Mod of the Day

The Pretenders | Kid

Transatlantic band Pretenders (frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, an American, founded the band with an all-Brit team of sidemen) released “Kid” in 1979, just as the band began to find its audience. The tune features a direct modulation at 1:35.

Chet Baker | The Song is You

“The Song is You” is a jazz standard covered by everyone from Charlie Parker to Stan Getz to Frank Sinatra — and this 1959 version by trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker. The tune modulates in its middle section and then back to its original key (the first middle section runs from 0:49 to 1:11).

Seals + Crofts | Summer Breeze

Seals and Crofts‘ 1972 release “Summer Breeze” features an aural illusion — an apparent modulation where one doesn’t actually exist. The bridge (2:06 to 2:20) is built exclusively on compound/hybrid chords and a soaring vocal line that is unquestionably the high point of the tune. As we arrive back at the final verse at 2:20, it feels as if the tune modulated — all the cues are there. But we are still in the original key of E minor!

Hear My Song (from “Songs for a New World”)

Closing out the week with the finale from Songs For A New World – The Musical (1995) by Jason Robert Brown, “Hear My Song.” Key changes at 4:16 and 4:38. Enjoy!

Opening Sequence (from “Songs From a New World”)

Here’s the opening number from Songs For a New World by Jason Robert Brown. From The Guide to Musical Theatre‘s synopsis: “The theme is the moment of decision, the point at which you transition from the old to the new. The change may be geographical, emotional, professional or marital but things are different than they were before. The result is neither musical play nor revue; it is closer to a theatrical song cycle, a very theatrical song cycle.”

There are modulations at 2:20, 3:45, 4:12, and 4:39.

James Taylor | On the 4th of July

Happy Fourth! Apologies for the second James Taylor post in as many weeks!

JT somehow seamlessly combines Americana instrumentation with a light Brazilian groove and unmistakably jazz-infused chord voicings for “On the 4th of July” (2002). In the short instrumental section (2:11), the guitar restates the hook and the scene is set for the modulation (2:19).

Rick Springfield | Jessie’s Girl

During the summer of 1981, Rick Springfield‘s power pop hit “Jessie’s Girl” completed its climb up the charts, finally hitting #1 in August — six months after its release and just as MTV hit the airwaves. Song of the summer? An understatement.

The bridge, starting at 1:39, transitions with a direct modulation to an instrumental section at 2:00, changing back to the original key at 2:14.

The Commodores | Easy

Before his solo fame, Lionel Richie scored several big hits with The Commodores, including “Easy” (1977). The tune nears its end with a classic direct modulation at 3:44.

Thomas Dolby | Cruel

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?