Category: Elise

The Maccabeats + Naturally 7 | Shed a Little Light

This tune features more of a key-of-the-moment shift than a true modulation, but we hope we’ll be forgiven. ❤ Here are two top-drawer a capella ensembles, The Maccabeats and Naturally 7, collaborating on a gorgeous 2016 cover of James Taylor‘s “Shed a Little Light” (1991), honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. amid Washington, DC’s monuments.

Set overall in Bb major, the tune shifts to a v minor / bVII major / I major vamp as the bridge starts at 1:53, returning to a straightforward Bb major at 2:17.

Cat Stevens | King of Trees

Cat Stevens​’ “King of Trees” is from his 1974 album Buddha and the Chocolate Box, whose focus AllMusic​ describes as “the spiritual nature of his creative quest…the songs littered with religious imagery.” In 1977, Stevens rejected his pervasive music stardom, changed his name to Yusuf Islam​, converted to Islam, and later questioned whether music has a role whatsoever in that religion. During the 1990s, Yusuf returned to songwriting and performing.

An impassioned plea for full recognition of humanity’s inextricable connection with nature, the tune begins with church-like pipe organ and choral flourishes but then shifts to the rich contemporary instrumentation for which Stevens’ music is well known. Primarily in C major, there’s a modulation to Eb at the bridge at 2:28 and a few quick pivots before returning to C major at 2:59.

Enrico Pieranunzi | Jona Che Visse Nella Balena

Italian jazz pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, who has played with the likes of Chet Baker, Paul Motian, and Charlie Haden, released the trio album Play Morricone (2002) with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron. The album’s focus is the broad discography of composer Ennio Morricone, who has written over 400 scores for film and TV.

“Jona Che Visse Nella Balena” (Jonah Who Lived In The Whale), a solo track, modulates at 1:18, 2:36, and 4:10.

The 1975 | I Couldn’t Be More In Love

UK band The 1975 met while living in a council flat as teens. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew Healy describes the group as “a post-modern pop band that references a million things. I don’t even know what my band is half the time.”

“I Couldn’t Be More In Love,” a languid ballad from the band’s 2018 album A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, fits squarely into the breakup anthem category. Soul-infused harmonies pivot back and forth throughout, further underlined by a growing choir of backup vocals. Just as it seems that the tune is tapering to an end, a late half-step modulation hits at 3:12 as the chorus comes roaring back.

Fitz + the Tantrums | L.O.V.

According to AllMusic, LA-based Fitz & The Tantrums plays a “hooky, danceable brand of pop infused with retro soul and ’80s new wave influences.” The band is probably best known for its 2013 single “Out of My League.”

“L.O.V.,” a track submitted by MotD frequent flyer JB, was released on the band’s 2010 debut album. After verses in D minor and choruses in C major, the groove drops out (at first) for a largely instrumental break which alternates between Ab major and Bb major (a bVII major -> I major vamp) from 2:00 to 2:31.

Frédéric Chopin | “Military” Polonaise in A Major

The tonality of the “Military” Polonaise in A Major by Frédéric Chopin, composed in 1838, pivots all over the place during the many repetitions of its regal main theme. Canadian/Israeli pianist Tzvi Erez‘s version includes several more interesting points about the piece in its captions.

BIlly Joel | All for Lena

A long-overdue MotD debut for Billy Joel​: “All for Lena” is a non-single track from Joel’s 1980 album Glass Houses. The album topped the Pop Albums chart for six weeks and was ranked #4 on Billboard​’s 1980 year-end album chart. The track reached #40 on the UK pop charts, where it was released as a single.

AllMusic​’s review reports “…it’s nice to hear Joel scale back his showman tendencies and deliver a solid pop/rock record … it’s the closest Joel ever got to a pure rock album.” The lyrics seem to suggest a dark, unrequited romantic fascination, right down to Joel’s uncharacteristically edgy vocal. The tune is in A minor, with brief patches of A major between 1:54 – 2:08 and 3:04 – 3:17.

Steely Dan | West of Hollywood

The unique rock/jazz fusion sound of Steely Dan is well known to most. But their 2000 album, Two Against Nature, featured a more experimental focus than most of the band’s other releases. The tune “West of Hollywood” has a multi-minute outro which kicks the modulations into high gear starting at about 4:30.

A poster on the website Music in Practice and Theory sought insight on the complex outro: “Many, many modulations–this song must surely have set some kind of record with the sheer number of tonal-center changes during the outtro. Often, the tonal center is established only for a few measures, and the transitions happen so quickly that the listener barely notices.”

Elton John | I’m Still Standing

1983 found Elton John in a period of re-invention after riding out the Disco and Punk eras. He came back strong with a rock-fueled single, “I’m Still Standing,” from his platinum-selling album Too Low for Zero. EltonJohn.com reports that the video’s opening shots “were an homage to a popular movie series…the establishing shots of Elton driving through southern France were a tip of the martini (shaken, not stirred) to the 007 movies’ opening sequences…”

Starting in Bb minor, the tune shifts to Bb major for the verse (0:12), back to minor for the chorus (0:39), back to major for verse 2 (1:11), etc. The booming 4-on-the-floor groove is rivaled only by the strong sense of tonality: the pedal point Bb repeats throughout much of the tune while a variety of chords change over it.

Bill Withers | Lovely Day

Another modulation from frequent guest poster JB: R&B singer, songwriter, bandleader, multi-Grammy winner, and 2015 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honoree Bill Withers is probably best known for his hits “Lean on Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine.” 1977’s “Lovely Day” peaked at #6 on the US Billboard R&B chart, #30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1978. and #7 on the UK Singles chart.

Starting in E major for the intro and the verse, there’s a switch to E minor for the pre-chorus (0:39), then reverting to E major for the chorus (0:59). The passing minor nature of the pre-chorus is blunted, however, by the use of bouyant hybrid chords:

||: Cmaj/D Dmaj/E Amin Bmin :||