Abstract

This paper is an analysis and comparison of rock songs containing multiple (three or more), contrasting sections/parts. Some of these sections could be considered stand-alone compositions, however this paper intends to prove that these individual sections become greater than their sum in context of the entire song. Beginning with Ken Stephenson’s explanation of songs whose form falls into the category of compound binary, which he defines as songs that can “be divided into two principal parts,” this paper will analyze several songs, using both Brad Osborn’s and Mark Spicer’s work on form within rock music, referencing their “terminally climactic forms” and “cumulative forms,” respectively. The paper will expand upon the ideas these authors present and explore how they can be extrapolated and applied to other songs within the genre. It will also explore how these songs’ multiple parts transition effectively, and some of the techniques that are employed to maintain continuity throughout the song. One example focuses on a comparison of the transitional functionality of Brian May’s solos in “Bohemian Rhapsody” to the abrupt transitions in “Happiness is a Warm Gun” by the Beatles. In addition to these pieces the paper will also include discussion of the composition “Paranoid Android” by Radiohead as a modern example.

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