Here’s Sam Cooke’s rendition of the spiritual “This Little Light of Mine” (1964), which played a prominent role throughout the Civil Rights movement. Key changes at 1:09 and 1:43.
Tag: 1960s
The Who | My Generation
#11 on Rolling Stone magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list is “My Generation” by The Who. A short section of AllMusic‘s review of the 1965 release: “An explosive debut, and the hardest mod pop recorded by anyone. Pete Townshend‘s exhilarating chord crunches and guitar distortions threaten to leap off the grooves…” This classic features modulations at 1:19, 1:49 and 2:26.
My Bathroom (from “Bathtubs Over Broadway”)
The documentary Bathtubs Over Broadway included this tune, “My Bathroom,” from a 1969 industrial musical entitled The Bathrooms are Coming. There’s a key change at 1:26. For more on what an industrial musical is, check out https://www.industrialmusicals.com.
The Fifth Dimension | Up, Up and Away
MotD fan Ryan Sigurdson has contributed the monster worldwide hit “Up, Up and Away,” written by Jimmy Webb and released by The Fifth Dimension in 1967. The track won six major Grammy Awards and was listed #43 on Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)‘s “100 Songs of the Century.” The modulations are too numerous to list.
Bob Crewe Generation | Music to Watch Girls By
This 1966 tune, “Music to Watch Girls By” by Bob Crewe Generation, went to #15 (Pop) #2 (Easy Listening) positions on the charts. The key change is at 1:10.
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.
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.”
Arturo Sandoval | Emily
The all-too-often overlooked jazz standard “Emily” (Johnny Mandel and Johnny Mercer) has been covered by many greats, from Sinatra to Tony Bennett — and here by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. The tune was the title song for the 1964 movie The Americanization of Emily. This arrangement features a lovely intro through 0:19; the form begins in earnest in C major before briefly touching on a key-of-the-moment (A major) for a few bars (0:39 – 0:48), then reverting to C.
Carol Channing | Hello, Dolly
The musical theatre world lost a legend today with the passing of Carol Channing at age 97. In honor of her more than 5,000 performances in the role of Dolly Levi, we say good-bye, Dolly. RIP. Key changes at 2:17, 3:13, 4:42, 5:41, and 6:19.
Spanky + Our Gang | Sunday Will Never Be the Same
Intrepid MotD fan Paul Steckler points out the single modulation at 2:19 in the middle of a section of Bach-inspired vocalese in “Sunday Will Never Be the Same” by Spanky and Our Gang (1967). The tune, which reached #9 in the US and was another example of Sunshine Pop, scored the biggest hit for this short-lived band from the late 60s.
modulationoftheday.home.blog 