On repetitive choruses

I don't have a problem with repetition, but it needs to be done in moderation.
TAATG is a great example of over doing it. It's like half the song is the same line.
 
LooseCannon said:
This shit has been bothering me for awhile. Tons of people complain about the repetitive choruses from AMOLAD. I mean, how fucking often do you hear it?
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And it's not like Maiden are the only band that are guilty of this as well. They all do it.

But so what - if the song is good enough, just let it lie.
 
Have you guys listened to pop music lately (either accidentally or by choice?)  Repetition is the name of the game.  That's how you create a hook to draw the listener in.  While Maiden's certainly not the poppiest metal band around, they do have a knack for creating catchy songs - and repeating words is one way to do that.  Like Mega said, it's really all about moderation, and I think Maiden usually does not overdo it.
 
p4warrior said:
Have you guys listened to pop music lately (either accidentally or by choice?)  Repetition is the name of the game.  That's how you create a hook to draw the listener in.  While Maiden's certainly not the poppiest metal band around, they do have a knack for creating catchy songs - and repeating words is one way to do that.  Like Mega said, it's really all about moderation, and I think Maiden usually does not overdo it.
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Can't read my, can't read my, no he can't read my pokerface
Can't read my, can't read my, no he can't read my pokerface

p, p, p, poker face, p, p, p, pokerface
p, p, p, poker face, p, p, p, pokerface

Fair point ;)
 
Repetition of lyrics is less important than the way the lyrics are sung, and the way the music underneath develops.
 
iron maiden repeats a lot of stuff in their songs anyway. the galloping rhythms they're know for, for starters... I agree with Forostar, it all comes down to how the music develops.
 
All these classic era songs have short and mostly catchy chorusses.
CSIT is a bit longer but doesn't drag on as much as later stuff.
SSOASS I find that an interesting (not often repeated ;) ) type of chorus, in which Bruce swiftly masters the differences in height. Over before we know it.

TETMD has a magic vocal melody, compare that to Wildest Dreams.
 
SSoaSS is the best example of a repeating chorus that doesn't feel like it's repeating. Bruce alters every other line brilliantly.
 
I think this one is in the ear of the listener.
And it's not just about the words, it's probably more about the melody.
If you love the melodic hook, the repeated words aren't going to bother you so much.
The less appealing the hook, the more aggravating the repetition.
I have no problem with the repetition of Final Frontier or the Evil That Men Do because I love the hooks.
But I notice the SOoaSS repeats (sorry Jonszat) because I like the hook less. In that case, for me they emphasize a flaw in an otherwise excellent song.
Compare that to Holy Smoke
The chorus is quite good lyric-wise, but the melody is annoyingly repetitive.
I used to mock it by singing Holy Smoke, Holy Smoke, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy smoke.
 
No, my whole point - and this is NOT targeted at Jeffmetal, more at other reviewers and one-posters on this site over the last 4 years - is that the "repetitive chorus" slag is used to attack newer albums out of some sort of fake justification that things are different now, and therefore, worse. I wanted to show that nothing has changed in 30 years.
 
It depends on how we like those choruses. I prefer many of the old ones, because I feel they sound better (melodies and such), and relatively shorter, and less dragging on and on.

But I understand you might have developed a certain revolt vs the constant picking on these songs, because I have a bit of the same feeling when people slag off NPFTD and FOTD and doing that by using just one short sentence in the process.

I also understand your affection with these more recent songs, and the topics of the lyrics.
 
Mega said:
I don't have a problem with repetition, but it needs to be done in moderation.
TAATG is a great example of over doing it. It's like half the song is the same line.
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The chorus for the FTGGOG was what attracted me to the song in the first place.  As Chaospiant said, it is about how the chorus is sung.  After a while, the 'how' loses its hold on me.  While I still enjoy FTGGOG, the chorus is no longer that interesting.  I can say the same thing about BNW, RTTH and probably other songs. 
 
Yeah repetitive choruses don't bother me with Maiden because A) the choruses are great and B) everything in between is amazing. 
 
 I do not at all mind a chorus that repeats as long as it isn't the same sentence or phrase being repeated. "RUN to the Hills, run for your lives" is great.  "the Final Frontier..the final frontier" is quite different, and gets annoying after 6-8.  As does my least favorite Maiden chorus ever, No More lies..NML..NML..NMl etc etc. annoying. Great songs though.  I feared the 1 phrase chorus marring this album after hearing TFF the song.  Thankfully, that was all the 1 liners.

Edit. Although Blood Brothers repeats, after hearing it live this year, and losing my mind with 25,000 other Maidenites, I can never say anything negative about it!!  One of my favorite live Maiden moments ever.
 
p4warrior said:
Slow clap.

I feel Brave New World had more than AMOLAD, and even that one wasn't bad about it at all: only on a few songs, and all of them melodically varied and interesting enough to make it a moot point.
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:shred: Iron Maiden make their point with repetitive lyrics. I love Iron Maiden love Prance rock-steady@live.com.au
 
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