Category: Elise

McCoy Tyner | When Sunny Gets Blue

First recorded in 1956 by vocalist Johnny Mathis and bandleader Roy Conniff, “When Sunny Gets Blue” quickly became a jazz standard. This version was performed by piano legend McCoy Tyner and his trio in 1962, after his stint as sideman for John Coltrane. Tyner, a 4-time Grammy winner, was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2002; after 80 albums, he still continues to record.

The 32-bar form modulates at the start of the middle 8 (heard for the first time at 1:04), modulates halfway through the middle 8 at 1:20, then back to the original key at 1:36. The form starts again at 2:07, as we hear a solo from Tyner.

Hall + Oates | I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)

Another track from the “obvious” files: “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” by Hall & Oates has been staring me in the face for decades, but its modulations only just hit me. Perhaps an explanation might lie in its catchy groove: sampled repeatedly by hiphop artists for the intro’s distinctive percussion, layered hooks, and bass line, the DNA of the 1982 track has gradually transcended its original mainstream pop context.

After an extended F minor vamp intro, the verse begins in C minor (0:58), then shifts to a bright C major for the pre-chorus (1:15) before reverting back to F minor for the chorus (1:32), etc.

Level 42 | Lying Still

BBC World Service​ says of UK band Level 42​: “For one brief, shining moment…they were outsiders.” By the mid-80s, the band had seen huge success, becoming one of the best-selling UK groups of the decade, best known for their uptempo funk-driven tunes like “Something About You.” But the band also produced some gorgeous melancholy-drenched ballads, including 1985’s “Lying Still.”

Starting in G minor, the tune transitions to B minor for the chorus at 0:44. At 2:50, the bridge starts as an instrumental (roughly in B minor), then transitions back to vocals for a lushly layered, multi-key-of-the-moment, meter-shifting section at 3:11. At 3:29, an extended outro, built around G minor, rolls out and tapers to the end.

Beyonce and Dixie Chicks | Daddy Lessons

Here’s Dixie Chicks and Beyoncé collaborating on a live performance of Beyonce’s “Daddy Lessons” at the 2016 CMA Country Music Awards. The track is from the 2016 Lemonade album. Rolling Stone reports that “according to a story by the AP, Beyoncé submitted ‘Daddy Lessons’ for nomination in the (Grammy) country category, but the Academy’s country-music committee shunned the song.”

Starting in A minor, the tune shifts to D major for a bridge at 4:00, then back to A minor at 4:35.

Cardigans | Lovefool

“Lovefool” was the breakthrough hit (1996) for Swedish band Cardigans. The tune saw broad success, including reaching #15 (Swedish Pop), #5 in Finland, #1 in New Zealand and Scotland, and #1 on the US Mainstream Top 40 chart. Pitchfork Magazine ranked it #66 on its “Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s”.

According to Billboard, “The song’s upbeat feel wasn’t the band’s initial intention. ‘Before we recorded it, it was slower and more of a bossa nova,’ frontwoman Nina Persson says. ‘It’s quite a sad love song; the meaning of it is quite pathetic, really. But then when we were recording, by chance, our drummer started to play that kind of disco beat, and there was no way to get away from it after that.'” The verses are in A minor, shifting to A major for the choruses (0:44).

Franz Schubert | Moment Musical #3 in F Minor (Vladimir Horowitz, piano)

Here’s a later performance by of Franz Peter Schubert‘s “Moment Musical #3 in F Minor” by legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz. Limelight Magazine called Horowitz “a Russian-born pianist who left for the West at age 21, where he was described as a ‘tornado unleashed from the steppes’…Most famous for his performances of Romantic piano repertoire…”

There are several passing keys of the moment in the piece, but the main transition into F major is at 1:50.

Mama’s Gun | You Are the Music

From long-time neo-soul/r&b aficionado and first-time MotD contributor Aaron L. comes this effervescent, unapologetic love song, “You Are the Music,” from London r&b/neo-soul/pop quintet Mama’s Gun.

The album which featured today’s track, Routes to Riches (2009), was reviewed by Uncut magazine as “a masterclass in blue-eyed bubblegum soul, as heart-warmingly catchy as anything from Stevie Wonder’s ’70s purple patch.” The band has opened for fellow Brits, pop/funk legends Level 42, and American neo-soul artist/producer Raphael Saadiq.

Starting in A minor for the verse, the chorus transitions to compelling A major(ish) mix, then reverting to minor for the next verse. At 2:18, a breakdown/bridge pushes us into D minor, leading to a big modulation into Bb major(ish) for the remaining choruses.

Jimmie Rodgers | Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

“Kisses Sweeter Than Wine,” originally a hit for folk singer Pete Seeger and The Weavers in 1950, was released by Jimmie Rodgers in 1957, reaching #7 on the pop charts. The Weavers’ version featured beautiful four-part harmony throughout, as well as a unique recurring piccardy third at the end of each verse. But the pop-friendly release by Rodgers featured a much faster tempo, a much harder swing, and multiple key changes.

This variety show performance of the tune starts at 0:50, with direct half-step modulations at 1:49, 2:11, and 2:37.

Pat Metheny | Are You Going With Me?

It’s difficult to categorize contemporary guitar/guitar synth pioneer Pat Metheny‘s “Are You Going With Me?” (1989). But the key changes are far less ambiguous.

The tune’s intensity grows little by little, driven by the Metheny Group’s trademark wordless vocals and Lyle Mays‘ fluid keyboard lines. The performance was likely heightened by the huge scale of the live setting, Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. The first modulation hits at 3:44; the second key change “telegraphs” melodically by hinting at the shift slightly before its arrival at 5:20.

Weezer | Undone / The Sweater Song

After a long vamping intro (through 0:40), “Undone / The Sweater Song” (1994) by college radio favorites Weezer starts in F# major, modulates up to A major for a guitar solo from 1:51-2:16, then reverts back to F#. In John Luerssen’s biography of the band, frontman Rivers Cuomo says of the band’s debut single, “It was supposed to be a sad song, but everyone thinks it’s hilarious,” and was his “attempt at writing a Velvet Underground-type song.” From AllMusic‘s review: “meticulously crafted…smart, quirky, poignant, and insanely catchy — all characteristics that would go on to define Weezer as a band and their debut as one of the most successful alternative rock records of the ’90s.”