# Is there a name for this type of pop song rhythm?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-type-of-pop-song-rhythm/915964>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 21, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-type-of-pop-song-rhythm/915964 "2020-07-21T23:44:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-type-of-pop-song-rhythm/915964/1 "2020-07-21T23:44:38Z")

</div>

A number of very popular rock songs from the 60s and 70s started off in a similar way: a repeated one-note motif, accompanied - in varying degrees - by a syncopated shuffle, often with an implied emphasis on the “and” of the first beat.

[The Turtles - Elenore](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeAtre3Bxg8)

[Three Dog Night - One Is The Lonelist Number](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5ab8BOu4LE)

[The Cowsills - The Rain, The Park, And Other Things](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC9tALmALh0)

[Queen - Killer Queen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4IouUbIxG4)

Is there a formal musical term for this pattern?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-type-of-pop-song-rhythm/915964/3 "2020-07-22T18:28:39Z")

</div>

I’m not sure it has any special name. It’s not really a one-note motif so much as banging out the chords on each beat. As for that style of intro – I’ve never heard it referred to as anything specific but, yes, it’s not uncommon.