“Think,” written and performed by the incomparable Aretha Franklin, was released in 1968 as a single from the gold-certified album Aretha Now. The track was also featured in the hit 1980 film The Blues Brothers, and is widely considered one of the best songs of the 1960s. Key change at 1:06.
Considered by Vandross to be his “career song,” “Dance With My Father” is a tribute and remembrance of his father based on childhood memories Vandross held of his parents dancing together. “I played it over and over, and I cried and cried,” his mother, Mary Ida, said of the song. “I was amazed at how well Luther remembered his father, how we used to dance and sing in the house. I was so surprised that at 7 1/2 years of age, he could remember what a happy household we had.”
The track quickly become one of Vandross’s most requested songs, and won Song of the Year and Best R&B Male Vocal Performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards. Key change at 3:18.
“Strangers Like Me,” by English drummer and songwriter Phil Collins (best known for his work with the rock band Genesis), was originally featured in the 1999 Disney animated film Tarzan, and later included in a Broadway musical adaptation. Also popular as a pop song, the track reached the #10 spot on the US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. Straight-forward half-step modulation at 3:06.
“Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake)” is featured on the 2002 debut album of English pop singer Gareth Gates, What My Heart Wants To Say. The second single released from the album, the track debuted at #1 on the UK Single Chart, and also reached the top spot in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway. Key change at 2:48.
The a cappella group (and MotD favorite) Voctave released a new album, The Corner of Broadway & Main St Vol. 2 earlier this month, featuring an assortment of Disney and Broadway hits. “Somewhere,” from Alan Menken’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, closes the album. Beginning in C major, the arrangement modulates to E at 2:11 before retreating back briefly to D at the 3:00 mark. A final shift to F occurs at 3:33.
“Strut” was originally featured in the 2006 film The Cheetah Girls 2, a sequel to the 2003 Disney Channel original movie The Cheetah Girls. The story traces a talented teen quartet who take a whirlwind tour of Spain to pursue their dreams of pop superstardom; it is the eighth highest-rated Disney original movie ever. Key change at 2:30.
“Happy & Sad” is featured on the 2018 album Golden Hour by American singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves. Comprised exclusively of original songs, Musgraves ventures into disco and electropop on the record, which was awarded Best Album and Best Country Album at the Grammy’s (Musgraves also received Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance accolades for other tracks.) Key change at 3:02.
Swedish singer, songwriter and producer Joel Berghult (aka Roomie) started his YouTube channel in 2010, and has since become a sensation, amassing more than six million subscribers. His content includes original songs, covers, musical commentary and vocal imitations. “Numb,” released in 2014, is one of his originals, and features a key change at 1:36.
Canadian singer Michael Buble recorded the standard “Cry Me A River” for his 2009 album Crazy Love, which was certified five times Platinum and awarded the Best Traditional Pop Vocal album Grammy Award. The BBC used Buble’s dramatic cover of the tune for its advertising of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Key change at 2:57.
Canadian jazz vocalist Diana Krall makes her MotD debut today with the jazz standard “But Beautiful,” the first track on her fifteenth studio album, This Dream of You, which was released last Friday. Krall, a three-time Grammy winner and one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz chart. Her unique, smoky vocal style and understated arrangements have led to 15 million albums sold worldwide. There’s a key change at 2:17, with a return to the original key at 3:22.
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