A short musical phrase repeated persistently throughout a section.
The Beatles use 2 melodic devices on their 1962 songs and 7 by 1969, having picked up ostinato, musical quotation, and blue note along the way.
Song count per year
% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)
| # | Title | Year | Album | Lead Vocal(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hold Me Tight | 1963 | With The Beatles | Paul | a repeating figure shared by the bass and the guitar |
| 2 | I Call Your Name | 1964 | Past Masters | John | a lead-guitar figure through the bridge, close cousin to the one in Hold Me Tight |
| 3 | You Can't Do That | 1964 | A Hard Day's Night | John | a figure that swings between the major and minor third |
| 4 | Ticket to Ride | 1965 | Help! | John | the opening figure, built on the same bare interval as the song's ninth chords |
| 5 | If I Needed Someone | 1965 | Rubber Soul | George | – |
| 6 | The Word | 1965 | Rubber Soul | John, Paul | – |
| 7 | Day Tripper | 1965 | Past Masters | John, Paul | Riff loops under verses and outro fade |
| 8 | Paperback Writer | 1966 | Past Masters | Paul | the whole backing ensemble takes up the figure in the second half |
| 9 | I Want to Tell You | 1966 | Revolver | George | a guitar figure runs the length of the song |
| 10 | Tomorrow Never Knows | 1966 | Revolver | John | Ringo plays essentially the same bar throughout |
| 11 | Taxman | 1966 | Revolver | George | McCartney's bassline figure under the verses |
| 12 | Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds | 1967 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | John | the opening lick, on a Hammond organ stop voiced like a celeste |
| 13 | Dear Prudence | 1968 | The Beatles (The White Album) | John | two repeating patterns run the length of the piece |
| 14 | Hey Bulldog | 1969 | Yellow Submarine | John | the lead-guitar riff, split across two tracks alongside the bass |
| 15 | I Want You (She's So Heavy) | 1969 | Abbey Road | John | a bassline figure carries the instrumental stretches against the fuller verses |
| 16 | Because | 1969 | Abbey Road | John, Paul, George | Arpeggiated harpsichord/guitar figure |
| 17 | Dig a Pony | 1970 | Let It Be | John | bass and lead guitar play the riff an octave apart |
a repeating figure shared by the bass and the guitar
a lead-guitar figure through the bridge, close cousin to the one in Hold Me Tight
a figure that swings between the major and minor third
the opening figure, built on the same bare interval as the song's ninth chords
Riff loops under verses and outro fade
the whole backing ensemble takes up the figure in the second half
a guitar figure runs the length of the song
Ringo plays essentially the same bar throughout
McCartney's bassline figure under the verses
the opening lick, on a Hammond organ stop voiced like a celeste
two repeating patterns run the length of the piece
the lead-guitar riff, split across two tracks alongside the bass
a bassline figure carries the instrumental stretches against the fuller verses
Arpeggiated harpsichord/guitar figure
bass and lead guitar play the riff an octave apart
Updated
Book
All the Songs
Margotin & Guesdon
Sheet music
Musicnotes – Beatles Piano/Vocal/Guitar
Musicnotes
Book
The Beatles: Complete Scores
Hal Leonard
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