An Overview of the ABABCB Song Structure

Cary Acord is an avid stand up paddle boarder (SUP) who has competed in various SUP races and competitions. Cary Acord also enjoys playing guitar and bass and writing songs.

Songwriting combines elements of creative writing with the composition of original music. Despite the highly creative nature of songwriting, a large number of songs follow a few basic structures. The ABABCB structure is arguably the most common style of songwriting. In fact, many mainstream songs across a variety of genres assume this structure with little variation.

Songs that adhere to the ABABCB structure open with a verse that leads directly into a catchy chorus, or refrain. The first chorus is followed by a second verse that closely mirrors the first in structure, though it may be slightly shorter. The second verse is followed once again by a chorus. The second chorus may introduce slightly variations, but will generally follow the same melodic pattern of the first. The second chorus then gives way to the bridge. The bridge represents the only significant deviation within the song, as it soon is followed by a final chorus, ending the song.

The ABABCB song structure has a number of equally popular variants. For example, some songs may incorporate a pre-chorus before the first and second refrains, which usually serves as a quick build or change of pace before the actual chorus is performed. Under the ABABCB structure, songs that implement pre-choruses generally transition directly from the bridge into the final refrain.

History of Sushi

A snowboarder since 1977, Cary Acord practices several other outdoor sports including mountain biking, paragliding, and kitesurfing. Standup paddle boarding is another favorite of his, and he placed first in OC2 men’s division in the NorCal's Half Moon Bay Race in 2004. An adventurous eater, sushi is one of Cary Acord’s favorite dishes.

While sushi is considered Japanese, its origins can be traced back to Southeast Asia in the second century AD. Both meat and fish were cured and then wrapped in rice as a method of preservation that outlasted curing alone by several months. The method eventually gained acceptance in China and finally arrived in Japan, where the Japanese began to ferment the rice and fish with sake (rice wine).

After another millennium of time had passed, vinegar replaced wine, and this greatly sped up the fermentation process. It wasn’t until the 1820s that the Japanese began serving sushi using raw fish, known as the Edo-style. After another century, Tokyo was full of street vendors peddling nigiri-sushi, which is raw fish sitting on top of shaped rice. After World War II, modern restaurants replaced street vendors due to sanitation concerns, and today consumers enjoy the nigiri-sushi style worldwide.