On the other hand, LOADS of music is NOT done that way. Loads of the early OMD stuff isn't, for example. Take the great song "Enola Gay". It doesn't have a chorus.
The same goes for most techno/dance/house/dnb stuff, btw.
Almost NONE of the Iggy Pop songs has a standard structure. They are usually just one long heavy riff droning on and on for two and a half minutes. He gets some change in there by sometimes singing the song title and sometimes singing some kind of verse, but the music is the same all the time. Now, of course, if your gonna do that, you better have one heck of a riff.
I go with Ron Galicias advice: Keep it interesting. If you can make something that can take being repeasted for 3 minutes you are to congratulate. Iggy and the Stooges could. Most people can't, and therefore do other things to keep up interest.
Good things to do:
1. Is the verse a bit boring, but the Chorus catchy? Start with the Chorus, but with an instrument playing the song melody instead of singing.
2. The verse is good? Use the ELO Patented Verse Doubler (tm)! Have a double verse first time around.
3. Put in a break before the last chorus so people doesn't get bored when you start repeating the chorus at the end.
This results in The Ultimate Song Structure:
Chorus(no singing), Verse, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Break, Chorus to fade. This works for almost *any* song.
[This message has been edited by regebro (edited 07-04-2000).]