year: 1983

Michael Jackson’s quintessential post-disco of “Billie Jean” was still danceable as his disco hits of the yesteryear while offering a much darker vibe than the sound fans came to know him for. The musical style fit Jackson to a tee, and it would propel him to icon status.

“Billie Jean” features three distinct chord progressions, and aside from some repeated segments here and there, it follows the same structure throughout. If I don’t analyze too hard and squint a little, I would agree that this nearly five-minute hit follows a binary form.

“Billie Jean” is also brilliant in its minimal but layered arrangement, something anyone who is looking to write or produce pop music should observe and study well.

“Mr. Brightside” by The Killers

Song year: 2003

Millennial partygoers went crazy over The Killers’ 2003 hit, “Mr. Brightside,” and still do, especially when they’ve been drinking. With distorted vocals, colorful high-pitched guitar arpeggios, and a speedy, rolling drumbeat, The Killers epitomized the early 2003 alt-rock / pop-rock vibe to a tee.

The song is structured very simply with an intro / verse / pre-chorus / chorus form (an intro repeated is just an interlude, isn’t it?). I would say some subtleties don’t make it an AB form, exactly, but being that the song is repetitive, I can settle.

Best Binary Songs In AB Form, Final Thoughts

The bottom line is most songs follow a similar form, especially Top 40 hits. All rules are made to be broken, but it is worth studying common forms before attempting to invent your own. Most things have been done, and it’s relatively obvious that some things don’t work as well as others.

So, engage with the music as a student, and always listen for the form. See if you can guess what it is without having to look at the sheet music or a lead sheet. Then, notice the songs that share forms in common.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *