Continuing with Scott Alan‘s music, this is Shoshana Bean (currently starring in Waitress on Broadway) singing “Home” (2008) with an epic key change at 5:42.
There’s a lot of banter at the start of this live video; skip to 2:15 if you want to go straight to the music.
Scott Alan‘s “Never Neverland” (2007), performed here by three-time Tony Award nominee vocalist Stephanie J. Block, alternates between A and F major throughout the song.
Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying” was the #1 Country song of 2004, according to Billboard, and the 2005 Grammy winner for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. The title track of McGraw’s 8th studio album, the tune has a dramatic key change at 3:16.
The first single from John Mayer‘s second album, Heavier Things (2003), was the mid-tempo tune “Bigger Than My Body.” Billboard reported that the tune “delivers a contagious melody, an exhilarating arrangement and lyrics that are thoughtful and touching without stooping to sentimentality or bombast.”
Primarily built around E major, the tune’s bridge centers around F major from 2:39 – 3:06, then reverts to E major.
“Run, Freedom, Run” from the hit 2001 musical Urinetown by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann, features a key change at 1:56. Inspired to post this song this week, as I am about to open Kotis and Hollman’s new musical, Yeast Nation, at College Conservatory of Music on Thursday.
Weekend bonus mod: I came across this contemporary folk tune (2002) by Holly Near today at a church gig. Plenty of modulations!
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.
MotD fan Mont Chris Hubbard contributed this 2006 tune, “Everything ‘Bout It Is a Love Song,” from Paul Simon:
“This song’s final verse is a half-step higher – no big whoop – but the way he gets there is very interesting!”
American Bluegrass/Newgrass mandolinist Chris Thile, known for his work with Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers, released his fourth solo album, Deceiver, in 2004. After a chaotic bridge from 2:50 to 3:10, “I’m Nowhere and You’re Everything” modulates at 3:10, 3:42, and 4:06.
From The Houston Chronicle‘s review: “If you expected Thile to cater to Bluegrass orthodoxy and Newgrass’ oft-meandering constructs, this album’s title suggests you’ve been duped.”
Merry Christmas Eve! We end our holiday programming where we began, with the legendary Whitney Houston and a medley of “Deck The Halls/Silent Night” (2003). THREE key changes at 0:50, 1:40, and 2:28. Have a wonderful evening and holiday tomorrow!
modulationoftheday.home.blog 