What do you think is the most complex structured pop song under 3 minutes?

My choice is ELO's "Hold On Tight". This song continues to blow my mind after all these years. What at first seems like a typical blues progression is much deeper when you take a closer listen. There's a verse melody reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis, stacked harmonies that sound like Paul and John, and if that weren't enough, Jeff Lynne even makes room for a verse in French! Then the closing "Chuck Berryesque" guitar solo tops it off! As if I needed another reason, it's more proof why I feel Jeff Lynne is a genius. A classic example of using your influences properly and mixing them together to create a classic pop song. What are some of your selections for "most complex pop song under 3 minutes"?

 

"Autumn Almanac" by The Kinks. This song is constantly adding news sections, and hardly ever repeats. Instead of the usual ABACAB, the track goes like ABCDEBFGHBI...etc. all in less than 3 minutes. At the same time, it always sounds natural and was a big hit in Europe.

Also, several Randy Newman songs from the 60s have this kind of Structure ("Vine Street", etc.).

 

I'm gonna go listen to AA right now.....then I will tell you what I think. Thanks for posting!

 

Ever hear the song "Imposters Of Life's Magazine" by The Idle Race? Jeff Lynne manages to cram quite a few musical ideas into that one as well.

 

Is Simon & Garfunkel's "America" under 3 minutes? If so, that wins for me.

 

Beautiful, maybe his best ever song. But is it 'complex"?

 

Yes' version has a more complex arrangement but it's also a lot longer.

Funny thing about that tune, none of the lyrics rhyme but it works somehow. Brilliant songwriting.

 

Everlasting Love -- Robert Knight, Carl Carlton, and others

A very artful combination of two different songs.

 

The Easybeats "Heaven And Hell" - prog-mod-pop-rock in 1967!

 

Does it have to be rock?

There are plenty of popular songs in other idioms that have extremely complex musical structures. For example, "Lush Life" by Billy Strayhorn or "Chega de Saudade" by A.C. Jobim.

P.S. Or, is the OP looking for the most complex audio production?

 

Dunno for sure but it just may be sitting there calling out to us on something like Rubber Soul or Revolver ...

 

The Beach Boys- "This Whole World" and under two minutes!

 

Whatever you wanna bring to the party is fine with me

 

Traffic- Hole In My Shoe

 

Pity Good Vibrations comes in at 3.35, otherwise that would win for me!

 

"God Only Knows" has some pretty complex chord changes and counterpoint.

 

hey guys, around 3 minutes is acceptable, Hold On Tight is like 3:07 If it's over, so be it!

 

I agree Jamie! Good to hear from you on here!

 

"Lush Life" and "Chega de Saudade" are wonderfully complex compositions but over 3 minutes in length.

 

Not necessarily--it depends on who is performing them. The iconic original version of "Chega de Saudade" by João Gilberto is 1:59. It was an enormously popular hit single in Brazil in the late 1950s.

But you're right, many performers love to stretch out on those songs...

 

I've always thought that The Turtles "Do You Know What I Mean" does a lot in a minimum amount of time.

 

Good point and straight on the mark with the João Gilberto version of Chega de Saudade.

 

Does "St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast" by Frank Zappa count as a pop song?

 

This is the first one I thought of - I just love all the twists and turns in this one. Brilliant. (I do have to comment that "Hold on Tight" is way underrated.)

 

In Dreams by Roy Orbison is through-composed, with five distinct sections.

Other tracks I'm a big fan of that are not straightforward in structure are Alice Long by Boyce and Hart and Incense and Peppermints by the Strawberry Alarm Clock.