Mod of the Day

Barbra Streisand (feat. Jamie Foxx) | Climb Ev’ry Mountain

Here’s a duet from Barbra Streisand and Jamie Foxx, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” (2016). Modulations at 1:10, 1:33, and 2:50. There is also some great re-harmonization at the end.

Beatles | Penny Lane

This 1967 Beatles release (a “double A side” 45 with “Strawberry Fields”) reached the top 5 across Europe, the US, and Australia. Written about Paul McCartney‘s childhood neighborhood, the tune alternates between its verses and choruses and then nearly reaches its end before final modulation at 2:34.

Love Will Stand When All Else Fails (from “Memphis”)

We’re featuring a song from the Tony-winning musical Memphis today entitled “Love Will Stand When All Else Falls” (2011), written by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro. A very important message in this song. Key change around 2:10.

Stevie Wonder | I Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer

A lesser-known beauty from 1971 — a slice of “Little Stevie” Wonder’s nearly bottomless catalog of musical miracles. Co-written by Syreeta Wright, the tune only made it to #78 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it remains one of the most enduring of Stevie’s many ballads. Modulation at 1:41.

Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan + Yo-Yo Ma | Attaboy

Classical musicians don’t always experiment with other genres, but famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma makes a regular habit out of it. Ma has collaborated regularly on jazz projects — but here, he and his band of noted Bluegrass/Americana players present a smooth, lyrical sample of a style often called Newgrass from 2011. Mod at 2:43, then back to the original key at 4:14.

Jonny May | Despacito

Guest post from MOTD member Alex Mosher:

A cover of Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” (2017) with a modulation around 2:40. The original might have six billion views, but this cover adds something very new.

From Jonny May’s website: “Teaching piano is one of my greatest joys, and over the past 15 years, I’ve helped over ten thousand students take their piano playing to the next level.” He performed as a Main Street Disneyland pianist for over nine years and has over 30 million hits people with his Youtube videos.