“I’d Rather Be Sailing” is from the 1998 Off-Broadway musical A New Brain, with music and lyrics by William Finn. The show, which traces the story of a composer grappling with an illness he fears may be terminal, is autobiographical. Finn himself was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in 1992, and made a successful and full recovery. This song, performed here by Jonathan Groff and Aaron Lazar, is sung in the show by Gordon, the composer, and his boyfriend Roger, daydreaming about day spent on the sea. A half step modulation from F to Gb occurs at 1:32.
modulationoftheday.home.blog 