Chord Modifications for Songs with the Same Verse/Chorus Melodies

Songs can use the same melody for both the verse and the chorus. It’s all in the lyric you write.

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Most songs use one melody, chord progression and lyric for the verse, and a different set for the chorus. It’s quite possible, however, to write a song that uses the same melody and harmonization for the verse and the chorus. With only a few rhythmic differences between verse and chorus, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” (based on the melody for the American 19th-Century song “John Brown’s Body”) is one such song. Songs with identical verse and chorus melodies can work very well, giving you opportunities to practice a bit of chord progression substitution.

The Battle Hymn shows the typical difference between verse and chorus lyrics. The verse describes situations:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord…

I have seen him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps..

…while the chorus is simply an emotional response:

Glory! glory! Hallelujah!…

The typical harmonization of this hymn uses the same chords for the verse and the chorus:

I       IV  I      IV  V  I

Chord progressions that we use for verses can tolerate a bit more of an experimental approach than choruses. In the chorus, harmonies need to solidify and strengthen, pointing unambiguously to a tonic chord. But in songs that use the same melody and chord progression for the verse and chorus, it’s best to choose a strong, clear progression as a starting point, like the chords listed above for Battle Hymn. From there, you can modify the progression with some interesting chord substitutions.

Experimenting with chord substitution can give a more interesting chorus, and can possibly mask the fact that you’re simply repeating the verse melody.

Chord substitution usually means that you’re going to change chords, but keep chord functions relatively intact. I’ve written numerous times on this blog about how to do chord substitutions, so if you need a refresher, try this post.

As you probably know, any chords that you replace need to be done with the melody in mind, because a substitute chord needs to accommodate the melody note of the moment. Here’s a reharmonization of the chorus, using slightly different chords.

/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / C       |        |Dm G |C       |Am7 C/G |Fmaj7 C |Dm G |C

What this chorus harmonization does is, in part, deflect attention away from the fact that it’s a simple repetition of the verse. It also accomplishes the simple task of providing something of an interesting alternative to the basic harmonization of the verse.

This kind of reharmonization works best in the chorus, not the verse. That’s because the longer chorus progression makes the drive to the eventual tonic chord even stronger.

Another song structure that is very similar to writing a song with an identical verse and chorus is to write a 2-part verse in A A’ format, where the A’ section serves as a chorus. The lyric of the first half constantly changes, but always uses the second half as a lyrical refrain. Sixties folk group The Seekers’ “All Bound for Morningtown” is a great demonstration of this.

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