Category: Henry

Fred Hersch | And So It Goes

“And So It Goes” first appeared on Billy Joel’s 1989 studio album Storm Front. The tune has since been covered by countless artists, ranging from former Yankees centerfielder Bernie Williams to American bagpiper Jori Chisholm on his debut album Bagpipe Revolution. Here, jazz pianist Fred Hersch performs his rendition, which was featured on his solo 2017 album Open Book. Beginning in C major, Hersch hints at Eb Major around the 4:00 mark, and then settles in Ab at 4:51 and stays there through the end.

I Know Where I’ve Been (from “Hairspray”)

There’s a road 
We’ve been travelin’ 
Lost so many on the way 
But the riches 
Will be plenty 
Worth the price we 
Had to pay 

There’s a dream 
In the future 
There’s a struggle 
We have yet to win 
And there’s pride 
In my heart 
‘Cause i know 
Where I’m going 
And I know where I’ve been 

From Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray, set in 1962 Baltimore and highlighting themes of racial prejudice and discrimination, these lyrics seem more relevant, urgent, and necessary today than ever. Just this week, the show’s creators announced that going forward, all productions of the show will be required to cast the show to accurately reflect the race of the characters as they were written. The Tony-winning score incorporates elements of rock & roll and rhythm & blues. Hairspray is widely performed in schools and other theaters across the country today. In reflecting on the genesis of this song in particular, Marc Shaiman said:

This was … inspired by a scene late in the [1988] movie that takes place on the black side of town. It never dawned on us that a torrent of protest would follow us from almost everyone involved with the show. ‘It’s too sad … It’s too preachy. … It doesn’t belong. … Tracy should sing the eleven o’clock number.’ We simply didn’t want our show to be yet another show-biz version of a civil rights story where the black characters are just background. And what could be more Tracy Turnblad-like than to give the ‘eleven o’clock number’ to the black family at the heart of the struggle? Luckily … the audiences embraced this moment, which enriches the happy ending to follow, and it is our proudest achievement of the entire experience of writing Hairspray.”

Performed here by Jennifer Hudson, who portrayed Motormouth Maybelle in the 2016 NBC Live broadcast of the show. Key change at 3:17.

Nathaniel Dett Chorale | Abide With Me

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, based in Canada, specializes in Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical, spirituals, gospel, jazz, folk and blues. Founded in 1998 by Brainerd Blyden-Taylor (who continues to serve as director), the group has performed across the US and in Canada, and was featured at the 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama. From their website:

“The Chorale’s vision is to be a premier performer of Afrocentric composers — past, present, and future — and to be a touchstone for the education for audiences and communities regarding the full spectrum of Afrocentric choral music. The Nathaniel Dett Chorale’s mission is to build bridges of understanding, appreciation, and acceptance between communities of people, both Afrocentric and other, through the medium of music. The Chorale seeks to dissolve the barriers of stereotype, to empower humans in general, and those of African descent in particular.”

“Abide With Me,” a 19th century hymn, is featured on one of their live performance DVDs. Key change at 2:47.

Whitney Houston | I Believe In You and Me

Originally released and recorded by Four Tops on their 1982 album One More Mountain, “I Believe In You and Me” was covered in 1996 by Whitney Houston and included the 1996 flick The Preacher’s Wife. Much more successful than the original, Houston’s rendition became a top 5 R&B hit in the US and topped many charts worldwide. The key change, in Whitney’s customary dramatic fashion, is at 2:52.

Sisqo | Thong Song

“Thong Song” was the second single released from American R&B/pop artist SisQó‘s 1999 debut studio album Unleash The Dragon. The track was nominated for four Grammys, and peaked at #1 on the Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart. It was a major success worldwide as well, reaching the top ten throughout European charts, number three in the UK, Netherlands, and Denmark, and #1 in New Zealand.

The key change at 3:16 comes out of nowhere, leading the listener to believe we’ve moved to a distant key, when it is in fact only a half-step away.

S Club 7 | Never Had a Dream Come True

S Club 7’s “Never Had a Dream Come True” was released in 2000, and chosen to be the official BBC Children in Need song that year. It hit the top of the UK Singles chart, and was also the UK group’s only single to chart in the US, where it was the 61st best-selling single in 2001. Key change at 3:05.

Jacob Collier (feat. Mahalia + Ty Dolla $ign) | All I Need

Jacob Collier‘s latest single, “All I Need,” dropped last week, and it is a doozy. Featuring Mahalia Music and Ty Dolla $ign, the track trends more toward mainstream pop than most of his other work, while still maintaining the incredible harmonic and rhythmic sophistication that are trademarks of this UK native’s style.

The key changes up a quarter tone at 2:14 before winding its way back down to the original key from 3:15-3:17.

History Is Made at Night (from “Smash”)

With the announcement yesterday that the cast of the 2011 NBC drama, Smash, will reunite on May 20 to present a stream of the one-night-only 2015 Broadway concert of the musical within the show, today we feature a song from the show, “History is Made At Night,” written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and featuring Will Chase and Megan Hilty. Key change at 3:05.

God Save the City (from “Dementos”)

In the late 1970’s, Robert I. Rubinsky (conceiver/lyricist) and Marc Shaiman (composer) wrote a musical called DEMENTOS that looked compassionately at the NYC street scene, the homeless, and the marginalized. The finale was a song called “God Save The City.”

Video designer Eric Marciano has created this moving video accompanying Jenifer Lewis’ striking vocal, with background vocals by Capathia Jenkins, Shayna Steele, Jason Paige, and Billy Porter, from a live recording of an AIDS benefit in NYC in 1995. Now, it’s a message of gratitude to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tireless workers around the world doing their best to help us through. Key changes at 2:02 and 2:18.