Mod of the Day

Helen Reddy | The Way I Feel

“The feminist anthem that put Helen Reddy (1941 – 2020) over the edge is the rousing ‘I Am Woman,'” (SheilaOMalley.com). The Australian-born performer “could sing very softly, gently even … so that when she opens up into that belt, it’s a surprise … The pushback Reddy experienced was severe. She wasn’t glamorous. She wore pantsuits. She wore her hair short. Such silly things, but people found it hugely threatening … Her voice – the instrument itself – is so unique. She’s got a jazzy sense of rhythm and phrasing. She’s HIP. So contemporary. She was representative of the sea change in the culture, the 1970s breaking-down of expected gender roles.”

“It is interesting how the pop divas of the ’70s and ’80s took some risks, Olivia Newton-John with Soul Kiss; Linda Ronstadt singing in Spanish or performing with Nelson Riddle; and Helen Reddy’s 1983 project, Imagination … ‘Looks Like Love’ and ‘The Way I Feel’ are among the best work Helen Reddy has ever created,” (JoeViglione.com). “Both songs should have been huge hits, and the entire album is more sophisticated in idea and execution than any that came before except, perhaps, Live in London … With superb songwriting, crisp production, and her best rock performance on record, Imagination is one of Helen Reddy’s finest albums. Not as popular as those which contained her chart hits … it’s a sleeper that deserves another shot at success.

The tune makes its start in C# minor, with its emphasis flipping over into the relative E major for the chorus (0:54 – 1:20). After a second verse, second chorus, and an instrumental verse, 2:41 brings an unprepared upward shift to F major. Each chorus features a section in its second half built around a key-of-the-moment upward leap of a whole step, as well (first heard between 1:02 – 1:11). The updated, polished pop sheen of the track certainly left little trace of her 1970s sound, but The Way I Feel” wasn’t a hit for Reddy.

Theme from “A View to a Kill”

“The gold standard of poppier James Bond songs … is Duran Duran’s title track for A View To A Kill. Band and film were a perfect match for the Roger Moore era— playboy lifestyle, playboy attitudes,” (Aidan Curran). “Duran Duran’s stock-in-trade of cinematic videos, supermodel consorts and gibberishly portentous lyrics meant the thing virtually wrote itself, shouting ‘DANCE! INTO THE FI-YER!’ right out of the womb. Each stab of brass is the delivery mechanism for a cheesy grin. Plus, ‘the name’s Bon … Simon Le Bon!’ was a pun too good not to happen … “

Released in May 1985, the track peaked in Duran Duran’s native UK at #2. In the US, it reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remains the only Bond theme to achieve that distinction. “The song was the last track recorded by the most famous five-member lineup of Duran Duran until their reunion in 2001. It was performed by the band at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985, their final performance together before their first split,” (Wikipedia).

The tune begins in C minor and transitions from 0:54 -1:09, when the chorus starts in Ab minor. At 1:47, the next verse begins in C minor after some electronic flourishes that scream “1985” — there are plenty of cheesy grins on offer, for sure. The pattern continues from there.

Cher | The Way of Love

A single from Cher’s 1971 album Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves, “The Way of Love is “a career highlight … The Stillman/Dieval tune was originally a British hit for Kathy Kirby, and both Cher and Kirby drove the song right by the censors,” (AllMusic). “The song is either about a woman expressing her love for another woman, or a woman saying au revoir to a gay male she loved — in either case this is not a mother to daughter heart-to-heart: ‘What will you do/When he sets you free/Just the way that you/Said good-bye to me.'”

The tune “broke the Top Ten in 1972 a few months after ‘Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves’ became her first number one solo hit toward the end of 1971. Both songs lead off this disc with a one-two punch … Cher never minded androgynous or neutral gender identity in her songs; her deep voice could carry both the male and female ranges for the duo with Bono and, musically, her solo material could soar to heights not possible in a partnership — ‘The Way of Love’ being one example.”

After a start in A major, the groove drops out for a grand pause before a huge brass fanfare heralds a shift to D major 1:12. It’s difficult to grasp that a track with such a prodigious sense of drama clocks in at only 2.5 minutes, but somehow it does. Cher’s full-throttle belt technique, easily matching what eventually becomes a full orchestral instrumentation, certainly never sounded better! Many thanks to Scott R. for this wonderful submission to MotD — the second we’ve published, although we’re grateful for the others that are also currently in the queue!

Styx | Too Much Time On My Hands

“Styx’s co-lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Tommy Shaw wrote ‘Too Much Time On My Hands’ from the image of a pub patron ‘sitting on this barstool, talking like a damn fool,’ and detailing the lack of any more attractive options,” (UDiscoverMusic). “The song turned out to be a good thematic fit for (1981’s) Paradise Theatre concept, which used the opening and closing of a classic Chicago theater to symbolize the rise and fall of the American dream, chronicling the lives of underdogs struggling for a better life.

Musically, ‘Too Much Time on My Hands’ was probably the most au courant track Styx had yet recorded. A Kraftwerk-worthy synth locks in with the bass line and lends the track a distinct synth-pop/New Wave vibe. And the fraternal rhythm section of Chuck and John Panozzo puts a dab of disco into the groove, making this the closest thing to a dance tune in the band’s repertoire at the time. All of the above helped ‘Too Much Time; climb into the Top 10, which didn’t hurt the album’s rise to triple-Platinum status. The endearingly goofy video boosted the cause too, alternating performance shots with images of the band camping it up at a funky gin joint.”

After starting in a slightly up-tuned A mixolydian for the intro, the first verse settles in at 0:36 in D mixolydian. At 1:39, the emphasis flips over into the relative B minor for the chorus, guitar solo, etc. There’s a return to D major for the next verse at 2:53; the pattern continues from there. And yes — as they rode the crest of the early-80s pop/rock wave that corresponded to the advent of MTV — the band consistently maintained a shamelessly hammy stage presence, as documented here …

Gentle Giant | Proclamation (fan version)

“The Power and the Glory (1974) is, like Three Friends before it, a concept album featuring intricately woven arrangements … ” (Progrography.com). “You’ll also find quite a few ‘classic’ Gentle Giant songs … (including ‘Proclamation’) … Alternating between soft and harsh sounds, it’s an album of dreams and nightmares.

At this stage, there’s no denying that the band’s music had become, if not formulaic, at least idiosyncratic. There are the dizzying arrangements, classical excursions, heady subject matter and heavy rock all intertwined into four- and six-minute musical puzzles that are unique to Gentle Giant. I’d recommend you start with Octopus and Three Friends first, as they arrived earlier and achieved the same (or higher) highs … As the years have shown, albums about corrupt, power-hungry politicians are never out of fashion for long.”

The tune is built in D dorian until 2:07, when a huge unprepared shift to a Ab major chord drops like an anvil. But it’s not until 2:16 that we settle properly into the new key of F dorian. A few more harmonic shifts follow, but are often dwarfed by unexpected changes in meter, sudden instrumental/textural changes, imposing walls of tightly clustered vocal parts (3:25, for example), etc. As the extensive end credits of the video show, it took scores of fans of the storied UK-based prog rock band to create a cover version (2020) of this densely complex track!

From the video’s description: “This video marks the first time in 40 years that all members of Gentle Giant appear on screen and play together in a ‘virtual reunion’. Some notable contributors also make an appearance such as Jakko Jakszyk of King Crimson, Billy Sherwood of Yes, E.L.O. bassist Lee Pomeroy, Dan Reed of the Dan Reed Network, Richard Hilton of Chic, and Mikey Heppner of Priestess.”

Don Blackman | Since You Been Away So Long

“Pianist/singer/songwriter Don Blackman, born in 1953 in Queens, New York, grew up surrounded by jazz influences; a cousin was McCoy Tyner’s friend and saxophonist Charles McPherson — a Charlie Parker disciple — was Blackman’s neighbor,” (Qobuz). “Blackman played with McPherson’s group in 1968 alongside Sam Jones and Louis Hayes when he was 15 years old. He switched to electric piano and toured with Parliament/Funkadelic in the early ’70s. He later became an original member of Lenny White’s Twennynine (‘Peanut Butter’), a key piece in Jamaica Queens’ ’70s jazz-funk explosion.

A deal with GRP/Arista birthed the solo LP Don Blackman (1982), a good set saddled by poor promotion. His extensive résumé included Kurtis Blow sessions and singing ‘Haboglabotrin’ on Bernard Wright’s ‘Nard album. A fixture in New York studios, he worked on sessions for a long list of artists including Najee, David Sanborn, and Roy Ayers, and his composition ‘Live to Kick It’ graced 2Pac’s R U Still Down? (Remember Me) release. Don Blackman died on April 11, 2013 after battling cancer; he was 59 years old.”

A track from Blackman’s eponymous 1982 album, the ballad “Since You Been Away So Long” draws from R&B and jazz influences. The tune starts in Bb minor, shifts to A minor at 0:29, then B minor at 0:46. More shifts continue from there. Complex backing vocals, etherial instrumental countermelodies which seem to float down from the skies, and a flighty vocal/guitar duo feature are among a few of the intricate facets on offer with this sadly overlooked release.

Ohio Express | Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

“‘Yummy Yummy Yummy’ (YYY) is a song by Arthur Resnick and Joey Levine, first recorded by Ohio Express in 1968,” (Americana Highways). “Their version reached #4 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart in June and #5 on the UK Singles Chart. It has since been covered by many artists. Ohio Express was a studio concoction and none of the ‘official’ members appear on the record. Joey Levine sang lead vocals. Time Magazine included it in its 2011 list of songs with silly lyrics. It ranked #2 in Dave Barry’s Book of Bad Songs.

… YYY was a terrible song even in 1968, but great enduring music was also created in 1968. Paul Simon’s ‘Mrs Robinson,’ Lennon & McCartney’s ‘Hey Jude’ and others also hit the charts that year and have continued to be played and covered to this day … So ignore what the old folks say about all modern music sucking. A lot of old music sucked as well, especially old pop. There are still a lot of YYYs being released, but there is gold out there too. You just gotta dig a little.”

The moments without the lead vocal (the intro and the backup vocal features at 0:37 and 2:00) are actually rather promising! The nasality of the lead vocal and the unseriousness of the lyrics really scream “novelty song,” but the tune somehow became a major hit nonetheless! 1:28 brings an unprepared half-step key change. The shift in tonality allows the songwriters to largely recycle material from the first half of the tune — a bit laughable when the track’s diminutive run time of 2:20 is taken into consideration.

Sure Fire Soul Ensemble | Out on the Coast

“Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, from San Diego, is one of the most talented new bands on the West Coast. Mixing funk, soul, jazz, and Latin & African influences to create unique, exciting music… their ‘cinematic soul’ is like a cross between the music from Jim Jarmusch movies & Blacksploitation films of the 1970s,” (AllAboutJazz). “If you like Snarky Puppy, The Beastie Boys’ instrumentals, Quantic, The New Mastersounds, Karl Denson and Greyboy Allstars… then you’ll love Sure Fire Soul Ensemble.

The title track (of the band’s 2016 release), ‘Out on the Coast,’ is a cover version of a rare-groove classic by Larry Willis from 1973 — one of the very finest examples of electrifying jazz-funk from the ’70s. Sure Fire Soul Ensemble updates it to become a contemporary jazz funk jam you can’t resist. It’s a little meaner than the original—Peter “D” Williams attacks the drums & Tim Felten takes a brief, yet nasty organ solo on this one. The horn section plays the refrain spot-on and tremendous tone on the guitar all make this tune sound more modern and stimulating than the original.”

The track starts in C minor, but then the emphasis flips over to the parallel Eb major for the off-kilter chorus, first heard at 0:41-0:48. The contrast between the two sections is magnified further by a shift in groove from the verse’s gritty, syncopated funk to a sophisticated swing on the chorus.

Basia | Third Time Lucky

“In the 1980s and ’90s, a style of pop that certainly cannot be described as ‘rock’ brought many very talented individuals and bands to the spotlight, if only for a brief time, although their work has continued to shine and gain avid devotees in the decades after those initial spurts of airplay and publicity,” (GarryBerman.Medium.com). “Some have described one particular style as ‘lounge jazz’ — but not always as a compliment. Others classify it as ‘Cool Jazz,’ ‘Smooth Jazz,’ ‘Adult Contemporary,’ ‘MOR (Middle of the Road),’ even ‘Sophisti-pop.'”

“Basia Trzetrzelewska, born in Poland and based in the UK, is long-beloved for her global fusion of jazz, pop, Brazilian and Latin rhythms seasoned with R&B and rock,” (BasiaSongs.com). “Her albums Time and Tide, London Warsaw New York, The Sweetest Illusion and It’s That Girl Again were worldwide hits, with Time and Tide and London Warsaw New York going platinum in the US.”

Basia’s track “Third Time Lucky,” a single from 1994’s The Sweetest Illusion, makes key changes more the rule than the exception. Nods to Brazilian music appear at every turn, woven around the saturated walls of sound that are Basia’s trademark DIY multi-layer backing vocals. The first of many key changes appears at 0:34 at the top of the second verse.

Many thanks to frequent contributor Ari S. for this submission!

Theme from “WKRP in Cincinnati”

“Today, TV shows feature all sorts of contemporary Rock and Pop songs. It has become a way to break new music,” (CityBeat). “But WKRP in Cincinnati (1978 – 1982) was one of the first shows to have the songs on its soundtrack (usually snippets of what the station’s DJs were playing) drawn primarily from current FM Rock hits … And it was always fun to spot some weird new band on the many posters decorating the fake radio station.

The quirky little sitcom that many outsiders still bring up any time ‘Cincinnati’ is mentioned … was on for three years before MTV debuted, but in many ways it reflected that cable channel’s spirit in its infancy, integrating Rock music with an entertaining visual component and whacky personalities (DJs/VJs) and helping to bring some relatively cutting edge sounds into America’s living rooms.

The show’s theme song, given the catchy title ‘WKRP In Cincinnati Main Theme,’ was a breezy Soft Rock ditty that earned a singer named Steve Carlisle one-hit wonder status (if you even consider peaking at No. 65 on Billboard a ‘hit’).” The FM single was quite a bit longer, with several key changes back and forth between D major and Eb major — until E major and F major make their appearances at 2:02 and 2:27, respectively. The shorter version that aired as the actual show intro featured only one upward shift in key (0:38). Both are posted below. Many thanks to regular contributor Rob P. for this submission!

The TV show’s intro/theme: