# What are the itty-bitty bits you love in certain songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 19, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368 "2019-03-19T14:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/301 "2022-03-27T10:20:08Z")
Just noticed that drummer David Robinson (The Cars) similarly alternates patterns in Let’s Go: “_I don’t want to hold her down, don’t want to break her crown when she says…_” ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/302 "2022-03-27T11:50:01Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Yeah, the alternating patterns are really cool. Up to and including the guitar solo, the snare is on 2 and 4, and after that the drummer switches the pattern every two lines of verse. Hadn’t noticed that before! Neat. Charlie Watts does the same thing in the verses of “She Smiled Sweetly” (in 6/8, so we’re talking beat 1 vs. beat 4). It’s because there’s a half-measure in the verse, but Charlie keeps playing the same pattern, so it gets “off” until it “corrects” itself when there’s another half-measure, a couple bars later. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/303 "2022-03-27T14:31:11Z")
Natalie Merchant’s pleading delivery of “take me now” in the unplugged version of “Because the Night” around 2:33: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eRIAzSzm-dU/maxresdefault.jpg "10.000 MANIACS - BECAUSE THE NIGHT (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRIAzSzm-dU) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/304 "2022-03-27T16:04:25Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Hmm, don’t you mean beats instead of bars? This drummer would refer to a “beat” as a single strike on a drum surface, so, for instance, back in the day, when I could play my double kicks at 220 b.p.m. (beats per minute), that would’ve been 220 times my kick pedals had struck the kick drums within one minute. Speaking of drums - love the wacky fade-out solo at the end of this. Triplet-o-mania! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u5zOpaYJRd4/hqdefault.jpg "Heart - Sing Child") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5zOpaYJRd4&t=274) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/305 "2022-03-27T22:02:52Z")
Always hoped there’d be someone out there more technically capable than myself to make a basic loop of the guitar riff on John’s “show”, at 1:03 - 1:06. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VtXl8xAPAtA/maxresdefault.jpg "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Remastered 2009)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtXl8xAPAtA) Would make for a great, simple, heavy, looping foundation for something else. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2022, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/306 "2022-03-27T22:09:42Z")
In the full version of _Video Killed the Radio Star_ there’s a nice little piano and synth outro that begins at around the 3:20 mark. It’s rather more gentle-sounding than the main song and is usually clipped out whenever the song happens to get played (which these days, is admittedly not very often) This [link](https://youtu.be/1zABYZN5jO8?t=197) should take you to a clip of where in the song I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/307 "2022-03-28T01:54:41Z")
I’m going to re-write the rules a bit. I haven’t found it and I’m getting sick of looking for it, but Carly Simon and Ben Taylor did “My Romance” for a Ralph Lauren commercial many years ago. It kicked ass. [https://www.google.com/search?q=Ben+Taylor+Carly+Simon+Ralph+Lauren&rlz=1C1CHBF\_enUS798US798&oq=Ben+Taylor+Carly+Simon+Ralph+Lauren&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160l2.9490j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8](https://www.google.com/search?q=Ben+Taylor+Carly+Simon+Ralph+Lauren&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS798US798&oq=Ben+Taylor+Carly+Simon+Ralph+Lauren&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160l2.9490j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) It was a commercial so it was just a snippet. Damn! Another one, from “White Men Can’t Jump.” Not the part Woody sings to lead in. Go to :50. Where is the rest of this song and more of the same, please? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_7WXW03pisk/hqdefault.jpg "White men can't jump - Gloria song - Woody Harrelson (& Ron Shelton)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7WXW03pisk) ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/308 "2022-03-28T22:13:32Z")
You’re not wooshing me, are you? See Post #260 in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/309 "2022-03-29T00:25:26Z")
Wow yeah that’s one weapons-grade ninja’ing. 🤦‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/310 "2022-03-29T01:53:33Z")
Nice. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2022, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/311 "2022-03-29T23:05:03Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > ARTIST: King Crimson > ALBUM: In the Court of the Crimson King > SONG: The Court of the Crimson King > > This song is in 5 sections because the main song is interrupted by 2 instrumental interludes (each with a subtitle). The transition from Section 4 to Section 5 is an incredible drum figure. > > PS: Can anybody explain why the song title has one less word than the album title? It’s possible Robert might have the nerve to disagree, but I’ll posit that only the album title gets the “in” because it’s the _album_ that draws you “in”, and once you are, the song’s already there, to be listened to; by that time, you’re already “in”. Maybe Sartre can have a crack at this. > [@](#): > > The transition from Section 4 to Section 5 is an incredible drum figure. Indeed, and speaking of fine drumming in that number - it has one of my top five fills, at 9:02 (especially love the concluding floor tom roll): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ukgraQ-xkp4/maxresdefault.jpg "King Crimson - The Court Of The Crimson King") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukgraQ-xkp4&t=539) The tinkling, cascading keyboard backing the Talking Heads’ “Once In a Lifetime”; sort of propels it along: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5IsSpAOD6K8/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGFsgRChlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBBv8sjsAldTge-5NtfbyXor5QKkA "Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IsSpAOD6K8) ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/312 "2022-04-18T04:39:48Z")
“Lady” by Styx: at the end of the second verse, transitioning to the chorus, you hear a roar like a lion. At the [1:15 mark.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghqh92CtuqM&list=LL&index=2&ab_channel=adamtrng) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/313 "2022-04-21T03:22:08Z")
Yeah I gotta be a broken record and bring up George Harrison’s “What is Life” again - it’s just so refulgent with fucking awesomeness. Never a big Suzanne Crough fan, but the tambourine that kicks in in the chorus really gives the already powerful number a kind of galloping surge making it even more (legitimately, not ear-wormy) catchy. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/314 "2022-04-21T16:35:11Z")
Paul Simon’s New York accent is not very noticeable in his songs overall (at least not to me), but I really enjoy it when it does shine through. First example that comes to mind is “The Boy in the Bubble”, with the line “every generation throws a hero up the pop charts”. _pohhp chaaahts_ ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2022, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/315 "2022-04-21T20:14:07Z")
“Take on Me” by A-ha has a 15-second keyboard riff near the beginning that I love. I just heard a cover band doing it at a college fair and was so happy that college students today appreciate 80s music: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/djV11Xbc914/maxresdefault.jpg "a-ha - Take On Me (Official Video) [Remastered in 4K]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914) ---
**Author:** ![Eclipse\_Chaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Eclipse\_Chaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eclipse_Chaser)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/316 "2022-04-22T07:57:50Z")
The saxophone intro to Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street”. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2022, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/317 "2022-04-22T09:30:22Z")
In the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life”, right after Paul’s line, “Somebody spoke and I went into a dream”, John starts vocalizing “Ahhhh…” and the brass section comes in. I love that bit. Back when I had a car with a cassette player, I’d record the song onto various mix tapes and would always turn the recording volume way up just for that part of the song. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/318 "2022-04-24T01:09:25Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > John starts vocalizing “Ahhhh…” and the brass section comes In a Dope thread years ago, I pointed out how the melody and chords here are exactly replicated in the Joe South (soon after more famously covered by Deep Purple) song “Hush.” We figured that both songs were composed independently (circa January 1967) — just a coincidence, or something in the air. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2022, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/319 "2022-04-24T01:18:49Z")
Breaking news! Turns out we were wrong. Per Wikipedia: “ [Billy Joe Royal](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joe_Royal) would record “Hush” in a 12 July 1967 [Nashville](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville) recording session which featured Barry Bailey, future lead guitarist for the [Atlanta Rhythm Section](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Rhythm_Section), on guitar. In the mid-1980s Royal would recall how while he and his regular songwriter/producer [Joe South](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_South) were driving from [Atlanta](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta) to Nashville for that recording session (Billy Joe Royal quote:)“Joe was writing ‘[I Never Promised You a Rose Garden](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Garden_(Billy_Joe_Royal_song))’ [in the car]. I didn’t like it, so he wrote ‘Hush’ right there [leaning] on the dashboard.”[[2](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush_(Billy_Joe_Royal_song)#cite_note-2)” So the Sergeant Pepper album was out for a whole month and a half (released end of May 1967) before South composed “Hush.” It’s looking more like he (probably subconsciously) “nicked” it from the Beatles’ composition after all. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368/320 "2022-04-26T15:13:32Z")
The chords of that part of “Day in the Life” are a truncated circle of fifths: C, G, D, A, E and back to C. “Hey Joe” uses the same chords, probably lots of other songs too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-itty-bitty-bits-you-love-in-certain-songs/831368.md?page=17)