Just when a song starts feeling repetitive, here comes the bridge to mix things up a bit!  As hit songwriter Olivia Rodrigo says, “A bridge is a great example of taking a song that’s really good and making it great.”

The bridge can serve a few different purposes in a song: It can add variety by altering the key, tempo, or chord progression. It can drive home the meaning of the song by tying together the lyrics. Or it can build tension right before that explosive final chorus! Typical song structure is Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus, so the bridge tends to land right between the 2nd chorus and the last chorus. It can be as simple as a few “la la las” (Think “Whiskey Lullaby” or “22”) or it could pull the song in a completely new direction (Think “Bad Guy” or “Driver’s License”).

Not every song needs a bridge, but done correctly, a bridge can be the most memorable part!

If you’re looking to download some arrangements with exciting bridges, you’ll want to get the “Art of The Bridge” collection! We’ve got a full sheet music collection of songs with strong and memorable bridges, including “Saving All My Love For You,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Fall on Me” and much more.

Or, if you just want to buy the songs individually, click on each title below:

1. “Saving All My Love For You” – Whitney Houston
2. “Easy” – Commodores
3. “Great Balls of Fire” – Jerry Lee Lewis
4. “I Saw Her Standing There” – The Beatles
5. “Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy” – Queen
6. “I Remember You” – Skid Row
7. “Call Me When You’re Sober” – Evanescence
8. “Fall on Me” – R.E.M.
9. “Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd
10. “Georgia on My Mind” – Ray Charles
11. “Changes” – David Bowie
12. “Running Up That Hill” – Kate Bush

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these songs to learn more about what goes into making each one so memorable, including the bridges, lyrics, and the feelings they are able to evoke. Enjoy!

Here are the 12 Greatest Song Bridges of All Time:

“Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd

Rick Beato walks you through his analysis of “Comfortably Numb.” If you’re a guitarist, you’ll be especially interested in his performances as he demonstrates different parts of the song on his own electric guitar.

Or, if you’re more interested in a visual representation of the music behind “Comfortably Numb,” check out this video instead:

Watch as 12tone gives you more of an artistic analysis of the Pink Floyd hit!

“Easy” by Commodores

“I’m easy like Sunday morning!” MishMash dives into the lyrics and meaning behind the Commodore’s hit “Easy”; the more you listen to the song, the more you uncover!

“Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis

Ever wonder how an artist can come up with a hit that lasts for decades to come? Watch as Friedemann Findeisen takes  you through the history and sound behind “Great Balls of Fire”!