“Tapestry” is the title track from singer-songwriter Carole King’s second studio album, released in 1971 and one of the best-selling albums of all time. In 2020, the record ranked 25th on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”
The track, for which King wrote the music and lyrics, begins in F and modulates up a half step at 2:15.
“With One Look” is from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation of the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, directed by Billy Wilder. The story focuses on the diva Norma Desmond, an aging former film star who is living out her final days in Los Angeles. This song depicts her reminiscing about her past as a successful actress. A new revival of the show opened on Broadway last weekend.
The track begins in A and shifts briefly up to D leading into the instrumental break at 2:07. It then modulates back down to B at 2:31, where it stays until the end.
**We are re-posting this tune today to recognize Liam Payne, who died in a tragic accident earlier this week. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. **
English/Irish boy band One Direction makes its MotD debut with the 2014 single “Night Changes.” Included on Four, the group’s fourth studio album, the track is notable for being the last to feature Zayn Malik before he left the group to pursue a solo career the following year. The tune begins in Ab major and modulates to Bb and 2:29.
MotD favorite Voctave teamed up with the renowned a cappella group The Swingles to record “I Am What I Am,” Jerry Herman’s gay anthem from the 1983 musical La Cage Aux Folles. Now based in the UK, The Swingles have been active since the 1960s, when the group formed in Paris, and have released dozens of records and won five Grammy Awards.
The track begins in B major, modulates up a step to Db at 1:36, and then up another half step to D at 2:23. There is a final shift up to Eb at 3:06.
“All Things End” is featured on Irish singer Hozier’s third studio album, Unreal Earth, which was released last year. “Hozier doesn’t just succeed in exploring that dark emotional world,” Rolling Stone said in their review of the record. “His painful ascent makes the listener immediately want to climb with him. Even harder, he successfully delivers a third album that doesn’t shy away from any topic, even when he doesn’t have the answers.”
Hozier draws on folk, blues, and soul influences; his debut single “Take Me To Church” hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2013.
This song begins in A minor and shifts up a step to B minor at 2:41.
Tony-award winning actor and singer Gavin Creel passed away suddenly from cancer last year at age 48. Creel was beloved by the Broadway community, and recognized as one of the best voices in the business. In 2020 he performed Frank Wildhorn’s ballad “In His Eyes” with fellow Broadway actor Aaron Tveit. The track begins in C minor and modulates to Bb at 0:45.
The Irish boyband Westlife included Billy Joel’s hit tune “Uptown Girl” as a bonus track on their 2000 album Coast to Coast. They maintain a similar groove to Joel’s original but add in a key change at the end, shifting from D up to E at 2:36.
Written in 1923 by Ted Snyder, Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, “Who’s Sorry Now” later became the signature hit of American singer Connie Francis in 1958. The tune was initially published as a waltz, but subsequent covers were arranged as a foxtrot in cut time. Francis’s version, in 12/8 time, was the first of her eight singles to be certified gold in the US, and topped the UK charts for 6 weeks.
The tune begins in Eb and modulates up a half step to E at 1:29.
The show-stopping “11 o’clock number” from new Broadway musical The Notebook, “My Days” quickly became the most popular song from the show. The song, written by Ingrid Michaelson and performed by Joy Woods, has been streamed nearly 4.5 million times on Spotify. The musical recently announced it will close in December.
The songs begins in C and modulates to D at 2:31.
“Gonna Change the World” appears on the British pop group S Club’s eponymous debut album, released in 1999. The record went double platinum in the UK, New Zealand and Canada, and hit #1 on the charts in the UK as well. S Club has gone on to sell over 10 million albums worldwide.
The track begins in G and shifts up a half step to A at 3:03
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