Tag: pop

Tower of Power | So Very Hard to Go

Tower of Power‘s biggest US hit wasn’t one of the powerhouse uptempo funk tracks for which the band is famous. Instead, it was a ballad, “So Very Hard to Go,” which reached #17 on the pop charts in 1973. The verse and pre-chorus are in Bb major, but a modulation to G major hits at the chorus, reverting back to Bb major for the second verse, and so on.

Dolly Parton | Here You Come Again

Dolly Parton‘s biggest crossover pop/country hit of the 70s was likely this 1977 release, “Here You Come Again.” Written by NYC-based megahit composer team Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, the tune peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Modulations are everywhere, hitting at nearly every verse/chorus intersection.

Johnny Hates Jazz | Shattered Dreams

UK pop group Johnny Hates Jazz scored a worldwide hit in 1987 and 1988, when “Shattered Dreams” was released in the UK and then in the US. The tune modulates up a half-step at 2:00 as the bridge begins. A review on AllMusic calls the tune “…the peak of sophisti-pop before Alternative began to take over the charts. The arrangement is like the audio equivalent of watching a mechanical watch movement.”

J. Geils Band | I Do

Released in 1982, J. Geils Band‘s live version of “I Do” took the sound of 1950s a cappella do-wop, added standard rock instrumentation plus horns and harmonica, and turned it into a #24 pop hit. The track was one of the final releases for the Massachusetts-based band, active between 1970 and 1985. The unmissable modulation, introduced by a huge solo drum fill, is at 1:14.

James Ingram | Just Once

James Ingram, a 1980s/1990s pop/R&B artist, songwriter, and 14-time Grammy nominee, spent his early years singing back-up vocals for the likes of Marvin Gaye and Ray Charles. A demo of this 1981 track, “Just Once,” came to the attention of producer Quincy Jones, prompting a record deal. Ingram continued to work with Quincy, co-writing the uptempo pop confection “PYT” for Michael Jackson’s legendary Thriller album.

The bridge brings key changes at 2:51 and 3:05; one more modulation hits as the bridge transitions to the final chorus at 3:24 before one last shift as the outro fades at 4:21.

Willie Nelson + Waylon Jennings | Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys

Chalk up another mod for MotD regular Rob Penttinen: Although it was first written and recorded in the 1950s, the signature version of the Country classic “Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” was performed by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings for their 1978 album “Waylon and Willie.” The tune reached #1 on the US Country charts and crossed over to the US Pop chart as well, peaking at #42. This live version, recorded at Nelson’s own charity event Farm Aid in 1986, modulates up a whole step at 1:10.

The Manhattans | Shining Star

The Manhattans’ 1980 release “Shining Star” won a Grammy for best R&B vocal performance for duo/group. The tune reached top 10 across a range of US charts: Adult Contemporary, R&B, and Hot 100 (Pop). After a false modulation (a quick key-of-the-moment-shift, followed by a return to the original key) at 1:34, the tune finally modulates for real at 2:46.

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.

Queen | We Are the Champions

This epic modulation stared me in the face for decades before being noticed. Queen’s “We Are the Champions” (1977) features verses which start in C minor, shifts into Eb major for the pre-chorus (first at 0:23), then transitions to F major for the choruses (first at 0:39). Commenting on the tune (among Queen‘s most successful singles of all time), the band’s guitarist Brian May said “We wanted to get the crowds waving and singing. It’s very unifying and positive.”