One big drawback to the verse/chorus songwriting template discussed above centers on the simplicity of the format. In other words, the typical song will go:
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Chorus
Verse 3
Chorus
According to Ralph Murphy, the last verse can sometimes make the song bog down. When people complain about a song being too long, the third verse is often to blame.
However, if you insert a bridge in place of (or in addition to) the last verse, it creates contrast, which helps keep your listener’s attention. The verse/chorus/bridge songwriting template gets used a lot in country music, but you can find it in many song styles.
Click here to view the lyrics for the song (Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay.