1990s

Whitney Houston | I Love the Lord

“We may never see the likes of a Richard Smallwood in gospel music again … Smallwood was an innovative songwriter and director who blended skillfully the majesty of classical choral music with the Black church writ large,” (Journal of Gospel Music). “His songs and arrangements possess an intensity that crosses denominational boundaries. Whether Pentecostal, Baptist, AME, or CME, congregants know the catalog of Richard Smallwood. It has its own brilliance, its own timbre. You recognize it when you hear it.

… His music even made the silver screen; Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir sang his arrangement of “I Love the Lord,” recorded originally in the late 1970s by the Union Temple Young Adult Choir, for the 1996 holiday film The Preacher’s Wife.”

Richard Smallwood reported that “[The music supervisor for The Preacher’s Wife] told me ‘I Love the Lord’ was one of Whitney’s favorite songs and one that she had grown up singing in church,” (Brooklyn White-Grier). “It also was a song that she wanted to do in the movie. When I found out — excited is an understatement! One of my songs in a major motion picture sung by one of the greatest singers ever, was a dream I never thought was possible.”

Beginning in C major with a solo section for Houston, the tune swells with the addition of choir and string section as the tonality climbs to Db major at 1:29. The texture continues to strengthen through the 4:00 mark, where the track ends with a softer-spoken string section.

Amy Grant | That’s What Love Is For

“If you were listening to any kind of normal radio in the early 90s, you remember ‘Baby, Baby,’ which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as ‘Every Heartbeat,’ which hit No. 2. ‘That’s What Love Is For,’ ‘Good For Me’ and ‘I Will Remember You’ all were Top 20 hits as well,” (Daily Vault).

The best part about (1991’s Heart in Motion) … is not the success it brought Grant as much as the way it openly addressed important issues in life. ‘Ask Me’ talks about how faith can help heal a person’s past, specifically child abuse; ‘That’s What Love Is For’ addresses that relationships are tough and take work. Strength and hope are the themes of Heart in Motion … The simplicity of Grant’s voice with her honest lyrics contrast what so many other big names (Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera) attempt to achieve.”

“That’s What Love is For” begins in E major, building gradually through its first two verses. The chorus, in C# major, then appears with great fanfare at 1:08; the video further obliges the mood change with a shift from black and white to full color. At 1:42, we dive back into another verse — in the original key and the original black and white! The pattern continues until 3:04, when we stumble into D major as we hop over yet another B+W/color border.

George Michael | You Have Been Loved

“Think back to August 1997. George’s album Older had already been out for a year, spinning off a quintet of top 3 singles in the UK whilst being largely ignored in the US,” (The Singles Jukebox). “And then the heretofore unthinkable happened: Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris. In light of Diana’s death — not to mention that most knew of the friendship between George and Diana — ‘You Have Been Loved’ took on added resonance and became a profoundly moving, albeit unintentional, tribute to the late Princess.

‘You Have Been Loved’ was included a few months later on the Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute compilation, alongside a number of suitably somber songs, both previously released and newly recorded. ‘Loved’ is the second song on the double album, behind only ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ by Diana’s beloved Queen, and immediately prior to Annie Lennox’s ‘Angel.'”

The tune begins with an E minor that spends very little time on its tonic chord. But after briefly wending its way through several other tonalities, the chorus ends squarely on C major, starting at 2:37 and running until an interlude and verse 2 begin at at 3:04 in the original key. The track’s final measures are also in C major.

New York Vocal Collective | Weak

“The three members of SWV all came from New York. Like so many of their peers, those three singers came up singing gospel,” (Stereogum). “SWV never had a gimmick. Their name stood for ‘Sisters With Voices,’ and that was also their sales pitch. They were all ferociously gifted singers, but they were also approachable young around-the-way everywomen, known primarily by their nicknames. When SWV were at their best, you could tell that they were all real-life friends, though their friendships eventually frayed in the old, expected show-business ways. For a couple of weeks, those three young women had the most popular song in America (‘Weak’).”

“The New York Vocal Collective (brings) together a group of vocalists (balancing) tight ensemble work with individual artistry.” (Broadway World) … ” … (showcasing) what happens when strong singers are placed in a collaborative, high-level a cappella environment, with a focus on both musical precision and emotional connection. The New York Vocal Collective functions as an advanced training ensemble, pulling together singers to workshop, rehearse, and ultimately perform a set of fully arranged contemporary a cappella pieces. It’s not just about blending voices … arrangement, dynamics, and storytelling within a group setting … “

While SWV’s 1993 original version of “Weak” featured a single key change, NY Vocal Collective’s cover, arranged and directed by Ben Bram, features several upward steps. After beginning in F# major, the tune hits its first half-step key change at 2:13, followed by an upward cascade after the bridge (3:07 – 3:17), ending in C# major.

Gal Costa | Esquadros

“Following a US-backed military coup in 1964, many young artists in Brazil – disillusioned with the apolitical nature of bossa nova – searched for a music that would speak to their contemporary world,” (UDiscoverMusic). “By the late 60s, a group would answer the call through a movement known as Tropicália. These artists – chiefly Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes, and Gal Costa – sought a ‘universal sound’; a merger of local and international styles that was both cosmopolitan and distinctly Brazilian. Their fusions of bossa nova, psychedelia, and rock ’n’ roll remain totally unique.

Costa began her career as a bossa nova singer before joining the ‘tropicalists’ in 1968 … Atop soaring string arrangements, Costa’s voice holds a powerful tenderness. Depending on one’s interpretation, it’s either unashamedly sentimental and detached from its political context, or an intentionally saccharine, ironic rebuke to consumerist society. Veloso’s lyrics are typically oblique, allowing for either reading to make sense … If there was one guiding principle of the Tropicália movement, it was the freedom to be many things at once. Their music was both popular and avant-garde, politically principled but undogmatic, distinctly Brazilian but syncretic, lyrically piercing but ambiguous.”

After a sunny start in B major, “Esquadros” (Squares), released in 1999, shifts to the parallel B minor from 1:11 – 1:23, bolstered by beefier groove, before returning to the original key. The key alternates many more times throughout, but the increasingly unsettled, unresolved instrumental outro (starting at 3:20) erases any memory of the tune’s major key sections!

James Taylor | Line ‘Em Up

“He’s seen fire, he’s seen rain,” (Santa Barbara Independent). “He’s seen sunny days he thought would never end, and lonely times when he could not find a friend. And James Taylor is in the ongoing journey of a career spanning six decades and stoking a reputation as a pioneer singer-songwriter known for hiring a good band and putting on an engaging live show.”

At a show in Santa Barbara this month, “He also joked, ‘From the beginning, I’ve been writing end of my life in show business songs.’ Thankfully, those were not self-fulfilling prophecies. He has also been writing songs taking on many subjects, not just recovery or romantic concerns: his tune ‘Line ‘Em Up,’ for instance, takes as its thematic angle Richard Nixon’s fateful departure from his White House tenure. Introducing the song, Taylor half-joked, ‘I never thought I’d hear myself say, I miss Richard Nixon.”

Hourglass, Taylor’s 1997 album, saw strong commercial success, reaching #9 on the Billboard 200. The album also won Taylor a Grammy (best Pop Album, 1998), his first since the 1977 smash hit JT. Built primarily in G major, the tune shifts to D minor for its early bridge (1:37 – 2:09) before reverting to the original key.

Kenny Loggins | I Would Do Anything

“Released in 1991, Leap Of Faith was a new artistic success for Kenny Loggins and a true return to form after the weak results of Back To Avalon,” (Fozfan.com). “On this new album the singer finally freed himself from the boundaries of the ‘flavor of the day’ radio sounds and offered the listener a collection of high quality songs, all delivered with true passion. Loggins crafted the record with a special care on the arrangements that are very refined plus a smart use of acoustic instruments that looked back at his early days with Jim Messina. On top of it all there are the usual incredible vocal harmonies of the singer with his special guests like Mike McDonald, Sheryl Crow and the Pointer Sisters.

‘I Would Do Anything’ is a latin-tinged ballad beautifully sung by Loggins with Sheryl Crow. The atmosphere is really magical and brings us to mind some of Michael Franks’ most inspired work. Flamenco guitar great Ottmar Liebert appears on it together with aces like Greg Phillinganes, Nathan East, Dean Parks, and Ricky Lawson, who offer their artistry to this sensual piece of music.”

Co-written by super-producer David Foster and Loggins, “I Would Do Anything” begins in E mixolydian. An unexpected F major comes into focus at 0:57. Verse two (1:37) returns to the original key. An extended interlude steps briefly into other key areas before a leisurely outro ends the tune in the original key. Loggins’ duet partner here is Shanice, best known for her release “I Love Your Smile,” although that role was at times filled by Sheryl Crow instead.

Pet Shop Boys | The Theatre

” … for years, they’ve been a very brilliant pop thing,” (BBC). “From the artwork, to their outlook, image, and literally quite good ability with tunes, they created an intelligence and panache that has seen them become one of the most successful duos of all time. Not for nothing did they once describe themselves as ‘The Smiths you can dance to.'”

” … the whole album (1993’s Very) sounds like it’s been double dipped in Tennant/Lowe’s jar of magical pop dust, and though it has lots of dancefloor-ready tunes” (Steve Pafford) ” … there are some weighty lyrics, with the coruscating anti-Conservative overtones of ‘The Theatre’ lambasting societal imbalances while mocking the bourgeoisie attending Pavarotti in the Park.”

“The Theatre” begins with an intro in Eb minor, but shifts at 0:38 to Eb major as the first verse begins. At 1:42, the chorus brings us back to the original key, but at 2:02, we’ve returned to Eb major for the next verse. The pattern continues from there. As mentioned in Pafford’s review, the sections in major key detail the glossy world of theatre-goers:

It’s another world here / the streets are gleaming / I was even dreaming / that they’re paved with gold

With the Pets’ trademark ease, the point of view of the minor-key choruses turn on a dime:

While you pretend not to notice / all the years we’ve been here / we’re the bums you step over / as you leave the theatre

Many thanks to longtime reader/listener and first-time contributor Mandy D. for this wonderful submission!

Laura Fygi | Let There Be Love

“Although Dutch singer Laura Fygi initially garnered notice as a member of the disco group Centerfold, after setting out in 1992 as a solo performer she pursued a more jazz-inspired path with her debut effort Introducing Laura Fygi,” (Qobuz). “On subsequent efforts including 1993’s Bewitched and the following year’s The Lady Wants to Know, she collaborated with figures including Johnny Griffin, Toots Thielemans, and Clark Terry; in 1997, Fygi worked with one of her idols, the great composer Michel Legrand, on Watch What Happens.

Bewitched (1993) is a straight-ahead jazz date in which the singer is joined by a rhythm section, a string section, and some guests. She performs fresh and warm versions of a dozen songs, the majority of which are ballads. The performances are concise (only one tune exceeds four and a half minutes) and lightly swinging … Throughout, Fygi holds her own and sounds quite relaxed and musical, making these standards her own.”

“Let There Be Love” sets up housekeeping comfortably in E major, but shifts surprisingly to G major as the vocal makes its first entrance at 0:34; at 1:52, the tonality rises to Ab major partway through a relaxed piano feature. A huge list of artists have covered this 1940 standard (written by Lionel Rand with lyrics by Ian Grant), but here’s a sampling of the best known: Chris Botti, Jimmy Dorsey, Julie London, Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson, Rosemary Clooney, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tony Bennett.

Reflection (from “Mulan”)

” … (Mulan tells) the classic story of a Chinese peasant girl who disguises herself as a man so that she can take her ailing father’s place as a soldier in the emperor’s war against the Huns,” (TheaterMania). “After years of successfully concealing her true identity, her secret is ultimately revealed and Mulan is worshipped for her courage and loyalty. This legendary story finds even more relevance among audiences today with its message of bravery, leadership and the importance of family.”

Alan Menken wrote “Reflection” for the 1998 Disney release of Mulan; an off-Broadway live theatre production also ran from from 2012-2013. “Menken has collaborated with such lyricists as Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, Glenn Slater, Stephen Schwartz and David Zippel,” (Mulan Wiki). “With eight Academy Award wins (four each for Best Score and Best Song), Menken is the second most prolific Oscar winner in the music categories after Alfred Newman, who has nine Oscars. He has also won eleven Grammy Awards, a Tony Award and other honors.”

Starting in F major, shifting to Ab major at 0:41. At 1:45, F major returns, but not for long: 1:55 brings a return to Ab, along with a quickening tempo and a burgeoning instrumentation. This performance features Lea Salonga, who sang the title role for the film.