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What is the AAB lyric pattern in blues songs?
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Mississippi Delta blues
Mississippi-born blues legend B.B. King, 1979.
In blues music, the AAB lyric pattern refers to a specific three-line stanza structure. In this form, the second line repeats the words of the first line, while the third line provides a concluding or contrasting thought.12
This pattern is a hallmark of the blues stanza and is often paired with a 12-measure musical form. An example of this structure can be found in the opening lines of Robert Johnson’s “Love in Vain”:12
- And I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand (A)
- And I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand (A)
- Well, it’s hard to tell, it’s hard to tell, when all your love’s in vain (B)
Typically, the first two and a half measures of each line are dedicated to singing, while the remaining measure and a half features an instrumental “break” that repeats, answers, or complements the vocal line.1