Thomas Dolby is best known for his early-80s New Wave megahit “She Blinded Me with Science.” The UK artist’s 1992 release Astronauts & Heretics featured “Cruel,” a track built around some very mysterious harmonies and Matthew Seligman‘s enigmatic fretless bass.
The main melodic fragment is stated with the first verse, by 0:06 (“Cruel … what a thing to do…”). Later, a beautifully syncopated contrasting passage by guest vocalist Eddi Reader, essentially a chorus, starts at 0:31. By 1:04, we’re at the second verse, but one-half step lower than the first. Eddi’s section, as it repeats (1:35), is also a half-step lower this time. The tune ends on a sustained Dmin7, a full step below where it began. Throughout, the largely stepwise melodies rest on a bed of off-kilter progressions and unusual inversions. It’s as if the modulations were written so that they wouldn’t stand out.
Any theory wonks care to chart this one out?
UPDATE, 6/14/21:
Dolby responded today to a post I made awhile back on a thread about this tune, featured on a Facebook group which he and his staff run. Fascinating!
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