“He’s seen fire, he’s seen rain,” (Santa Barbara Independent). “He’s seen sunny days he thought would never end, and lonely times when he could not find a friend. And James Taylor is in the ongoing journey of a career spanning six decades and stoking a reputation as a pioneer singer-songwriter known for hiring a good band and putting on an engaging live show.”
At a show in Santa Barbara this month, “He also joked, ‘From the beginning, I’ve been writing end of my life in show business songs.’ Thankfully, those were not self-fulfilling prophecies. He has also been writing songs taking on many subjects, not just recovery or romantic concerns: his tune ‘Line ‘Em Up,’ for instance, takes as its thematic angle Richard Nixon’s fateful departure from his White House tenure. Introducing the song, Taylor half-joked, ‘I never thought I’d hear myself say, I miss Richard Nixon.”
Hourglass, Taylor’s 1997 album, saw strong commercial success, reaching #9 on the Billboard 200. The album also won Taylor a Grammy (best Pop Album, 1998), his first since the 1977 smash hit JT. Built primarily in G major, the tune shifts to D minor for its early bridge (1:37 – 2:09) before reverting to the original key.
“Winner of nine Tony Awards when it debuted in 1964, Fiddler on the Roof is the brainchild of Broadway legends Jerome Robbins and Harold Prince; songwriters Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick; and bookwriter Joseph Stein,” (Music Theatre International). “Touching audiences worldwide with its humor, warmth and honesty, this universal show is a staple of the musical theatre canon.
Set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, Fiddler on the Roof‘s universal theme of tradition cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion.” The original Broadway production of the show, opening in 1964, was the first musical to surpass 3,000 performances and held the record for the longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years until it lost that record to Grease.
This recording features the 2004 revival of the show, which starred Alfred Molina as Tevye. After opening in C mixolydian (flat 6), at 2:04, there’s a shift to D mixolydian (flat 6); more shifts follow as each group within the village is introduced.
The Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (1966) is “a brisk, urgent, desperate song, and it absolutely snaps into gear the second we hear that itchy morse-code guitar riff panning between speaker channels … (Stereogum). “‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’ sounds easily 10 years ahead of its time, and listening to it, you can immediately hear why Diana Ross thrived in the disco era while so many of her ’60s peers flailed.
‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On’ was Holland-Dozier-Holland’s attempt to write a rock song … The guitar, from Funk Brothers ace Robert White, is foregrounded, going back and forth between that ticcing intro and deep, resonant strums. The drums and percussion work together in lockstep, pushing forward the song’s urgency. The bassline is another James Jamerson wonder, busy and complicated but never so showy that it detracts attention from the rest of the song … Holland-Dozier-Holland parted ways with Motown soon afterward, only giving the Supremes one more #1 after ‘You Keep Me Hangin’ On.’ As it turns out, the Supremes were fine without them. But listening to this, it’s still hard not to wonder what might’ve happened if they’d stuck around, if their genius had even more time to develop within that peerless Motown thrill-delivery system.”
The form starts with the chorus in Ab minor. As the tune shifts into the first verse at 0:36, B major (with a big emphasis on a compound A/B chord) goes into effect; the major key feels restful by comparison, not least due to the lack of the percolating “news bulletin theme” guitar part that skitters over the top of the rest of the tune.
“Released in 1989, Soul Provider, Michael Bolton’s sixth studio album firmly established him as a powerhouse in the adult contemporary and pop-rock genres,” (Subjective Sounds). “Known for his raspy yet soulful voice, Bolton delivers a collection of songs that balances power ballads with upbeat tracks, showcasing his vocal prowess and passionate delivery.”
“Michael Bolton is no fool, and when he broke through to platinum sales with The Hunger, nobody had to tell him to record a follow-up devoted to more of the same,” (AllMusic). “Bolton produced most of the record himself, and he teamed with the cream of the era’s romantic rock ballad writers, people like Diane Warren (who gets five co-credits here) and Desmond Child … the result was five Top 40 hits and millions of albums sold … ” Songwriting for “How Can We Be Lovers” was a group effort among Bolton, Warren, and Child.
Starting with a C minor chorus upfront, Bolton’s vocal intensity is turned up to 11 right off the bat. The tune then shifts to A minor for the beginning of verse 1 (0:35), but at 0:42, the initial chorus phrase repeats in C minor. 0:47 brings a shift to C major for the pre-chorus, leading us back to the C minor chorus at 0:57. Later, 2:01 marks the beginning of the obligatory guitar solo during the instrumental section of the bridge, which features a key change of its very own. As Bolton’s vocals return at 2:20, the backing vocals fight for superiority via a catchy sing-along countermelody. At 2:38, we step up to D minor, prepared only by a terminally processed single-beat synth solo. Throughout, viewers’ gears will likely be completely stripped by footage of Bolton’s day-glo band alternating with black and white scenes of Bolton being So Very Earnest. In other words: pure, unapologetic, bombastic ’90s.
Maaya Sakamoto (坂本真綾) is a well-known seiyuu and Japanese pop singer-songwriter … Maaya got her break at the age of 15 when she lent her voice to Hitomi Kanzaki in the anime series Tenkuu no Escaflowne,” (Sputnik Music). “Her debut single, ‘Yakusoku wa Iranai,’ was the opening theme for the same anime. The release was a beginning of a longtime collaboration between her and composer Yoko Kanno. In that time, she also started to write lyrics for her songs. Sakamoto also appears in a television drama and musicals; she is known for her role as Éponine in the Japanese adaptation of the musical Les Misérables.“
Sakamoto’s 2010 release “Hotchpotch” features an intro and verse which are predominantly in D major, but which make brief steps outside of the key nearly constantly. The chorus (heard for the first time at 0:47) limits itself more closely to the boundaries of F# major. The pattern continues from there.
Many thanks to regular contributor Julianna A. for submitting this tune to MotD!
After fiddling with the R&B of the 1980s and ’90s to great commercial success on 2016’s 24K Magic, Bruno Mars has assigned himself a more challenging project: Silk Sonic, a fidelity-obsessed act in which he and onetime tour mate Anderson .Paak recreate the rhythm and blues of the ’70s. The duo sought out particular drum skins to better replicate the sounds of the studio during the heyday of Gamble and Huff, when those songwriter-producers polished soul music to an extravagant sheen. With period-specific instrumentation in place, the exuberant pop hitmaker and the acclaimed rapper-singer-drummer with underground cachet recorded as their ancestors did, with just one or two mics for the entire room of musicians … (the) splashy interplay between male vocalists is perhaps the record’s strongest selling point: there are virtually no male R&B vocal groups of note these days, though the power of layered harmonies is the catalyst for much of the genre’s finest records, most notably the entire body of work of Marvin Gaye.
… Co-written by the singularly talented Babyface, the (2021) album’s big ballad (‘Put On a Smile’) digs as deep emotionally as Mars and .Paak are willing to go on a project that keeps the stakes low by choosing humor over sincerity at just about every turn. (Guest star Bootsy) Collins’ rhyming intro mentions ‘begging in the rain,’ and the subject matter doesn’t stray far from the Temptations’ ‘I Wish It Would Rain’ or the Miracles’ ‘The Tracks of My Tears,’ perfect songs about trying to mask your busted heart. Structurally, ‘Put on a Smile’ teases massive catharsis with its first chorus that it smartly holds back until the second refrain, when the drums finally crescendo and Mars leaps to the top of his falsetto. The song is played entirely straight, as the level of emotion calls for.”
Starting in C# minor, the ballad’s vocals-forward mix showcases Mars’ powerhouse delivery during the first verse, then shifts to .Paak’s raspy, heartfelt technique in the second. At 2:55, a half-step key change takes effect, nestled on all sides between compound chords. Mars continues to ascend to the stratosphere from there, until the tune returns to earth with both singers’ voices moving in close harmony.
“Elgar was born on 2nd June 1857 at Broadheath, a village some three miles from the small city of Worcester in the English West Midlands,” (Elgar.org). “His father had a music shop in Worcester and tuned pianos. The young Elgar, therefore, had the great advantage of growing up in a thoroughly practical musical atmosphere. He studied the music available in his father’s shop and taught himself to play a wide variety of instruments … Elgar was very largely self-taught as a composer – evidence of the strong determination behind his original and unique genius.”
“Premiered in London in 1899 … the Enigma Variations consist of a theme followed by 14 variations … apparently created when, during a spot of pianistic doodling after a long day teaching, Elgar was prompted by his wife Alice to develop a tune which she had enjoyed amidst the tinkling,” (Edinburgh Music Review). “The variations developed into representations in music of various friends and colleagues, some whimsical, some deeply moving, and Elgar hinted at some deeper profundity, and also at another hidden theme, hence the name, ‘The Enigma Variations.’ For me, the mystery is much less interesting than the actual music, which is sublime.
Variation IX, ‘Nimrod’, is justly famous. The title is a clever allusion to Elgar’s friend and editor, August Jaeger, whose name means ‘hunter’ in German. Nimrod was the ‘Mighty Hunter’ in Genesis, the first book of the bible, and this magnificent slow movement, dedicated to Elgar’s close companion, reveals the depth of their friendship.”
At 14:45, there is a prominent shift from G major to Eb over a hushed section — nearly a complete pause — at the beginning of the “Nimrod” theme.
“While most Michael Jackson fans are busy listening to The King of Pop’s most renowned albums, Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous, I find great pleasure in listening to his 1972 debut solo release, Got to Be There,” (Subjective Sounds) … “it’s an exceptional album and, in the context of his continued evolution towards superstardom, has become somewhat of an underrated and forgotten release.
Yes, everyone is aware of Jackson’s earlier recordings, particularly as the frontman of the Jackson 5, but this solo outing is a world-class record with a collection of 10 timeless tunes … The production, songwriting, and artistry are exactly what one would expect from Motown during the era … it’s Jackson’s impressive vocal delivery that makes this timeless album a hidden gem, (as) he was no longer sharing the limelight with his brothers. Jackson was only 13 at the time of recording … but it’s the Motown spit and polish that is so compelling … Berry Gordy and the team at Motown played a core role in Jackson becoming the King of Pop.”
There aren’t many moments when Motown and the Baroque era of classical music overlap, but the brief solo harpsichord intro of “I Wanna Be Where You Are” qualifies. The balance of the intro leading up to the verse at 0:14 features lush instrumentation, including a tight string section. The verse straddles the relative major/minor border, starting in B minor (can it be I stayed away too long) and ending in D major (did I leave your mind while I was gone). The major section takes up the most real estate, resting on the D major chord at the end of the phrase (with flute filigree touching on the major seventh degree of the chord.) At 0:32, the pre-chorus stands ten toes down on the minor side of the line, strings and harpsichord pegging the 16th-note intensity meter. But then we return with verse 2 at 0:51, progressing straight into the B minor chorus at 1:09, where the strings are newly liberated to deliver a syncopated yet lyrical countermelody. 1:28 brings another pre-chorus, again resting on a bed of relentless 16ths.
Via what might have been the biggest compound chord of the 1970s (1:45) leading into an instrumental verse with a flute feature, we drop into the new keys (C minor and Eb major). 2:06 brings a chorus in the new key, with Michael singing even higher (repeatedly topping out at a G5) all the way to the faded ending. All of this complexity is packed into less than three minutes! The co-writers were Arthur “T-Boy” Ross and Leon Ware; the track went to #7 on the Cash Box chart, #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, and #2 on the Billboard R&B singles chart in 1972.
“In the close-knit world of English folk music, Leveret boasts an impressive pedigree,” (NPR). “The trio’s Andy Cutting is renowned for his mastery of the melodeon, a type of accordion with a push-pull mechanism for intonation that imbues it with a wheezy kick. The band’s fiddler is Sam Sweeney, of the flamboyant nu-folk band Bellowhead, and its concertina player is Rob Harbron — both are deft and expressive musicians in their own right. (The concertina is yet another variety of squeezebox, a small hexagonal specimen with a pure, invigorating honk.) Within its respective milieu, Leveret might be considered a supergroup were the term not anathema to the band’s entire ethos: introspective, understated, minimalist.
… Leveret’s members have stated on multiple occasions that their music is not so much arranged as felt, operating without predetermined parts — a jam session. So profound is the trio’s communion that its players seem telepathic, charting a rippling musical terrain visible only to each other. Leveret’s (2017) effort features exclusively original material and is aptly titled Inventions. In an album overflowing with lovely melodies, ‘Ricer II’ is the most baldly euphoric. (The tune was composed by Cutting, who named it after a potato ricer, presumably one that brought him especially great joy.) The happy-go-lucky number skips along in accelerated triple-time; about halfway through, it even goes so far as to change keys, modulating triumphantly with the gusto of a Broadway finale. ‘Ricer II’ is neither difficult nor complex, just two short parts that circle round and round like a kitten chasing its tail.” The two keys in question are C major and (after 1:04) D major.
“Daybreak” (1977) is “… one of a few Manilow songs co-written by Adrienne Anderson. This track has the happiness of a new day beginning, with lyrics of peace and excitement,” (LanceWrites). “Its upbeat feel became a bigger hit for Barry at his live shows (the song only hit #23 on the U.S. charts, and #7 on the AC charts). Encouraging people to stop running around the rat race of life and just experience life’s simple things by singing to the world of being positive and full of love, which is still relevant today. Let the sun come through the clouds, is a theme that several of his songs have, encouraging people to go through their struggles and storms with a positive attitude.”
Released at the heart of Manilow’s legendary late-70s run, the track initially appeared on his 1976 studio album This One’s For You. Starting in D major, the tune shifts to Eb major at 1:09, making use of a catchy I-v progression as soon as the verse begins. Although the beginning of the end is at 1:54 — only the halfway point! — a late outro/tag adds another layer of “the end is near” with a shift to G major at 3:26. If a single tune were chosen to telegraph that Manilow was destined for eventual Vegas residencies, it’s this one!
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