Tag: USA

Almond Joy + Mounds Jingle | Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut

“If a commercial comes up on TV and it involves a candy bar and a tropical island, you can quickly guess that it’s an ad for Almond Joy or Mounds,” (The Daily Meal). “Since 2010, the coconut-filled chocolate candy brand has leaned on the island vacation theme for advertising its products, with commercials featuring the tagline ‘Unwrap Paradise’ and more recently, ‘Almond Joy is Tropi-Calling.’ In the background of these commercials you can also hear calypso music playing, but what some people fail to realize is that it’s actually to the tune of Almond Joy’s original slogan and jingle.

Nowadays the jingle is instrumental, but in commercials pre-dating 2010, the lyrics ‘Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t’ were also sung. In a throwback of sorts, Almond Joy and Mounds released a 2021 commercial featuring the full song, and judging by the comments on YouTube, the older slogan is much more iconic, at least among the candy brand’s older fans.” The pre-2010 ads “would usually showcase different types of ‘nutty’ behavior, such as riding a horse backwards or flying a plane upside down. This concept was first introduced to TV in 1977, but the jingle and slogan was actually written seven years prior when Peter Paul Candy Company, the manufacturer of Almond Joy and Mounds, hired American composer Leon Carr … in 2003, the lyric ‘Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t’ was inducted into the Advertising Slogan Hall of Fame for the success it brought to the company.”

You’d think that a sprightly ad jingle clocking in at only 30 seconds wouldn’t need extra gas in the tank. But the Almond Joy/Mounds spot manages it, with a half-step upward shift in key at the 0:16 mark. Many thanks to our regular contributor Rob P. for sending in this sweet little tune!

Devo | Girl U Want

(In 1980), American art-rock band Devo released their breakthrough record, Freedom of Choice,” (Variety). “The album not only spawned the new wave smash ‘Whip It,’ but the full-length still stands the test of time, with singles such as ‘Girl U Want’ and especially the title track, still resonating today with fans … “

Devo member Gerald Casale: “‘Whip It’ was a fluke. Warner Brothers put all their chips on the first single, ‘Girl U Want.’ They released that first, and it just stiffed. Then suddenly this guy named Kal Rudman [the founder of Friday Morning Quarterback, a noted radio trade publication that covered the radio and broadcast industry] — he was a regional programmer, he had a tip sheet, and this was a guy who had ears — he actually listened to the albums people sent him. And on his own, he decided that he loved “Whip It” and started playing it. Warner Bros. wasn’t sending him money to play it; he just loved it. And it took off down south first, then quickly spread up the east coast and by the time it hit New York, it was over. We had to recalibrate our whole tour that year, and we suddenly were no longer playing 400-seat clubs; instead, we were playing 2000-5000 seat venues.'”

During the verses of “Girl U Want,” the melody is in E minor, particularly outlined by the persistent flatted seventh. But the guitar-centric hook features a natural seventh degree over the tonic chord, resulting in an spiky feeling of non-resolution where the listener would usually expect low drama. 1:16 brings a shift to C major for the bridge. The pattern continues from 1:26 — until the unresolved ending suddenly drops off a cliff.

Twennynine (feat. Lenny White) | Morning Sunrise

“Lenny White was 20 years old when he appeared on Miles Davis’ breakthrough fusion album, Bitches Brew,” (Progrography). “Yet it was in a different setting with Chick Corea, Return to Forever, where White would make his greatest impact as the drummer in RTF’s classic quartet lineup alongside Stanley Clarke and Al DiMeola. In the 70s, White released a steady flow of solo albums and brought his distinctively crisp drumming (and wide-brimmed hat) to various sessions. Venusian Summer (1975) and The Adventures of Astral Pirates (1978) are highly recommended to fans of prog/fusion.

In the 80s, Lenny White formed the funk band Twennynine, which released three albums: Best of Friends (1979), Twennynine with Lenny White (1980) and Just Like Dreamin’ (1981). He also recorded a few jazz albums with his Miles Davis alums, including Echoes of An Era (1982) with vocalist Chaka Khan. In the 90s, White recorded hip-hop/funk records on the Hip Bop Essence label. He continues to release occasional albums, including Anomaly (2010).”

White’s Twennynine project is now remembered by only the most ardent fans, but it’s remembered fondly! The intro and verse of the R&B ballad “Morning Sunrise,” from the 1979 album Best of Friends, are built in A minor. The chorus shifts to D major at 0:55. At 1:22, the cycle repeats. Many thanks to our Brazilian contributor Julianna A. for this submission!

Bruce Hornsby | What the Hell Happened

“Relevancy is an ambition that countless artists strive for, yet so few actually achieve,” (Glide Magazine). “Iconic pianist Bruce Hornsby can proudly count himself among those fortunate few. With a storied musical career that has spanned (50) years, the Williamsburg, VA native continues to be a prominent influence on many modern artists – from Spike Lee to Bon Iver – that seemingly encompasses nearly all aspects and genres of the music industry.

Starting in 1974 … he formed the Grateful Dead cover band Bobby Hi-Test and the Octane Kids with his older brother Bobby Hornsby … By 1980, Bruce and his younger brother John Hornsby moved to Los Angeles, where they spent the next three years writing songs together for 20th Century Fox. In 1986, Bruce, along with his newly-formed backing band The Range, released the multi-platinum album The Way It Is for RCA Records. It was that album’s eponymous chart-topping title track that propelled the group towards receiving their first Grammy Award, for Best New Artist, in 1987.”

Since then, Hornsby has continued to perform extensively — with his band The Noisemakers, touring solo, and supporing the Grateful Dead on keys and vocals. His writing style hasn’t really pivoted away from the pop-friendly sound of his days with The Range; it might be more accurate to say that his musical palette has expanded exponentially. A wonderful example of Hornsby’s relentless eclecticism is “What the Hell Happened” from 2004’s Halcyon Days. “Self-deprecating humor has always been a hallmark of Bruce’s lyrics, and the polytonal ‘What The Hell Happened’ might be his greatest example … (a) Randy Newman-esque piece.”

The tune’s intro and verse are built around Eb minor, but not without plenty of ear-bending alterations. At 0:39, the chorus shifts to Gb lydian. 0:56 brings a seams-hidden change to F major for an extended instrumental break, driven by Hornsby’s rock-solid stride technique and fluid right hand runs. At 2:41, we return to Gb lydian until near the end, when Eb minor makes another appearance. The tune’s overall feel might bring to mind one of Randy Newman’s sepia-toned tales, but the harmonic vocabulary is miles beyond — to borrow the title from another track on the album, very “Circus on the Moon.”

Gary Wright | Love is Alive

“Gary Wright released the second single from his 1976 album The Dream Weaver, a song which hasn’t gotten nearly as much love from radio as the album’s title track,” (Rhino.com). “Maybe that’s because of all the exposure that ‘Dream Weaver’ got from its usage in Wayne’s World, (but) both songs hit the same spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

What those who weren’t around at the time often forget, however, is that ‘Love is Alive’ – which was both written and produced by Wright – was actually the first single released from The Dream Weaver … and it was a big ol’ flop. It just absolutely stiffed. But after ‘Dream Weaver’ came out and took the charts by storm, Warner Brothers reissued ‘Love Is Alive,’ and – like ‘Dream Weaver’ – it made it all the way to #2! … It also managed to make a very brief appearance on the R&B Singles chart, hitting #98 before falling back off. Not what you’d call a dramatic showing, but it’s still something that “Dream Weaver” never managed!”

The verse is built in F minor, with a prominent mischievous trill between the flat third and major third degrees of the tonic chord while the bass line sticks clearly to F minor. The chorus (first heard between 0:49 and 1:08) shifts to F major.

Spyro Gyra | Morning Dance

“Morning Dance was the breakout recording for Spyro Gyra; (the band) and co-founder/composer Jay Beckenstein will forever be associated with the title track from this album,” (Audioholics). “This wildly successful follow-up to their debut album (simply titled Spyro Gyra) was eventually certified RIAA Platinum.

… The 1970s were a vibrant time for instrumental jazz, with artists like Chuck Mangione, Maynard Ferguson, and Herb Alpert (in addition to Spyro Gyra) all charting Top 40 singles. Beckenstein has candidly admitted in interviews that he never expected anything beyond Spyro Gyra’s self-titled debut album, which was recorded and distributed ‘on their own nickel.’ The unexpected success of that album resulted in a major label record contract complete with ‘more money than they could imagine’ to produce and release Morning Dance — and the rest is jazz history. While Spyro Gyra debuted in the shadow of super-groups like Weather Report and Return To Forever, they were just as successful commercially, ultimately outlasting them all!”

The Caribbean feel of “Morning Dance” is established immediately, with steel drums leading the intro and multiple layers of percussion throughout. Alto sax and vibes alternate on lead after that point. 3:13 brings a half-step shift up into a new key for an alto sax solo on the gradually fading outro.

for Andy

Oli Howe | Livin’ On a Prayer

“After releasing his debut album Moving Forward in 2020, Brighton UK based pianist/producer Oli Howe has been establishing himself a leading force amongst the dynamic UK jazz scene … In 2022/23, Oli released a six-track EP Hackney Daze … which amassed over 2.8 million streams on Spotify alone in just six months (artist website).

… Oli has shared stages with the likes of Yoland Brown, Omar Lyefook, Tortured Soul, Freak Power, The House & Garage Orchestra, Billy Cobham and Taylor McFerrin while drawing sold out houses with headline shows at top UK venues such as Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Brighton Jazz Festival and most recently Love Supreme Jazz Festival.”

Via his very popular Instagram channel, Howe has made a habit out of cranking out modernized, harmonically up-cycled cover versions of pop favorites. Just like Bon Jovi’s 1986 original, “Livin’ on a Prayer” starts in E minor (later flipping over to its relative G major). But after the bridge, there’s a shift up to Bb major, enhanced by a hiccup in the otherwise stable meter.

NOTE: Howe’s Instagram channel won’t allow direct embeds, so please click through below!

MGMT | The Youth

“At some point in the last decade or so, public opinion, among those who still give thought to MGMT, began quietly shifting to accommodate the notion that they are a much stranger band than their career might initially have suggested,” (Pitchfork).

“More than just one-album wonders who never recaptured the magic of their indelible early hits, or even misunderstood tinkerers who found the spotlight in a fluke accident and quickly retreated—though both descriptions are true enough—they are artists whose work addresses the very sort of glitzy mass appeal that those early hits still command. Even ‘Time to Pretend,’ one of the singles that earned them slots opening for Paul McCartney and soundtracking the season finale of Gossip Girl, was itself a grimly funny satire of rock stardom.”

The band, whose core members met while attending Wesleyan University in Connecticut, released its debut album Oracular Spectacular in 2007. “The Youth,” a track from the album, spends most of its 3:45 length in F major. But at 2:35, there’s an unprepared trapdoor shift downward into E major — certainly as compelling as any half-step key change, but in this case, perhaps moreso before of its direction.

Reflection (from “Mulan”)

” … (Mulan tells) the classic story of a Chinese peasant girl who disguises herself as a man so that she can take her ailing father’s place as a soldier in the emperor’s war against the Huns,” (TheaterMania). “After years of successfully concealing her true identity, her secret is ultimately revealed and Mulan is worshipped for her courage and loyalty. This legendary story finds even more relevance among audiences today with its message of bravery, leadership and the importance of family.”

Alan Menken wrote “Reflection” for the 1998 Disney release of Mulan; an off-Broadway live theatre production also ran from from 2012-2013. “Menken has collaborated with such lyricists as Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, Glenn Slater, Stephen Schwartz and David Zippel,” (Mulan Wiki). “With eight Academy Award wins (four each for Best Score and Best Song), Menken is the second most prolific Oscar winner in the music categories after Alfred Newman, who has nine Oscars. He has also won eleven Grammy Awards, a Tony Award and other honors.”

Starting in F major, shifting to Ab major at 0:41. At 1:45, F major returns, but not for long: 1:55 brings a return to Ab, along with a quickening tempo and a burgeoning instrumentation. This performance features Lea Salonga, who sang the title role for the film.

The Honeydrippers | Sea of Love

Somewhere between his tenure as the tenor banshee frontman of Led Zeppelin and his recent role as rock’s elder statesman in his collaborations with Alison Krauss, Robert Plant assembled The Honeydrippers, which recorded just one EP. While the group formed in 1981, it did not have a fixed membership. Members on the 1984 EP included guitarists Jimmy Page (Plant’s Zep bandmate), Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers, keyboardist Paul Shaffer (yes, that Paul Shaffer), and drummer Dave Weckl.

“Sea of Love” was written by and originally recorded by Phil Phillips. Released on a small Louisiana label at first, and later on Mercury, the single was a considerable success, reaching #2 on the Billboard pop chart and #1 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1959. The spartan arrangement features a doo-wop chorus with dubious pitch, piano, and brushed drums.

The Honeydrippers’ version uses a more complex soundstage, with a string section providing an elaborate intro and accents throughout, and subtly-present female background singers. The groove drops out for an upward half-step modulation (1:40) introduces a tasteful guitar solo (Page, maybe?).