Frank Kogan

*But one of the things rock 'n' roll did especially well was to figure out how to achieve "choruses" when using a blues format. E.g., "Shake Rattle and Roll" and "Johnny B. Goode" had verses that were in 12-bar blues form and then a chorus that itself was in 12-bar form, the chorus distinguishing itself as a chorus by being chant-like or singalong or more tuneful or more distinctive in some other way, just like choruses in songs that don't use a 12-bar form.

"Jailhouse Rock," which was 16 bars, had a different solution; the verse would be the first 8 bars, and then when the chord goes to the IV and Elvis sings "Let's rock" we're now in the chorus, which goes for the next 8 bars.

"Subterranean Homesick Blues" pulls off something really impressive. It's an 18-bar (!) blues plus whatever bars he felt like inserting, and on the 8th bar (or so, depending), when we go up to IV, Dylan sings "Look out kid" followed by a line that rhymes with it, and that functions as a recurring refrain.

In "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," James and the accompaniment come to a full stop on the 10th bar, followed by a phrase (usually but not always "Papa's got a brand new bag") and then a fast guitar strum, the line and the strum being the refrain. (Plus he throws in some breaks as well.)

This issue is personal, since back when I wrote songs I almost never had choruses. I blame it on James.