Tag: pop

Lenny Kravitz | It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over

Lenny Kravitz‘s soulful pop release “It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over” (1991) featured the Phenix Horns from Earth, Wind & Fire. According to a 2000 interview with VivaMusic.com, Kravitz said “That song just came out one day, and I knew it had a classic vibe, and still love that song very much today.” There’s a modulation during the bridge (2:02 – 2:30).

Seals + Crofts | Summer Breeze

Seals and Crofts‘ 1972 release “Summer Breeze” features an aural illusion — an apparent modulation where one doesn’t actually exist. The bridge (2:06 to 2:20) is built exclusively on compound/hybrid chords and a soaring vocal line that is unquestionably the high point of the tune. As we arrive back at the final verse at 2:20, it feels as if the tune modulated — all the cues are there. But we are still in the original key of E minor!

Rick Springfield | Jessie’s Girl

During the summer of 1981, Rick Springfield‘s power pop hit “Jessie’s Girl” completed its climb up the charts, finally hitting #1 in August — six months after its release and just as MTV hit the airwaves. Song of the summer? An understatement.

The bridge, starting at 1:39, transitions with a direct modulation to an instrumental section at 2:00, changing back to the original key at 2:14.

Thomas Dolby | Cruel

Thomas Dolby is best known for his early-80s New Wave megahit “She Blinded Me with Science.” The UK artist’s 1992 release Astronauts & Heretics featured “Cruel,” a track built around some very mysterious harmonies and Matthew Seligman‘s enigmatic fretless bass.

The main melodic fragment is stated with the first verse, by 0:06 (“Cruel … what a thing to do…”). Later, a beautifully syncopated contrasting passage by guest vocalist Eddi Reader, essentially a chorus, starts at 0:31. By 1:04, we’re at the second verse, but one-half step lower than the first. Eddi’s section, as it repeats (1:35), is also a half-step lower this time. The tune ends on a sustained Dmin7, a full step below where it began. Throughout, the largely stepwise melodies rest on a bed of off-kilter progressions and unusual inversions. It’s as if the modulations were written so that they wouldn’t stand out.

Any theory wonks care to chart this one out?

UPDATE, 6/14/21:

Dolby responded today to a post I made awhile back on a thread about this tune, featured on a Facebook group which he and his staff run. Fascinating!

Paula Cole feat. Peter Gabriel | Hush, Hush, Hush

“Hush, Hush, Hush,” a supporting track on Paula Cole‘s breakout 1996 album This Fire (the single was something about cowboys), guest features the singer/songwriter’s mentor, Peter Gabriel as well as some gorgeous and unusual instrumental features. Starting in a minor key, a transition to a major-key bridge starts at 2:01; at 2:33, we return to the original key. An unexpected 4-chord repeating harmonic progression loops from 2:50 to the end.

Nik Kershaw | Radio Musicola

Nik Kershaw‘s classic 1986 New Wave release, Radio Musicola, was full of the UK singer’s moody, richly textured sound; the title track was no exception.

A textbook half-step ascending direct modulation at 2:03; a bridge (2:21 – 2:40) ending with a downward half-step modulation to the original key; and another modulation back to the second key at 3:06.