15 years ago yesterday, Modulation of the Day made a humble debut on Facebook.
Since then, we’ve had:
half a dozen regular contributors
scores of one-time or occasional contributors from around the world
102,000+ page views
62,000+ visitors from nearly every nation on earth
Our top posts cover a huge portion of the range represented by our overall content: classical (choral and symphonic), a cappella, musical theatre, pop, jazz, R+B, and soul.
All the thanks go to our readers/listeners spreading the word. Plenty of visitors find us via search engines and social media posts, but the largest source of our traffic is now direct: people bookmark the site, or remember our site name as a search term. No matter the method, we couldn’t be more grateful for all the visits, whether they’re a first or a 100th!
“Peter Gabriel is one of the great sonic explorers of pop-music history, a classic restless spirt whose wanderings have always demanded attention,” (Stereogum). “Gabriel has a decades-long history of big, bold gestures. He was early on all sorts of things — art-rock theatricality, massive drum-sound reverberations, the pop-music embrace of various different forms of African music. He championed worthy global political causes and worthy global musicians, exposing them to people who would’ve never otherwise known much about them. Few artists have had as much effect on the texture of pop music, on the way that you can turn songs into complete sonic environments. So naturally, the one time Peter Gabriel hit #1 in the US, he did it with a janky, digital white-soul song about his dick. That’s pop music for you.
(1986’s) ‘Sledgehammer,’ Peter Gabriel’s big hit, is one of the many, many songs that owes a great deal of its success to its music video. That’s another thing that Peter Gabriel embraced early: The warping, convulsive possibilities of music videos as an art form. Gabriel’s ‘Sledgehammer’ video is one of the all-time masterpieces of the medium … By some estimates, ‘Sledgehammer’ is the most-played video in the entire history of MTV.
… Gabriel’s early singles did pretty well on the UK charts. In the US, Gabriel was less of a presence. A couple of tracks charted: 1977’s ‘Solsbury Hill’ at #68, 1980’s ‘Games Without Frontiers’ at #48. But Gabriel was more of a culty, esoteric figure until the advent of MTV made him harder to ignore. 1982’s ‘Shock The Monkey’ reached #29, largely on the strength of its memorably freaked-out video. Still, a song like “Sledgehammer” represented a real and self-conscious turn towards the pop mainstream … Gabriel has acknowledged that ‘Sledgehammer’ owes much of its pop success to the video … But on its own, ‘Sledgehammer’ is a charmingly goofy dance-pop song with production that makes it sound fucking huge, like a spaceship taking off. Even without the video, it would’ve been a hit. Even without the video, it’s a lot of fun.”
After an intro in Eb minor, the verse shifts to Eb major (with the major third prominently placed as the vocal melody’s opening note) at 0:52. At 3:11, there’s a return to the original key for an interlude, with the vocal re-joining the mix at 3:41 for the bridge.
“Tanya Tucker is a living country music legend,” (AllMusic). “She first engraved her name in the genre’s history books in 1972 when, at 13, she hit with the Top Ten single ‘Delta Dawn.’ Across the following decade, Tucker transitioned into adulthood and maintained her fan base (no mean feat). Since then, she has notched a remarkable streak of hits including the chart-topping ‘What’s Your Mama’s Name’ and ‘Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone).’ She’s placed many titles on the Top Country Albums charts, nine singles in the general Hot 100, and more than a dozen on the Top Country Songs list.
Between 1988 and 1997, she charted a comeback that netted three gold albums. In the 21st century, she started her own label and was inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame, while continuing to tour. After an extended break from recording, she released the full-length While I’m Livin’ in 2019, co-produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings. They reunited with the artist to helm the sessions for 2023’s Sweet Western Sound.”
“I Don’t Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You” (1975), an absolutely textbook mid-tempo country tune, shifts up a half-step at 1:23 during a short interlude. Written by Billy Ray Reynolds, the track reached #4 and #1 on the US and Canadian Country charts, respectively. Many thanks to regular MotD contributor Rob P. for submitting this tune!
“If your childhood was anything like mine, you owned Marlo Thomas’ illustrated book Free to Be…You and Me and its companion CD, featuring recordings by Diana Ross, Shel Silverstein, Mel Brooks and The New Seekers. Released in 1972 in collaboration with the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Free to Be project—which later included an ABC television special—aimed to teach children about gender equality (Miscellany News) … The impact of Free to Be was tremendous. The book became a classic. The series won a Peabody Award. And in 2021, the album was inducted into The Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. Former Supreme Court Justice and trailblazer for women’s rights Ruth Bader Ginsberg called the titular song the definition of feminism.
My mom and dad may have had very different parenting styles, but in raising three daughters, they agreed on one thing: My sisters and I would be empowered girls. We would know that we could do anything and be anything we wanted. They encouraged us to wear princess dresses and practice taekwondo; to paint jewelry boxes and look at bugs under microscopes; to speak up in class and speak up when we were angry … I cannot remember a time in my childhood that predates that sweet book. As I grew older, I grew out of ‘The land where the river runs free,’ as the opening poem imagines. It felt dated. Who did not believe that girls could be firemen and that boys could cry? … Free to Be had served its purpose in becoming a relic. My generation was proof that progress is real.”
The book and album were released in 1972; the TV special followed in 1974. The album’s title track is performed by the UK group The New Seekers (probably best known for their 1970 cover of Melanie’s “Look What They’ve Done to My Song, Ma”). Featuring banjo, glockenspiel, a small chorus (which sounds like it might be adult singers impersonating a children’s choir), and an odd false ending at 2:40, the track shifts up a half step at 1:41.
“Sam + Dave electrified audiences with livewire performances, blending gospel-rooted vocal interplay and exhilarating stage presence,” (Stax Records). Their music pulsed with energy, driven by the call-and-response firepower of Sam Moore and Dave Prater. However, their voices alone weren’t enough to define their legacy — it took the songwriting brilliance of Stax’s Isaac Hayes and David Porter to tailor anthems that matched the duo’s intensity as performers.
… in 1967, ” … the United States was facing heightened racial tensions, culminating in the Detroit riots in July. As Isaac Hayes watched television coverage of the destruction, he noticed something: Black-owned businesses, marked with the word soul, were left untouched by looters. In a moment of strife, the word, to Black Detroiters in the know, was a covert symbol of solidarity, encouraging protection for Black businesses in the community. Hayes and Porter knew they had a pervasive concept to work with, shaping ‘Soul Man,’ deriving a personified embodiment of the phenomenon in Detroit. Porter built the lyrics around this idea, creating a protagonist who had endured hardship but emerged stronger through his connection to community and allegiance to soulfulness as a north star.
After recording the song, Sam + Dave released “Soul Man” in August 1967. The song quickly rose the charts. By October, it sat in the #1 seat on the R&B chart, remaining for seven weeks. On the pop charts, it soared to #2. Beyond its commercial success, “Soul Man” was an anthem—one that resonated deeply with audiences at a time when Black identity and empowerment were at the forefront of national conversations. In early 1968, ‘Soul Man’ won Sam + Dave a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, beating out competition from Otis Redding and Carla Thomas.
Built primarily in an alternating G major, “Soul Man” reaches a bridge at the 2:00 mark, providing a late transition to Ab major at 2:10. (“Late” is quite the relative term here, as the track’s entire runtime is only 2:38!).
“Todd Rundgren is, apparently by design, a bundle of contradictions,” (Trouser Press). “A facile composer of memorable hook-filled pop melodies, he has often chosen to make willfully difficult music. A one-man studio wiz proficient on any number of instruments … possessor of a highly original sound … (and) a tireless innovator at the boundaries of music technology, he has often performed with a lone acoustic guitar and piano. Rundgren’s gifts as a lyricist are impressive, yet he has also recorded a fair number of instrumentals. To some, he’s better known as a producer than an artist, although his commercial achievements in both realms are not inconsiderable. In short, the kid from Upper Darby, PA has fashioned a fascinating life out of following his muse wherever it goes.”
A few albums into his solo career and still in his 20s, Rundgren released Todd in 1974. The reviews were all over the map. “Todd sags under the weight of such indulgences as ‘In and Out the Chakras We Go (formerly ‘Shaft in Outer Space’),’ yet still contains ‘A Dream Goes on Forever,’ one of the most beautiful piano ballads ever recorded. ‘The Last Ride’ melds Todd’s pop sensibility with his Philly soul enthusiasm; ‘Izzat Love?’ could have been the album’s pop single, and the album ends with two triumphs. ‘Don’t You Ever Learn?’ runs over six minutes but wastes not a second with its washes of electric piano and strong melody, while the anthemic ‘Sons of 1984’ comes complete with backing vocals by concert-goers on two coasts. (Rundgren was one of the first rockers to truly understand and make creative use of the connections between artist and fans).”
The easy 6/8 groove of “The Last Ride” belies the tune’s rich harmonic textures and intense emotionality. Rundgren’s ballads frequently feature star-crossed relationships, lost horizons, and missed opportunities — and “The Last Ride” is no exception. I thought I knew just everything / I had it made and I could coast / But I turned away love when I needed it most. For this 2011 live version, the setting is Rundgren’s home in Hawaii, but the production credit (and the stellar band!) belong to fellow Philadelphia-area native Daryl Hall and his groundbreaking web series Live from Daryl’s House. Built primarily in G minor, the tune shifts to F minor at 2:36; the two keys alternate from there.
“New York R&B vocal group Ace Spectrum had a brief moment in the sun, but they remain favorites for their core fans more than four decades after they split,” (Soultracks). ” … the act began in the late 60s, releasing songs locally with some success. Ace Spectrum had a hit on both the pop and soul charts with the Ashford & Simpson-penned ‘Don’t Send Nobody Else,’ and also landed the dance hit ‘Live and Learn’ in 1976. They had more success on the album charts, hitting the top 40 with both Inner Spectrum and Low Rent Rendezvous.
The group achieved some unusual notoriety in 1975 for releasing a cover of ‘Third Rate Romance’ following its release by the similarly named Amazing Rhythm Aces, creating some confusion among music fans (though we actually liked Ace Spectrum’s cover better). By the end of the decade, Ace Spectrum members announced publicly that they were breaking up … “
Starting in a slightly uptuned intro in a mixed Eb major and minor, “Do You Remember Yesterday?” (1976) shifts into a verse in Eb major at 0:34. At 0:50, the pre-chorus returns to Eb minor, continuing through the chorus (1:06 – 1:38). At 1:39, the pattern continues, growing in intensity and complexity of arrangement (the string section is working hard!).
“During a live performance, Morissette told fans the story behind ‘Head Over Feet’ (1995), which finds the rage-fueled ‘You Oughta Know’ singer in the unfamiliar territory of a healthy relationship, (Songfacts). ‘ … When I wrote (the song) about this particular person, it was the first time that I actually had a glimpse of what it would be like to be in love and have it be something that was inducing heart palpitations, yet at the same time I could spend a couple minutes and actually not think about that person. It was very new to me.’
Creating the album was only part of the battle: Alanis didn’t have a record deal, so they were shopping it while they were recording it. They got lots of rejections before landing it with Maverick Records, Madonna’s label … ‘It’s very conversational and doesn’t adhere to any structure. I had been attempting to write without consideration for rhyming for quite a long time, and a lot of people would just stop writing with me – they would physically leave the room … ‘” Glen Ballard, a writer matched with Morissette via the record company, told Rolling Stone: “I just connected with her as a person, and, almost parenthetically, it was like ‘Wow, you’re 19?’ She was so intelligent and ready to take a chance on doing something that might have no commercial application. Although there was some question about what she wanted to do musically, she knew what she didn’t want to do, which was anything that wasn’t authentic and from her heart.”[
Forgoing an intro and jumping right into the verse in C major, Jagged Little Pill‘s fifth single shifts up to D major for the chorus at 0:38. Verse 2 returns to the original key; the pattern continues from there. The broader-ranging harmonic structures of the chorus, including an unusual chromatic bass motion, contrast with the cliché chord progression and more repetitive melodic phrases of the verse.
“The nine players strong big band with the name that couldn’t possibly be more programmatic,” (Delrohsen) … “Even though their music has never been stuck in 60s/70s nostalgia and incorporates younger ideas like Hip Hop grooves or modern styles of guitar shredding, the overall vibe – no matter if the tune is smooth and soulful or a little more dirty and edgy – is one that makes you expect to see the ghosts of Charles Bradley and James Brown come down to join into the jam while Freddie Hubbard blows his horn at any given moment … ”
The band “continues the journey of broadening (its) sound with new influences and ideas, while maintaining their addictive easy accessibility. This is music for the soul, for good times – and to turn bad times around.”
Starting in D minor, “El Niño” (2019) at times covers its metric tracks a bit when it comes to “finding one,” including the moment the horn section makes its first entrance. But other sections have a groove that’s completely straightforward. At 1:52, an unprepared key change lifts us up to Eb minor in time for a tenor sax feature. After a percussion break clears the air, we return to D minor to close out the tune.
“Bowie’s cover of John Lennon’s ‘Across the Universe’ was a blatant, and successful, attempt to lure Lennon into the studio,” (Pushing Ahead of the Dame / BowieSongs). “Bowie and Lennon had first met in late 1974 at a small party in Bowie’s New York hotel suite. The two didn’t converse for hours until, cocaine and Cognac fueled, they began sketching caricatures of each other on notepads. Tony Visconti … recalled that the party ended with everyone in the room getting into ‘a dismally dark conversation about what does it all mean, it being life, which left us all staring dejectedly at the floor.’
About a week into New Year ’75, Bowie called up Lennon and said he was in Electric Lady Studios doing a cover of ‘Across the Universe’ (the whole thing seems like a set-up, as there was no need for another track on Young Americans; Visconti, oblivious to these developments, was in London doing string arrangements for a record he thought was completed). So Lennon went down, played acoustic guitar on ‘Universe,’ then stuck around to jam on another attempted take of ‘Foot Stompin” and wound up co-writing a #1 hit, ‘Fame.’ … It was likely a matter of Bowie being star-struck: how could he deny the temptation to include his very own Beatle collaboration? … Bowie’s interpretation seems to be a bungled attempt to mine the song’s thin vein of defiance. Calling the Beatles original ‘watery’ (no foul there), he decided instead to ‘hammer the hell out of it.‘” The reviewer doesn’t hold back: “Bowie finishes the track off with an extended tantrum … One of Bowie’s low points of the decade, just excruciatingly bad.”
After a start in D major, there’s a whole-step shift upward to E major at 1:58. Going beyond a garden-variety unprepared key change, this shift involves a metric hiccup via a stumble across a truncated measure as well.
