All That Jazz

Album: Crocodiles
Year: 1980

Let’s talk about the drum roll hook. It’s one of my favorite devices in all of pop music, and has probably fallen into a bit of disuse these days.

For me, though, a perfectly-executed drum roll on a chorus — think Dave Grohl’s fills during “Come as You Are” or DJ Bonebrake’s stop time fills during “White Girl” — can elevate a song from great to classic.

And in the case of “All That Jazz,” Pete de Freitas’ exquisitely precise snare rolls after the chorus is practically the reason for the entire song.

[Read more…] about Certain Songs #373: Echo & The Bunnymen – “All That Jazz”