We were singing karaoke at a friend’s party last night, making our way through Crocodile Rock when we realize the song has no bridge. Are there other Top 40 pop songs that broke rules about song structure?
Also, half of the people singing with us had not heard of Cheap Trick’s Surrender. Disturbing.
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John’s “Teacher I Need You” also seems to lack a bridge. It’s from the same album, which might not be a coincidence.
There are many Top 40 songs which violate basic verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-[optional-verse]-chorus-chorus structure. That’s part of what I like about progressive rock: The unconventional structures and arrangements. So consider stuff like Jethro Tull’s “Living in the Past”, or Yes’ “Roundabout”, both of which are classic rock staples.
Or The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again”.
Or heck, start with The Beatles, who left the conventional pop genre far behind when they retired from live performing to record Sgt. Pepper’s.