"Sweet Violets" and Other Songs Which Do Not Rhyme

 "Sweet Violets" by Jane Turzy, from 1951 was the first song I ever remember which didn't rhyme. It broke all the rules. I call it implied rhyming, which is the product of the rhythm. I was about 5 when I first heard it in 1959. My Mom had a huge collection of records from the late1920's up through the 1950's.

Another song which fit this category was "Moonlight in Vermont" by Margaret Whiting. That might have been a 78 from 1950. This was when record players had 4 speeds; 78, 45, 33-1/3 and 16 RPM's.

"Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen, recorded around 1967, almost makes the grade, except for that 3 line refrain, which rhymed "blind" with "mind". But that was more as a way of connecting, or resolving,  the verses, so to me it makes the grade..

"America", by Simon and Garfunkel, from 1972, is another real gem. That song says a lot with no rhyme at all.

"What a Piece of Work is Man", from the musical Hair, is another outstanding example of this type of song.   

There are scores of songs like these, right up through the present. They seem to be products of stream of consciousness, and so easily written. But it takes an innate talent to pull it off, marrying the lyrics to a rhythm,  rather than making the rhythm fit the lyrics.

Love to hear any titles you may have noticed which I haven't mentioned. Generally speaking I'm about 10 years behind the times. New or old, doesn't  matter.......