Jonatha Brooke | New Dress

After co-founding The Story in the early 1990s, singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke struck out on a solo career. From AllMusic: “She has always penned tunes that danced just outside the box with poetic lyrics, creative arrangements, and complex chord progressions.”

“New Dress” (2001) jumps back and forth between both A major and A minor throughout the verses and choruses. A short, string-drenched bridge (2:07 – 2:27) presents a few more harmonic pivots. Neil Finn of Crowded House provides wonderful support in covering the quirky backing vocal lines, which frequently include chromatic motion and outline the chord color; 1:05 – 1:15 is a clear illustration.

Ralph M. Johnson | This House of Peace | St. Olaf College Choir

Here’s a performance of Ralph M. Johnson’s “This House of Peace” (2011) by The St. Olaf Choir, the top choral ensemble at St. Olaf College. Johnson is a Minnesota-based composer who has written works for choir, solo voice, and the theater. A chill-inducing modulation comes out of nowhere at 5:43.

Franz Schubert | Impromptu in E-flat Major (Op. 90) | Eric Lu, pianist

Here’s a live recording of pianist Eric Lu performing Franz Schubert‘s Impromptu in E-flat major (Op. 90, 1827). Gramophone describes this impromptu and its companions as “quintessential Schubert, because they speak in the intimate tone and idiom of the drawing-room rather than the concert hall.” The first of many modulations occurs at only 0:26.

Roxy Music | Dance Away

One of our most prolific contributors, mod scout JB, has submitted 1979’s “Dance Away” by Roxy Music. Originally written for a solo album by UK band Roxy Music‘s lead singer, Bryan Ferry, the tune reached #2 in the UK and was Roxy Music’s best-performing single. From AllMusic‘s review: “…the group strips away its art rock influences, edits out the instrumental interludes in favor of concise pop songs, and adds layers of stylish disco rhythms.” The cover design for the album, Manifesto, featuring only mannequins, was also created by Ferry, known as a distinctive frontman second perhaps only to Bowie as the era’s music/visual art/style synthesist.

Starting with a verse built around Eb major, the chorus transitions to F major at 0:50, then back to Eb at 1:10. The bridge begins at 2:00 and transitions to F# major at 2:10, but then an extended percussion break provides cover for an unexpected modulation back to the original Eb major as the verse returns at 2:24.

The Delfonics | La-La Means I Love You

1968’s “La La Means I Love You” was a #4 Billboard pop hit and a #2 R&B hit for Philly Sound mainstays The Delfonics. After two verses and choruses, a brief instrumental bridge starts at 2:25, bringing a modulation with it. This R&B standard was later covered by The Jackson 5, Todd Rundgren, Swing Out Sister, The Manhattan Transfer, and Prince, among others.

Tina Turner | What’s Love Got to Do With It

Soul/R&B powerhouse Tina Turner‘s solo breakthrough hit “What’s Love Got to Do With It” marked the high point of the pop-tinged second chapter of her post-Ike Turner career, scoring her only #1 solo hit in the US and her eleventh Grammy award.

Featuring compound chords throughout, the tune starts in Ab minor through the first verses and choruses, then lands in Bb minor after an instrumental break at 2:03 and a bridge (2:22 – 2:41) which features a few interesting side-steps.

“Queer Eye” themes (2003 and 2018)

Not a modulation per se, but an interesting reharmonization of the theme of a “make-better” TV franchise which has enjoyed two successful runs in different decades. Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, which ran in the early 2000s, featured a theme by Widelife in a major key.

The updated Queer Eye, which just finished its third season, features a theme by Betty Who which maintains some of the elements of the original — but overall takes a more minimalist approach in a minor key.