3 Iconic Songs That Hide the Hook in the Most Unexpected Place

A song’s hook is traditionally the chorus. The two words are typically interchangeable. But when we look at what draws the listener in most, the “hook” isn’t always what it seems. If a songwriter is good enough, they can make any aspect of their choosing the hook. The three songs below all put the hook in unexpected places. Whether it’s a near-perfect bridge or an iconic breakdown, these songs curb the traditional songwriting structure for something much more interesting.

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“Hey Jude” (The Beatles)

The entirety of The Beatles‘ “Hey Jude” is a hook. The agreed-upon chorus is different depending on who you ask. Is it the repetitive “hey Jude” at the beginning of the verses or the earworm bridges between them? If you ask me, the hook of this song comes at the very end, when Paul McCartney lets loose on the piano.

This iconic breakdown of “Hey Jude” invites the listener to join McCartney as he delivers one of the most memorable “na na na” sections of any song ever. The end of a song isn’t where you’d readily put a hook, but McCartney proves the merits of an unconventional songwriting structure with this undisputed hit.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1982, This Beatle Delivered a $9 Million Check To Help Protect Children’s Right After a Ground-Breaking Concert That Changed Musical Philanthropy]

“Smoke On The Water” (Deep Purple)

Deep Purple wrote a traditional chorus for “Smoke On The Water,” but it has competition for the hook of the song, thanks to the iconic guitar riff. The instrumentation of this song is as memorable as any lyrical moment. A guitar player rarely usurps a song’s lead vocal, but that’s certainly the case with “Smoke On The Water.”

It’s the riff that listeners remember this song for. Even if you aren’t familiar with Deep Purple, odds are you know this timeless guitar moment.

“Cruel Summer” (Taylor Swift)

Taylor Swift‘s “Cruel Summer” features one of her best choruses. Despite the strength of that chorus, it’s not the true hook of the song. Swift has always been a songwriter capable of making a bridge just as memorable as any chorus. She flexes that talent superbly on this sleeper hit.

The bridge of this song is the thing fans scream along to the hardest at her concerts. The chorus is memorable and fun, but it’s nothing compared to the energy she delivers when singing, I’m drunk in the back of the car / And I cried like a baby comin’ home from the bar.

(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)