Songs where the real hook is in the verse and the chorus is unmemorable by comparison

Girlfriend in a Coma for sure. “Do you really think she’ll pull through?” memorable but not as much as the verse. Though this may be an easy one because I think generally whatever section of the song has the title in it will be more memorable.

Another one: “Under Pressure”

thread title is more interesting to me than just "verse I like better than chorus" but clearly the tide is against me on this one

Def Leppard - "Photograph"

No

That has to be the single wrongest answer here!

WTF...the chorus to Photograph is the payoff!

The verses p much dont work if the chorus fails with that song

Did u perhaps mean Nickleback

It's spelled Nickelbakc

Although the chorus of Talking Heads' Once In A Lifetime is gorgeous, I suspect that the verses are far better known, no?
I know I came across references to lines from the verses often. (I've even seen Spider-Man say "This is not my beautiful house! This is not my beautiful wife!" in a comic once.) but I can't remember ever seeing the chorus referenced outside of the song.

I'd say that one is about 50/50. The parts people quote are from the verses but the chorus is really really catchy

What did you think the song was called when you first heard it (unless you knew already)?

"You may ask yourself"
"Letting the days go by"
or "After the money's gone"
or "Once in a lifetime"

or "Same as it ever was" (missed that one out)

"Ugly House, Wife"

Oh, that takes me back, I must have first heard the song in my early teenage years, seeing the video on MTV... But yes, I do remember being drawn to the chorus, probably the "Water flowing underground" line stayed with me most back then.

"Lucky You" by the Lightning Seeds

I kinda feel like "Money for Nothing" counts here? If the "We got to install microwave ovens...we got to move these color tvs" parts are the chorus.

The real hook in 'Money for Nothing' is not the verse or the chorus: it's the riff, same as the real hook in 'Under Pressure' isn't the verse or the chorus, it's the bass riff.

I feel that way about "Cherub Rock" too.

Yep, 'Cherub Rock' too.

same as the real hook in 'Under Pressure' isn't the verse or the chorus, it's the bass riff.

Yeah, the bass riff in the chorus.

yeah, that's another category "songs where the riff/instrumental part is the chorus".
I was thinking about "Enola Gay" also.

Yeah, the bass riff in the chorus.

― Matt DC, Tuesday, October 10, 2017 2:36 PM (ten minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

The "it's the terror of knowing..." etc. part? Nah.

I don't know what AlXTC from Paris is on about either - that doesn't apply to UP.

yeah, I may have been wrong about that one since the bass riff might be the most memorable part of "UP" but it's not the same thing as the instrumental chorus/riff songs like "Enola Gay".

"Midnight City" too

"Baker Street"

I've always thought that "Kayleigh" by Marillion had a great 80's hook for its prechorus and a pretty substandard one for the actual chorus.

"Baker Street"

― rip van wanko, Tuesday, October 10, 2017 10:06 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

What's the chorus? I always thought the sax line was the chorus, and probably only like 5% of people who would recognize the song could sing any of the verse.

sax line surely

(sorry, it seemed we'd got derailed into songs with instrumental choruses)

There’s a thread for that one:

Songs where the chorus is an instrumental

Many people confusing instrumental chorus with memorable riffs in that thread tho.

'Baker Street' does have a chorus, but it's not the sax riff, which is the real hook.

'Baker Dick' is a different story, ofc.

Many people confusing instrumental chorus with memorable riffs in that thread tho.

The Smiths have no hooks. Their music is just frantic rhythm guitar with Morissey sort of meandering between the third and fifth notes of the chord.

I think this would be more melodically active than what often happens, which is Morrissey meandering between the first, third, and fifth scale degrees (or third, fifth, and modal seventh in minor keys) regardless of the chords.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVTzT3FmxhI

Apologies if this has been posted before somewhere here

I think this would be more melodically active than what often happens, which is Morrissey meandering between the first, third, and fifth scale degrees (or third, fifth, and modal seventh in minor keys) regardless of the chords.

― No purposes. Sounds. (Sund4r), Tuesday, October 10, 2017 12:02 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

You're absolutely correct, I wasn't really thinking clearly when I posted

ahah, great comments/video about Moz !

The oddest place I can think of for a hook is Cut Some Rug by The Bluetones, where it's the bassline on the bridge, which isn't even that high in the mix.