Written by Milton Delugg and Willie Stein in 1950, “Orange Colored Sky” has been covered by Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Lady Gaga, Doris Day and others. Michael Bible included the song as a bonus track on his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible.
The track begins in Bb with a slow intro before moving into double time. There is a subtle key change up to C at 2:42.
“I Surrender,” written by Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters, is included on Canadian singer Celine Dion’s 2002 album A New Day Has Come. The album has sold over 12 million copies worldwide and debuted at #1 in 13 countries. The track begins in G minor and dramatically modulates up a half step to G# minor at 3:21.
“Paid My Dues” is featured on American singer Anastacia’s 2001 album Freak of Nature. Reviewing the album for Slant magazine, critic Sal Cinquemani wrote “her tenacious attitude on songs like “Paid My Dues” and the funky title track carve a unique niche for the singer.”
The track reached the #1 spot on the charts in Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Norway, and Switzerland. It begins in C# minor and modulates up to D minor for the last two times through the chorus at 2:38.
“Never Again” is the final track on Justified, Justin Timberlake’s 2002 debut solo studio album. The track, co-written and produced by Brian McKnight, expresses regret about a relationship that didn’t work out. It begins in Db and modulates up a half step to E for the bridge at 2:45 before returning to Db at 3:10 for a brief instrumental interlude leading into the chorus.
“Caruso,” written by Italian singer/songwriter Lucio Dalla, is featured on the 2006 album Siempre by the classical crossover group Il Divo. “Their phrasing on…Caruso is excellent, drawn out to pull as much emotion as possible,” AllMusic said in their review of the record. The album sold over a million copies in the United States, and was the #2 classical crossover album on the Billboard charts for the year.
The track begins in C minor, modulates up a half step to C# minor for the second verse at 1:26, and then dramatically rises up another half step to D minor for the final chorus at 2:44.
“Oceano” is the lead track on Josh Groban’s 2003 album Closer, the top-selling album of the 2000s in the US.
Produced by David Foster, the song begins by fluidly passing between F major and F minor. In the instrumental interlude between verses, the harmony turns very chromatic, passing through Eb major and E minor before winding back to the tonal center of F at 2:06. There is a definitive modulation to Db at 3:05, which then segues into a subdued outro in D minor.
“Beautiful,” written by pianist Jim Brickman, is included on his fourteenth studio album, The Disney Songbook, released in 2005. The track features vocalist Wayne Brady; it begins in Bb and modulates up to C at 2:34.
The TV movie High School Musical premiered on the Disney Channel in 2006 and was the most-watched premiere in the network’s history; there have since been two spin-offs. “Start of Something New,” written by Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Neil, is the first track on the film’s soundtrack, which was the best-selling album of 2006.
The song begins in C, modulates to D after 8 bars at 0:28, and shifts up to E for the last chorus at 2:26.
O-Town is an American boy band that formed in 2000 as a result of the reality television series Making A Band. After releasing two albums, the group disbanded in 2003. “Baby I Would” is the last track on their eponymous debut record, written by MotD stalwart Diane Warren.
The song alternates between Bb for the verses and C for the choruses; coming out of the bridge, it subverts expectations by appearing as if it will modulate as usual up to C, but after a false start shifts up another whole step to D at 2:48.
*This is the third installment of a weeklong series featuring covers of the 1956 song “You Don’t Know Me”*
Michael Bible covered “You Don’t Know Me” for his 2005 album It’s Time, featuring arrangements by David Foster. The track begins in C and modulates up to Db at 3:08.
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