# The Middle 8

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-middle-8/228564>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 11, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-middle-8/228564 "2004-02-11T01:25:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-middle-8/228564/1 "2004-02-11T01:25:21Z")

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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?

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-middle-8/228564/2 "2004-02-11T19:39:20Z")

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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.

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**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-middle-8/228564/3 "2004-02-12T00:53:18Z")

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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