Covering the original Sam Cooke #17 hit “Cupid” (1961) was not a task to be taken lightly; the beloved single weighed in at #452 on 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, by Rolling Stone. The track was described by AllMusic as a “perfect pop song.”
The Spinners re-made the the tune almost entirely in 1980, combining it with Michael Zager‘s “I’ve Loved You For a Long Time.” This updated version hit #4 (pop) and #5 (R&B). The modulation hits at 3:08.
From longtime MotD fan Carlo Migliaccio comes this jam-packed pop/soul confection of an arrangement from NYC-based band Lawrence, “It’s Not All About You” (2019). Siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence are at the core of the band, both as songwriters and performers. Relix‘s overview: “The rich 9-piece arrangements pay tribute to Motown, Muscle Shoals, and everything in between.”
The tune starts at the 0:56 mark, but watch the entire video to catch the full snark quotient of the narrative arc. A half-step modulation hits at 2:39, with a second key change at 3:04.
Written and performed by Gladys Knight for the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill, this track was a top ten hit in the UK, peaking at #6 and becoming Knight’s last charting solo single there. Key change at 3:14.
A long-overdue MotD debut for Scottish native Annie Lennox: The lead single from her debut non-Eurythmics solo album Diva (1992), “Why,” was a global hit. The striking video featuring the uncommonly versatile Lennox was comprised of footage which served double duty as a photo shoot for the album cover. From AllMusic‘s review of the album: “The enigmatic vocalist who made a career toying with different notions of gender plays on the concept of fame here — Lennox dresses up in the persona of a solitary Diva trapped by counterfeit glory.”
Starting in C major, the tune shifts to D major at the pre-chorus (1:25), then falls back to C major for the chorus at 1:46; the cycle then repeats.
“Once More I Can See” is from Frank Wildhorn‘s 2011 Broadway musical Wonderland, a contemporary setting of Lewis Carroll‘s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass.” Performed here by Janet Dacal, the song features a key change at 2:05.
1968 saw a distinctive cover of The Beatles‘ “The Fool on the Hill” by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66. Like the original, the tune modulates from major to minor as the verse shifts to the chorus (here at 0:47) and back again (1:03).
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Mendes was enamored of the tune and thought “‘Wow, I think I can do a totally different arrangement.’ He said Paul McCartney later wrote him a letter to thank him for his version of the song.”
From our follower Alex Gold comes the 2019 track “Tenderness” by Jay Som. Known as a DIY/”bedroom pop” singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, the LA-based Som released her first tracks via the Bandcamp platform. The New York Times calls Som “a nimble, honest songwriter (who) never sacrifices grooves or hooks for some forced idea of lo-fi intimacy.”
The fast 12/8 groove, which initially takes its sweet time falling into place during the intro, drops out at 1:14. Then the groove returns with much more force a few seconds later before a big modulation, jumping up a perfect fourth, hits at 3:15.
“Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” is featured in the 2005 Elvis jukebox musical All Shook Up. Most every cover of this song (and the original, released in 1961) includes a key change or two, but this one at 1:42 is particularly dramatic.
The children’s animated series DuckTales ran for 100 episodes during the late 80s, featuring the full slate of Disney’s duck characters. The 1988 theme, a catchy pop earworm for sure, modulates upwards at 1:22, back down at 1:39, and upwards again at 2:00.
“Footprints In the Sand” appeared on the debut album of UK vocalist Leona Lewis, Spirit, in 2007. The track features two key changes, at 2:14 and 2:34.
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