Most popular songs up until the 1950s had a fairly traditional verse/chorus structure. The introductory verse might be stated once only and then followed by several choruses of the main tune. In the world of jazz bands - and I played in a 'mainstream' outfit for many years - it was more common to omit the introductory verse completely and just concentrate on the main refrain, whether sung or or not. Most recordings of "The Sheik of Araby" follow this pattern.

One of the few modern-ish singers who tends to dig out these introductory verses and put them into his recordings is Leon Redbone. His version of "Are You Lonesome Tonight", for example, is one of the very few which includes the verse - and the verse is actually important because it sets the scene for the better-known main chorus.