From MotD regular Rob P.: Canadian band The Guess Who released their breakthrough US hit, “These Eyes,” in 1969. It peaked at #6 on the US Billboard chart.
After a few verses, a string of direct modulations builds during the chorus (starting at 1:42); the tune reverts to the original key for the next verse at 2:40. 3:00 marks the start of chorus/outro, stacking yet more modulations until the fadeout, augmented by boffo amounts of strings and brass.
British New Wave band Talk Talk scored a #1 US dance hit in 1985 with ”It‘s My Life,” written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene. The tune was later very successfully covered by No Doubt in 2003, resulting in top-20 chart positions around the world. The intro and verse are based around an Eb to Db/Eb vamp — a deceptively simple progression obscured by the percolating bass line and layered synths. The chorus (starting for the first time at 0:53) is centered around A minor. The instrumental bridge (2:31 – 2:55) is based on Bb minor.
1984 saw the release of “Sunset Grill,” a top-10 hit from vocalist / drummer / singwriter Don Henley (best known for his work with The Eagles.) The horn section and Pino Palladino‘s fretless bass lines are standouts on this track, which was written in honor of an actual Los Angeles burger joint — still in business on the legendary Sunset Boulevard despite several ownership turnovers through the years. The direct whole-step modulation is at 4:03.
A performer of Portuguese lineage, Roberta Sá is one of the most recognized artists of her generation in Brazil. Her version of the classic tune “Pelas Tabelas” (2005) modulates twice (1:15 and 2:21).
Orleans scored a bubbly Top 40 and adult contemporary hit in 1979 with “Love Takes Time.” Several verses and choruses, as well the bridge, come and go before the modulation finally arrives at 3:01.
After gaining fame as part of Destiny’s Child, vocalist Kelly Rowland released “Stole” in 2002. The lyrics detail the anguish of multiple young lives lost to violence. The tune was a smash hit in the UK and Australia, but didn’t perform nearly as well in the US.
The form alternates between an intro and verse built around a Cmajor/Asus2 vamp and a chorus with a repeating Gmin/Dmin/Cmin pattern (first appearing at 0:45).
A decade after he co-founded Steely Dan, vocalist / keyboardist / composer Donald Fagen released 1982’s The Nightfly, an album which featured a distinctively Cold War/1950s vibe and was reportedly inspired by Fagen’s childhood habit of late night jazz radio listening. Not surprisingly given Fagen’s trademark harmonic complexity, “Ruby Baby” modulates at 2:57, but the close harmonies of the backing vocals are so complexly layered that the key change seems almost routine in comparison.
The Legendary Eddie Holman‘s “Hey There Lonely Girl,” released in 1969, peaked at #2 in the US, #1 in Canada, and #4 in the UK when it was released there a few years later. The tune was later covered by many artists, including Donny Osmond and New Edition. Modulation at 2:14.
Australia’s Little River Band released “Reminiscing” in 1978. Reaching #3 in the US and rumored to be one of John Lennon‘s favorite tunes of that era, the song looks back at the music of the 1930s and 1940s by decorating its 1970s sound with musical touches from those bygone decades.
Receiving an oddly low score of only 51.75 out of 100 from the Yacht or Nyacht yacht rock website, the tune modulates at 2:03, then returns to the original key at 2:19.
At the peak of their history-making string of hits during the 80s, Hall & Oates released “One on One” in 1983. The spare texture allows the individual players within H&O’s longtime lineup to shine — particularly the inventive bassline from the late T-Bone Wolk and the infectious solo from sax player Charles DeChant.
The intro (0:00 – 0:20) features a C/G to G7 vamp; the verse (0:20) is built around a repeating progression of Ebmaj7 / DMin7 / GMajor; the chorus pivots to a CMajor, G/C, F/C progression at 1:01. Written by lead vocalist Daryl Hall, the tune manages to tip its hat to the 1960s/1970s Philly Soul the band grew up with while remaining squarely within the synth-driven textures of the early 1980s.
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