Author: Mod of the Day

Phil Collins | Two Hearts

Phil Collins‘ career only grew after leaving Genesis, the pioneering UK-based prog-rock band. Producing other artists’ albums, writing for movie soundtracks, and cranking out multiple solo albums were all on the menu for Collins.

“Two Hearts,” a 1988 pop confection based on a relentless fast shuffle, starts off simply enough (the music starts at the 0:40 mark) in G major. But the bridge suddenly takes flight at 2:44, featuring syncopated kicks and multiple modulations before settling into Ab minor, then transitioning back into a chorus (in the original key, although it feels entirely new) at 3:12.

The Babys | Every Time I Think of You

1979’s “Every Time I Think of You” by the UK band The Babys (yes, that’s the spelling) has too many modulations to track. Each verse/chorus pairing, after its series of modulations, reverts to the original key for the start of the next cycle. The frontman was John Waite, who later enjoyed a successful solo performance career. The tune hit top 10 in the US, Canada, and Australia.

I Know Him So Well (from “Chess”)

“I Know Him So Well” was originally released on a 1984 concept album, and subsequent musical, Chess. The original recording remains in the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest selling UK chart ever for a female duo. Here it is performed by a male duo, John Barrowman MBE and Daniel Boys, with an epic key change, up a minor third, at 3:14.

Jaco Pastorius | Come On, Come Over

Regular mod scout JB’s latest contribution:

The legendary electric bassist Jaco Pastorius, best known for his work with the ground-breaking jazz fusion band Weather Report (and for pulling the frets off of his bass with a set of pliers to make one of the first known fretless basses!), also released several solo albums. “Come On, Come Over” (1976) is one of the most successful tracks that Jaco produced, featuring a band that boasted David Sanborn (Official), Wayne Shorter, and Michael Brecker on saxophones — for starters. The tune starts in C minor, transitioning to D major at 0:56 and then reverting to the original key at 1:14.

Van McCoy | The Hustle

“The Hustle” (1975) by Van McCoy was one of the biggest early disco hits. The tune was a global smash, going top 10 in the US, the UK, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, and most of Europe, then later appearing on the soundtracks of well over a dozen movies and TV shows.

The tune alternates between F major and Ab major (at 1:11 and 1:32, then again at 2:52 and 3:13.) After an intro featuring backup-style vocals but no lead vocal, most of the remainder of the tune is instrumental, featuring some of the most well-known flute and piccolo work in pop music. Happy weekend to all!

Say the Word (feat. Laura Johnson, from “The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown”)

“Say The Word” is from Kerrigan-Lowdermilk‘s 2009 musical The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, performed here by Laura Osnes. Key changes are at 1:25, 2:02, 2:25, and 3:20.

Mike Stern | What Might Have Been

Genre-hopping guitarist Mike Stern has worked with Miles Davis, Brecker Brothers, and Blood Sweat And Tears. He delivers a beautiful contemporary jazz fusion ballad in “What Might Have Been” (2002). Stern takes one of the guitar’s few weak links (the ability to strongly sustain a note without effects) and augments it by doubling it with the human voice, employing the enigmatic wordless vocals of Elisabeth Kontomanou.

The modulation is at 1:30, with a return to the original key at 2:05; after the guitar solo, the pattern repeats at 3:54 and 4:29.