The Beatles knew their way around a song. Water is wet, after all. Paul McCartney and John Lennon penned most of the Fab Four’s music, and their compositions rarely missed the mark. And while their choruses were always catchy or memorable, some of The Beatles’ song bridges were also pretty incredible. Let’s look at just a few examples of the Fab Four’s finest bridges, shall we?
“Something”
Let’s be real. The entirety of “Something” is stunning. However, that bridge is likely the most famous bridge in the whole of The Beatles’ discography. If it’s not, it’s certainly the best either way. George Harrison really showed the world how talented and underrated a songwriter he was, and “Something” is devastatingly romantic. After the main sections, the driving, powerful bridge made up of drums and piano is absolutely entrancing. It keeps the listener’s interest, and the whole thing just feels spiritual.
Videos by American Songwriter
“A Hard Day’s Night”
This tune is a pretty solid example of how The Beatles would occasionally muddle the traditional arrangement of a song composed of verses, bridges, and choruses. However, John Lennon himself referred to Paul McCartney’s vocal section in “A Hard Day’s Night” as a bridge, so we’ll run with that. The whole of the song is beautifully composed, but McCartney’s maintenance of the song with his bridge is pretty amazing.
“This Boy”
How about a deep cut? This track from Meet The Beatles! deserves more love, in my opinion. It’s a very Motown-adjacent tune, and Lennon himself said he was trying to emulate Smokey Robinson with “This Boy”. I think he was successful. The harmonization in the verses of this song is gorgeous, and Lennon’s solo bridge is a pleading, breaking, reverent section that ties the whole thing together.
“No Reply”
This Beatles For Sale track from 1964 boasts one of the most underrated bridges in the band’s discography. The song is a bit low-energy, but “No Reply” is still a great opener for an album. The band was exhausted but still managed to put something beautiful together. And once that bridge section hits, it becomes clear that “No Reply” is not a lazy song. Lennon basically screams through the bridge, desperate for the object of his love to appreciate him.
Photo by John Downing/Getty Images
More The List
-
Photo by Mirrorpix via Getty Images -
NAZARETH / Die schottische Rockband NAZARETH, 70er Jahre. Musik, Band, Rock, 70er. (Photo by kpa/United Archives via Getty Images) -
Vancouver-based. Chilliwack – from left; Brain MacLeod; Ab Bryant; Skip Layton; Bill Henderson and Jamie Bowers – were described as taking rock 'n' roll where it's goig back in the San Francisco rock explosion of 1967. but they fizzled because they didn't tour to push record sales. They aren't making that mistake again. -
Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees in New York City, New York (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage) -
Rock music legend Janis Joplin performs at the free Woodstock Music and Art Fair. The festival took place on Max Yasgur's dairy farm, which he rented to event organizers for $75,000. About 450,000 people attended the three day concert, which turned into chaos due to the crowds, heavy rains, and traffic jams. It is nonetheless romantically remembered as a symbol of the liberal spirit of the hippie generation. (Photo by Henry Diltz/Corbis via Getty Images) -
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – AUGUST 30: Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates performs in concert at Etess Arena on August 30, 2019 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Photo by Donald Kravitz/Getty Images) -
LOS ANGELES – MAY 1999: (EDITORS NOTE: THIS IMAGE WAS CREATED USING COLOR INFRARED FILM) American rock band Smash Mouth (L – R) drummer Kevin Coleman, vocalist Steven Harwell, guitarist Greg Camp and bassist Paul De Lisle pose for a May 1999 portrait in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bob Berg/Getty Images) -
Left to right: Doug Clifford, Tom Fogerty, John Fogerty and Stu Cook of American rock group, Creedence Clearwater Revival, in New York City, 1970. (Photo by PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)