what is a refrain

A refrain is a repeated line or verse in music or poetry, often referred to as the "chorus" of a song. It can be found in all kinds of music, from classical to folk to pop and jazz music. In music, a refrain has two parts: the lyrics of the song and the melody. Sometimes refrains vary their words slightly when repeated, but recognizability is given to the refrain by the fact that it is always sung to the same tune, and the rhymes, if present, are preserved despite the variations of the words. In poetry, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the end of a stanza. Refrains are used to make a song or poem catchier and more memorable, and to highlight the message of the song or poem.