The Middle 8

Cafe Society
1

Peculiar to popular music, the middle 8 tries to use a different chord structure to the verse and the chorus, and distill the essence of the song in 8 bars. It must include lyrics or its just a musical bridge, and must only happen once in the song. (My rules)

Is it worth doing?
Who writes a good one?
Does it need to be 8 bars?
Why doesn’t the man who knocks at the door go away when I press ESC?

My top 10

XTC - No Language in Our Lungs (a middle 40!)
Paul Simon - Still Crazy
Craig Stevens - Tin Man & Scarecrow Woman
Costello - Olivers Army
Neil Finn - Fall at your Feet
Zevon - Lawyers, Guns and Money
Ramones - Pinhead
Gilbert o’ Sullivan - Claire
Beatles (my view in this instance is Lennon, although McCartney clearly wrote the rest) - Michelle
Queen - Somebody to Love (I hate Queen but this m8 ROCKS)

All from a zillion years ago so are they out of fashion or do I just miss them?

2

Well, I’m not sure about most of your questions but does it need to be 8 bars can just be that all the other sections are 8 bars long. So, of course this section would be the same legenth.

I remember having to chart out some musical compostions based on the sections.

Something like

ABABA

or

ABCBA

Each letter being a different part of the tune.

Take Yesterday for example, which also has a nice bridge.

AABA

A Yesterday, all my feelings ect.

A Suddenly, I’m not half ect.

B Why she had to go ect

A Yesterday, ect.

IIRC the Genesis song Abacab follows that format. Or at least we thought it did.

3

I guess my questions were asking what you all thought - rather than what th rules were - my favourite m8 being 40 bars long…
Having been overwhelmed by the response - I guess it’s just me who appreciates the art.

Also - Pugwash - Finer Things In Life