pop

Terry Jacks | Seasons In the Sun

“A song starts out as a dark, sneering joke. A dying man sings goodbye to the world — his friends, his pastor, his wife,” (Stereogum). “But as he sings goodbye, he also sings that he knows about his wife’s affair with one of his friends … (but) the song changes over the years, as other people cover it. It loses things in translation, both musical and literal. And when it hits #1 in the US and across the world more than a decade later, it becomes a soft, sad farewell, one with no lingering meanness. The affair, which was maybe the whole point of the original song, is gone. It’s just a song about death. There’s nothing funny about it, except maybe in the story of what happened to the song in the first place.

That’s the story of ‘Seasons In The Sun,’ which went from bleak comedy to sentimental mush over the course of 13 years. Before ‘Seasons In The Sun’ was ‘Seasons In The Sun,’ it was ‘Le Moribond,’ a bittersweet 1961 death song from the Belgian poet and composer Jacquel Brel. Brel, a layered songwriter, wrote it as a chanson about warmth and despair and anger, letting them all sit comfortably next to one another.” In recording his 1974 version of the song, Canadian singer (formerly of the Chessmen) Terry Jacks “rewrote it, taking out all the cheating-wife stuff and replacing it with uncomplicated declarations of love: ‘Goodbye Michelle, my little one / You gave me love and helped me find the sun’ … Even without its complicated malevolence, the twice-removed lyrics of ‘Seasons In The Sun’ have a certain power. It becomes a song about pure heartbreak, about knowing you’re going to die and realizing that you really liked being alive: ‘Goodbye my friend, it’s hard to die / When all the birds are singing in the sky’ … in an America that was still reeling from the Vietnam War, when a whole lot of people had dead friends, those lyrics struck an extra chord.”

Even as it moves from its tiny intro to its first verse, “Seasons in the Sun” plays some harmonic mischief, providing a piccardy third-like a shift from F# minor to the verse’s entrance in F# major. 1:52 brings a minor third shift up to A major, but 2:03 provides an even shorter echo of the intro’s side-step, pulling us back down into F# major for the next verse. At 2:55, we climb up to A major again; finally, we have yet another step up to Bb major for only a scant 20 seconds (as the song fades, in peak 1970s fashion).

The Style Council | You’re the Best Thing

“In 1982, Paul Weller disbanded The Jam at the height of their popularity, citing a desire to pivot toward using a more soulful approach to his music,” (Albumism). “He felt The Jam were stuck in a rut and not growing as a band. Bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Ric Buckler did not share this opinion and the split took them by surprise. To this day, Buckler and Weller are not on speaking terms.

In 1983, Weller enlisted keyboard player Mick Talbot, who previously had stints in Dexys Midnight Runners and The Merton Parkas to form The Style Council. To round out the lineup, The Style Council used a rotation of studio musicians and guest stars like Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt from Everything But the Girl, forming a unit known as the Honorary Councilors. With this new group, Weller was able to branch out and experiment with soul, jazz and pop in a way which was not possible with The Jam.

‘You’re the Best Thing’ is The Style Council’s homage to the ‘70s soul, slow jam era. It borrows themes from popular R&B songs from the previous decade and puts Weller’s spin on it.” After an intro and two breezy verses in E major, 1:18 brings a whole-step shift upwards to F# major. At 1:41, an interlude returns us to E major. The pattern continues from there.

Tavares | Don’t Take Away the Music

When asked to name the Soul Music supergroups of the ’70s and early ’80s, folks tend to gravitate to familiar names such as Earth, Wind and Fire, the Spinners, the Commodores and the Isley Brothers,” (Soul Tracks). “However, five brothers from New Bedford, Massachusetts – Ralph, Tiny, Chubby, Butch, and Pooch Tavares – created some of the most consistently high quality soul music of that period.”

Tavares’ hits (“It Only Takes a Minute,” “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel,” and “Don’t Take Away the Music”) are all likely more familiar to listeners than the name of the group that recorded them. But a cover of the Bee Gees’ “More Than A Woman” was included on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, “giving the group its greatest exposure ever (as well as its only Grammy award) but bringing with it a label that Tavares would spend years trying to shake – that of ‘Disco Group.’ … In a decade that highlighted so many groups, from the last Detroit days of Motown to the arrival of hot sounds in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, the Tavares brothers proved themselves to be incredibly versatile, effectively covering all of those sounds … Their wonderful harmonies and consistently strong selection of material made every one of their albums a keeper.”

The Cape Verdean-American group released “Don’t Take Away the Music” in 1976. The brothers’ vocal blend takes center stage throughout the tune. The track’s 6:12 run time was unusually long, even during a period of influence of disco sensibilities over pop music; the leisurely length of the track results in a mid-point half-step key change rather than an outro at 3:04.

The Beau Brummels | Laugh Laugh

Hard to believe, but an American band at the heart of the Beatles sound-alike trend of the mid-60s received a substantial favor from Sly Stone (later the frontman of the Sly and the Family Stone band). “Sly Stone’s first taste of national notoriety began at the tender age of 19 when he produced the moody 1965 pop single, ‘Laugh, Laugh,’ for the San Mateo folk-rock band the Beau Brummels.” (Rolling Stone Australia). “As a teen guitarist, Stone’s various gigs around San Francisco lead him to cross paths with Autumn Records’ Tom Donahue, who gave the budding talent a shot at producing. ‘Laugh, Laugh’ was one of Sly’s first efforts; by early 1965, it had climbed into the Top 20.

As Ben Fong-Torres said of the single in 1970: ‘Sly had produced the very first rock & roll hits out of … a city then known for little more than Johnny Mathis and Vince Guaraldi.’ The ‘San Francisco Sound’ would soon be in full bloom, but here Sly was planting the seeds early on.”

“Laugh Laugh,” which Sly co-wrote with Ron Elliott, begins with a verse in G# minor. At 0:45, the pre-chorus works its way through a segment of the circle of fifths, landing in E major for the very short chorus (1:00). The pattern continues with another verse at 1:07. Many thanks to regular contributor Rob P. for submitting this music time capsule!

Young Gun Silver Fox | Kids

“Musical chemistry is a rare, intangible thing. However, for Andy Platts and Shawn Lee, the creative force behind Young Gun Silver Fox, the unmalleable, unspoken connection that gives their work such a unique and distinctive sound was apparent from their first experiences together in a studio,” (Glide Magazine). “Alongside their now decade-plus-long tenure as Young Gun Silver Fox, both have already received plaudits for their creative excursions.

American-born, UK-based musician Shawn Lee (is known for) his extensive catalog of recordings with the likes of Shawn Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra and his well-received solo albums, as well as a go-to award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist for the likes of Hannah Williams and Joel Culpepper.” The multi-talented UK-born Andy Platts is “chief songwriter and leader of much loved Brit-soul sensations Mamas Gun. He’s also clocked up many songwriting collaborations with legends such as Rod Temperton and Brian Jackson.”

YGSF’s compact release “Kids” (2020) beings in D major, shimmies through a short but dynamic bridge at 2:06, and lands in E major at 2:24.

George Benson | Lady Love Me

“Simply one of the greatest guitarists in jazz history, George Benson is an amazingly versatile musician whose adept skills find him crossing easily between straight-ahead jazz, smooth jazz, and contemporary R&B. Blessed with supreme taste, a beautiful, rounded guitar tone, terrific speed, a marvelous sense of logic in building solos, and, as always, an unquenchable urge to swing, Benson’s inspirations may have been Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery, but his style is completely his own.

Not only can he play lead brilliantly, he is also one of the best rhythm guitarists around; and works often as a sideman. He’s a dangerous swinger, particularly in a soul-jazz format; skills he first got attention for as a member of Brother Jack McDuff’s band in the early ’60s. Benson can also sing in a lush, soulful tenor with mannerisms similar to those of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. In a sense, he is the guitar-playing equivalent of Nat King Cole, a fantastic instrumentalist whose smooth way with a pop vocal helped solidify his prowess in the marketplace.” It’s not surprising to read that Benson started his career in his native Pittsburgh not as a guitarist, but as a vocalist!

Benson’s funk-infused up-tempo 1983 single “Lady Love Me” starts in F# minor, lifts to A minor at 2:36, and finally ascends just before the fadeout to F minor at 3:31.

Neil Sedaka | The Hungry Years

“From ‘Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen’ to ‘Breaking Up is Hard to Do,’ Neil Sedaka drew on a seemingly endless well of onomatopoeic hooks to enliven his early rock-and-roll records, leaving no Tra-la-la or do-be-doo untouched.” (The Second Disc). “The Juilliard-trained musician and native of Brooklyn, New York was one of the relatively rare few rockers of his generation equally adept at both performing and songwriting. As active members of Don Kirshner’s Aldon Music stable (alongside Carole King and Gerry Goffin as well as Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil!), Sedaka and his frequent lyricist Howard Greenfield turned out one tune after another for a great number of famous artists including Connie Francis, Bobby Darin, and Little Anthony and the Imperials.”

“During his lifetime, Sedaka, who died Feb. 27 in Los Angeles at age 86, translated his craft into beloved Billboard chart hits, including three #1s among nine top 10s as a recording artist on the Billboard Hot 100,” (Billboard). “He totaled 30 entries on the chart overall as a singer, from 1958 to 1980, 26 of which he co-wrote, the bulk with writing partner Howard Greenfield (who passed in 1986). Sedaka co-penned all of his top 10s.”

In addition to writing “Love Will Keep Us Together” (released by Sedaka but later made famous by Captain + Tenille), “Bad Blood” (featuring Elton John), “Laughter in the Rain,” and other hits from his earlier years, Sedaka continued to release albums of his own while writing for other artists.

The Sedaka/Greenfield ballad “The Hungry Years,” a track from the 1975 album of the same title, was released on Elton John’s Rocket Records. Beginning in A major, the track shifts to C major for its second verse and the following chorus (0:35). At 1:58, there’s a return of A major for the next verse. The pattern continues from there. Though something of an also-ran upon its release, the track subsequently became one of most requested tunes at Sedaka’s shows. Sedaka’s distinctive, expressive tenor leads us through a nostalgia-saturated love story. While the arrangement is sweetened by strings, Sedaka’s piano remains central — easily conjuring up his early career in the Brill Building. RIP to a master singer/songwriter — who gave meaning to that term long before its heyday in the 1970s!

Richard Marx | Take This Heart

From a 2023 concert review in Perth, Australia: “Richard Marx is the only male artist in history to land the first seven singles on top five of the Billboard charts,” (SheldonAngMedia). “After selling over 30 million albums, one would imagine the singer songwriter could’ve performed to sell-out arenas across the world … But the American artist has always been about fan engagement since the early days, preferring to carry out his trade at intimate venues.”

“I would describe Richard Marx’s sound as a combination of Toto, Bryan Adams, Chicago and David Foster (SuperCoolGuy)… Although he hasn’t had a top 10 hit as an artist since the 1998’s “At the Beginning” (with Donna Lewis, from the Anastasia animated movie soundtrack), Richard Marx continues to lead a very successful and prolific career, both as an artist, and even more so as a songwriter/producer … His songs have been recorded in a wide range of styles, from country to R&B and of course pop and rock, by a long list of to artists, including Kenny Rogers, Keith Urban, Luther Vandross, N Sync, Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Daughtry, Ringo Starr … “

Starting in D major, this live 2012 version of “Take This Heart” shows Marx’s preference for smaller, more engaging live venues. This performance is pitched a minor third below the original 1991 studio version, but still retains all of the tune’s original energy and spirit. At 1:08, the verse starts, climbing through straightforward chord progressions fancied up with Marx’s trademark inverted voicings. At 1:33, the chorus shifts to E major until the 2:00 return to the original key for the next verse. Marx makes it seems like he could crank out catchy pop tunes by the dozen in the time it would take a lesser songwriter to sweat out just a single track.

Midnight Oil | Beds Are Burning

“Australian rock ’n’ roll band Midnight Oil broke into the U.S. charts with an explosive single from their album Diesel and Dust. ‘Beds Are Burning’ was powerful on every level: musically, politically, sonically, even visually,” (MixOnline). “In fact, anyone who had an ear to the modern rock radio format in 1988 can almost certainly name this song in three notes: Those effected horn-and-drum blasts make an unforgettable intro. Midnight Oil were already a huge band in Australia before they made Diesel and Dust. They had put out three Top 10 albums and had gained popularity as well as notoriety for their political activism. The lyrics of ‘Beds Are Burning’ demand reparations to Australia’s Pintupi people, who—like Native Americans in the United States—had been relocated and marginalized by whites: ‘The time has come/To say fair’s fair/To pay the rent/To pay our share.’

Midnight Oil was a band with a message as well as ambition, and they enlisted the help of producer Warne Livesey—who had already achieved significant success with The The and Julian Cope, among others—to help take their sounds to a larger audience. ‘We spent a long time with them sending me demos and having conversations about the direction of the record … (It) was one of the last songs they wrote for the album; it was in the last batch of demos they sent me. That demo didn’t have any verse lyrics on it, but it did have the chorus, and it was very long—a jam. I responded immediately to that absolutely first-rate, killer, hook-y chorus with a great lyrical message.'”

After a gradual intro, the verse and pre=chorus are in E major. The iconic 3-note horn line announces the epic chorus in E minor at 1:13. At 1:58, E major returns for the next verse and the pattern continues from there.

Brenda Holloway | You’ve Made Me So Very Happy

The David Clayton-Thomas-flavored version of Blood, Sweat, and Tears had the big hit version of Brenda Holloway’s song, a Billboard #2 in 1969 (previously featured on MotD). (Rapporteur’s note: I can’t hear that version without thinking of my local ice rink, where it was played endlessly over the PA). Holloway’s own recording was less successful, reaching #39 on Billboard in 1967.

The song is credited to Brenda Holloway, her younger sister Patrice, producer Frank Wilson and Motown founder Berry Gordy. While this release was Brenda’s last for Motown, she continued to record; her latest album, My Love is Your Love, was released in 2003. Sister Patrice Holloway was a Motown artist in her own right, gaining later fame as a member of the cartoon band Josie & the Pussycats. Recorded in Los Angeles, the track features an unusually prominent electric bass part played by session ace Carole Kaye — and some perhaps disturbingly loud finger snaps.

There’s a somewhat surprising unprepared upward modulation at 2:16 for the final chorus before the fadeout.