Category: Elise

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 :||

Ignacy Paderewski | Minuet in G major, Op. 14 #1

Ignacy Paderewski (1860 – 1941) was a Polish composer and pianist who is likely just as well known for his work as a philanthropist and brief stint as Prime Minister of Poland in 1919. The composer has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Irving Berlin song “I Love a Piano” (1916) includes the lyric “…and with the pedal, I love to meddle/When Paderewski comes this way/I’m so delighted, when I’m invited/To hear that long-haired genius play.”

Paderewski’s Minuet in G major (Op. 14 #1, 1887) is performed here by Polish pianist Michał Szymanowski. At 1:54, the piece transitions away from its overall key of G major, then reverts to its main theme at 2:38.

Vulfpeck | Outro

Another suggestion from R&B/funk fan Aaron Martin: From Jambands.com‘s review of the keyboard-driven funk quartet, Vulfpeck: the Ann Arbor, Michigan group features “a rhythm section in the vein of The Meters…without much in the way of press or blog buzz, the band has built a growing cult thanks to hook-driven, toe-tapping, laid back jams recorded with an analog sheen and performed by a band that is, as one commenter put it, ‘so deep in the pocket, they just found your grandfather’s watch.'”

Hard to say if the many modulations on 2014’s “Outro” were created by the musicians, recording engineers, or a combination, but we can’t argue with the result. One thing’s for sure: this is the best-sounding spinet piano in recent history.

Mike Stern | Slow Change

Guitarist Mike Stern is described by AllMusic as “one of the finest electric guitarists of his generation, well-versed in the jazz tradition fusion, hard rock, and blues. His style combines phrasing normally attributed to saxophonists, innovative chord voicings pioneered by Jim Hall, and the sonic approach of a rock musician and the soulful, emotive expression of a bluesman.”

On 2001’s “Slow Change,” the A section (0:48) is in E minor; the B section jumps to G minor (1:41); we’re back to the A section at 2:16. The two sections continue to alternate throughout.

Zedd + Kehlani | Good Thing

American singer, songwriter, and dancer Kehlani is a familiar fixture on the US R&B and HipHop charts. In 2016, she was nominated for the Best Urban Contemporary Album Grammy for You Should Be Here. Her 2019 track, “Good Thing,” a collaboration with German/Russian producer Zedd, charted worldwide, including Australia, Canada, Belgium, Singapore, and the US.

Built around a relentless 12/8, the tune modulates after a grand pause between 3:40 to 3:50. The music in the video starts at 0:45.

Jacob Collier | All Night Long

Vocalist/arranger/multi-instrumentalist and overall musical wunderkind Jacob Collier released a cover of Lionel Richie‘s 1983 hit “All Night Long” this month, featuring a cappella legends TAKE 6 and the cutting-edge Metropole Orkest.

Starting in F major, a bridge at 3:16 lands us in Ab major at 3:54; lastly, we transition to A major at 5:58. But modulation is really the very least of the special effects here. The rollercoaster bridge, saturated with quick key-of-the-moment progressions and exotic harmonic tensions, illustrates Collier’s any tone/any time practice (not just those in a diatonic scale). The sheer variety of the lush arrangement is striking — and worth every second of this seven-minute listen.

Antonin Dvořák | Humoresque No. 7 (Op. 101)

The “Humoresque No. 7” (Op. 101, 1894) by Antonín Dvořák was originally written as part of a cycle for solo piano. It was composed during a multi-year US visit by Dvorak during which the Czech composer also wrote his iconic “New World” Symphony.

Performed here by the legendary duo of violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, accompanied by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Seiji Ozawa, the piece begins in Gb major, transitions to Gb minor at 1:35, and back to major again at 2:27.

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.