Madness occupied a very specific corner of 1980s New Wave — a UK-based ska/pop hybrid band that that was more about the music than the era’s flashy fashions. “Our House,” released in 1982, reached top-5 status in the US, Canada, the UK, and much of Europe.
The tune cycles through piles of modulations: 0:46, 0:54, 1:10, 1:18, 1:26, 1:41, 1:49, 2:05, 2:13, 2:44, and then every four bars all the way to the end.
The Temptations had plenty of hits, but 1965’s “My Girl” went straight to #1 and probably remains the group’s best known release. Co-written by Smokey Robinson, the tune featured a trademark early Motown sound. The modulation is at 1:43.
Ben Folds, probably best known for his 1997 single “Brick” with his band Ben Folds Five, features several modulations in 1999’s “Don’t Change Your Plans.” Centered around Folds’ trademark confessional storytelling, this song’s first modulation is in the middle of the multi-section bridge (2:20); the last, a rare downward modulation, is in the closing seconds of the tune (4:46). There are several other modulations in between as the lyrics shuttle between future and past, hopefulness and melancholy.
One of Paul Simon‘s many solo hits, 1975’s “Still Crazy After All These Years” pushed the album of the same name to #1. The form is quite unpredictable: the first modulation happens at 1:25 (at the start of a bridge, including an odd-metered measure thrown into the mix). Then another pivot at 1:38 into a darkly intriguing instrumental interlude, followed by a key change into a sunnier instrumental section at 2:12, finally settling into another verse and another harmonic shift at 2:50.
Connect-the-dots songwriting, this ain’t!
Swedish pop virtuosi Dirty Loops covered Avicii‘s smash hit “Wake Me Up” in 2014, completely re-making the song in the process. They modulate while translating verse two into a bridge (starting at 1:39) and throw in another key change at the start of the outtro (2:56).
This 1968 hit from The Mamas and Papas is probably the most well-known of the many versions of “Dream a Little Dream,” which was originally recorded in 1931 by Ozzie Nelson. Modulation at 0:58, then reverting back to the original key at 1:18 (etc.!)
The legendary horns of Tower of Power had hits with uptempo tunes and ballads alike — including plenty of modulations. Their 1973 release “Just Another Day” has key changes starting at 0:34, then returning to the original key at 0:57…continuing on from there.
From Alex Mosher, MoTD member, submits this track from Skunk Bear, a duo which provides (sometimes musical) science-centric explainer segments on NPR. According to its YouTube channel, the duo “(explores) the secrets of the universe, the wonders of nature, and answer(s) your science questions.”
Alex: “Happy Valentine’s Day! Modulation way toward the end, around 2:54.”
Boz Scaggs, probably best known for his huge 1970s hits, often features modulations in his tunes. 1988’s “Heart of Mine” first changes key just before the first chorus (0:50), then returns to the original key as it returns to verse 2 (1:30). Then a few more shifts …
Hiphop isn’t usually the first genre that comes to mind when considering modulations. But Us3, a group featuring UK-based musicians and best known for the 90s hit “Cantaloop/Flip Fantasia,” manages quite a few key changes — built around samples drawn from unprecedented access to the entire Blue Note Records jazz catalog.
“The Day That I Died” (2007) is characteristic of Us3’s eclectic lyrics, which put storytelling front and center. Modulations at 1:28, 1:47, 2:46, 3:07, 3:25, 3:44, 4:44, and 5:03.
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