Jeremy Jordan + Laura Osnes | The Next Ten Minutes Ago (from “R+H Goes Pop!”)

From the Rodgers & Hammerstein Goes Pop! series, Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan sing a mash-up of “Ten Minutes Ago” from R&H’s Cinderella with “The Next Ten Minutes” from Jason Robert Brown‘s The Last Five Years. There are a few key changes, but the big one is at 3:48. The track starts at 0:25.

Beck, Robyn + The Lonely Island | Super Cool (from “Lego Movie 2”)

The closing credit sequence for Lego Movie 2 (2019) has something for everyone, including a smile or two for the parents in the audience for its unapologetic “pro-credits = pro-reading” stance. Beck, Robyn, and The Lonely Island collaborated on this funk/pop/hiphop track. The tune starts in A major, drops a rollercoaster instrumental mini-bridge at 2:28, and lands in B major at 2:32.

The Monkees | Theme from “The Monkees” TV Show

A boy band before the term was even coined, The Monkees were assembled by TV professionals to cast a music-centric sitcom (1966-1968) “about an imaginary band… that wanted to be the Beatles,” according Monkee Mickey Dolenz. Eventually, the actors learned to play their instruments for real, continuing as a band until 1971 and producing several huge hits. The brief theme song from the TV show manages to pack in two direct modulations at 0:26 and 0:36.

Culture Club | Victims

Boy George & Culture Club released the ballad “Victims” in 1983. The track was a Top 10 hit throughout Europe, but wasn’t released as a single in the US, despite the fact that the band was enjoying the height of its sudden fame at that time. The associated album, Colour by Numbers, sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and appeared on Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Best Albums of the 1980s” list.

The intro, in Bb minor, shifts to a verse in Ab major at 0:31, then a brief chorus at 0:45 reverts to Bb minor. A long bridge (1:24 – 2:20) in Bb major then shifts to Bb minor from 2:20 to 2:39. Etc.!

Lee Ritenour | Is It You?

Described by AllMusic as a “flawless musical chameleon,” Grammy-winning guitarist Lee Ritenour has collaborated as a session musician with artists from Pink Floyd to Quincy Jones to Dizzy Gillespie as well as releasing many of his own albums. His pop/jazz hybrid release “Is It You” (1981) reached number 15 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts.

There’s a classic direct modulation at 3:17, but the bridge (2:23 – 2:53) is perhaps more interesting, pivoting all over the place harmonically.

David Bowie | Young Americans

David Bowie‘s 1975 album, Young Americans, featured a title track which played up Bowie’s love for soul and R&B — a departure from his previous glam-rock style. R&B/soul vocalist Luther Vandross contributed backup vocals to the track. Self-deprecating as usual, Bowie described the album as “plastic soul…the squashed remains of ethnic music as it survives in the age of Muzak rock, written and sung by a white limey.” Modulation at 2:39.

Dionne Warwick | Always Something There to Remind Me

MotD member Christopher Larkosh contributes Dionne Warwick‘s “Always Something There to Remind Me” (1963), written by songwriting dream team Burt Bacharach and Hal David. At 1:37, the bridge brings a half-step direct modulation along with it; then another key change, perhaps a bit less expected, at 1:51. The tune has enjoyed several covers, the best known probably being Naked Eyes’ 1983 version, which really changes it up by featuring a swing groove!

Chris adds: “This is my favorite modulation; I was born to love it, and I will never be free; it’ll always be a part of me.”

Pharrell Williams | Number One

R&B/pop phenom Pharrell Williams is best known for his worldwide smash hit “Happy.” Earlier in his career, he released “Number One,” featuring a somewhat more sane version of Kanye West. The 2006 tune features a lot of descending chromatic bass motion — rather unusual. The intro (through 0:17) is based on a 4-chord vamp built around F# major, but the first verse (0:17 – 0:53) drops down into an F major/E minor vamp (the F major serving as a “sub V” for E minor.) The chorus, starting at 0:53, reverts to the same setup as the intro; subsequent verses and choruses follow suit.