Category: Henry

Cross That Bridge (from “Schmigadoon!”)

Schmigadoon!, a comedy TV series that premiered on Apple TV+ last month, is a parody of and homage to Golden Age musicals from the 1940s and 50s. “Schmigadoon! is nothing if not corny,” said Vulture TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk in her review. “It is a backstage musical (like Cabaret or Follies, a musical about putting on a show) that’s stuck in the world of integrated musicals, shows like Oklahoma! or Sound of Music, where songs are naturalistic extensions of the narrative’s emotional arc. In other words, it is a show where the only real way to register your feelings about being trapped in the aesthetics and the morality of a Golden Age musical is to burst into song about how weird and frustrating it all is. And really, what could be cornier than eventually giving in and singing about the transformative power of love (and also musicals)?”

“Cross That Bridge” is from the third episode of the show, and takes its inspiration from the Frank Loesser songs “Brotherhood of Man” (from his 1961 musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying) and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat” (from the 1950 musical Guys & Dolls). The tune features modulations at 1:58 and 2:14.

Janet Jackson | Let’s Wait Awhile

Featured on Janet Jackson’s 1986 album Control, “Let’s Wait Awhile” represents a departure from the sexually provocative themes typical of Jackson’s output. “I didn’t think at the time we were sending out any kind of significant message,” Jimmy Jam, who helped co-write the song, said. “For us it was more like a love song. It got interpreted as maybe more of a statement than it was intended to be. It’s a very simple love song and it was just saying, ‘Let’s wait. I’m not going anywhere, so let’s just take our time.’ Lyrically, that was Janet’s concept and we shaped the music to fit.”

Released during the AIDS crisis in the United States, the song was also frequently employed as a teaching tool to encourage abstinence. Critic Danyel Smith commented in the magazine Vibe that “on the fragile [ballad], Jackson’s tender, hesitant delivery conveys all of the trepidation and wonder felt by a young girl on the brink of losing her innocence.”

Jackson included the track on two of her greatest hits albums, and performs it regularly on tour. A modulation from Db to D occurs at 3:14 (the tune briefly returns to Db in the outro at 4:24.)

So Much Better (from “Legally Blonde”)

We conclude our week-long series on Legally Blonde with “So Much Better,” the Act 1 finale. After breaking up with Elle, Warner proposes to his new girlfriend Vivienne right in front of Elle, leaving her devastated. Immediately after, however, Professor Callahan posts the list of who has been selected for his highly coveted internship positions, and Elle makes the cut. She realizes that life is about more than just one guy, and she has more potential than she previously knew. Key changes at 0:38, 0:51, 1:03, 1:29, 1:41, 2:04, 2:28, 2:37, and 2:50.

Legally Blonde (from “Legally Blonde”)

The fourth installment in our week-long series on Legally Blonde:

The title song from the musical comes in Act 2. After Elle makes a discovery in the courtroom that is crucial to helping Callahan’s case defending Brook Windham, he asks the rest of his defense team to leave and forcibly kisses Elle; she responds by slapping him, and Callahan fires her from the case. Elle starts to question if Callahan ever really respected her for her intellect and whether she should stay at Harvard. Key changes at 0:49, 1:06, 1:23, 2:07, 2:23, and 2:42.

Whipped Into Shape (from “Legally Blonde”)

“Whipped Into Shape,” the third installment of our Legally Blonde series, opens Act 2 of the show and introduces us to Brooke Windham, a fitness instructor who has been accused of murder and is being defended by Elle’s tutor Professor Callahan. Key changes at 2:34, 3:06, 3:13, 3:21, 3:29, 3:37, and 3:54.

Ireland (from “Legally Blonde”)

The second in our Legally Blonde series this week:

“Ireland” introduces us to the hairdresser Paulette, who comforts Elle after Warner unexpectedly breaks up with her. Over the course of the song, Paulette narrates her own complicated romantic history, accompanied by her beloved Irish “Celtic Moods” CD. Key changes at 0:22, 1:15, 1:30, 2:05, and 2:23.

Omigod You Guys (from “Legally Blonde”)

The first of our week-long series of tunes from Legally Blonde:

The opening song in the show, “Omigod You Guys” introduces us to Elle Woods and her fellow Delta Nu’s, who are helping Elle pick out a dress for her planned proposal to Warner Huntington III later that night. Key changes at 0:47, 1:14, 1:31, 1:54, 2:23, 3:04, 3:16, 3:36, 3:49, 4:28, 4:45, 4:51, 5:05, and 5:19.

Special Series | Legally Blonde

Here at MotD, we take pride in featuring music from all genres, in the hopes of appealing to the tastes of all our fans while also introducing most to something new. And while key changes play a vital part in every style of song, from a Doobie Brothers hit to a Chopin ballad, perhaps nowhere is their dramatic effect as pronounced as in the musical theatre repertoire. Within the musical theatre canon, I think it is fair to say that no show boasts more key changes than Legally Blonde. So this week, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the release of the Legally Blonde film, we are featuring five songs from Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s score for the Broadway musical.

As the week progresses, I encourage you to think about how the modulations contribute to and enhance the arc of each song. At first glance, it can appear that having so many key changes is somewhat gratuitous; I would argue that each one has a purpose in communicating the story, and together, they define the sound of the show.

Hope you enjoy this five-part series. Off to Harvard University!

Henry Lewers

Founder, Modulation of the Day

Stephen Christopher Anthony | Capable Of

“Capable Of” is from a new musical, Chaining Zero, that is currently in development. The show has had multiple readings and workshops, including a recent one in New York. The writers, Jeffrey James and Justin Halpin, have been releasing musical numbers on various social media platforms in a series, Chaining Zero Sessions, featuring notable Broadway performers such as Christopher Jackson, Jackie Burns, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and Stephen Christopher Anthony. Key change from A to B at 2:56.