I love those little half almost tongue in cheek songs. Like Lazing on a sunday afternoon, seaside rendevous, dear friends, nevermore and a few others. So why did they stop it.
Liam: The short answer is 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.
You will notice that all the tracks you refer to are all 'pre-Opera'(ish).
Post-Opera 'half songs' were snapped together to create 'whole songs'. For instance, 'Breakthru' is a good example of two songs snapped together.
It begins with the slow 'A New Life Is Born' before it bolts onto the faster 'Breakthru' track. Other examples would include 'Bijou' and 'Innuendo'.
This idea of joining half songs together was neither new nor unique, as the Beatles had already tried this technique with songs like 'A Day In The Life'.
The first part 'I read the news today' was actually written by Lennon. The second, 'Woke up got out of bed' part was written by independently by MacCartney. It was only at a later date that the marriage of the two was completed.
Sheer Heart Attack is the best choice for 'half song'
If you dig two holes, one bigger than the other, is the smaller one half a hole?
I am kidding,I know what you mean. Short songs right? I think they had several around and incorporated them, like innuendo, all god's children etc. Just a guess
I agree with preeetty much all of this, except throwing Innuendo in with the half-songs-that-got-put-together.
I thought that's just how it got written? To me it doesn't sound like song scraps put together, it just sounds like how the song should've been. :P Oh well.