Comments on: Drive Carefully, Pop-Pickers…

By: matt

matt — Tue, 12 Aug 2003 13:46:28 +0000

This is what happens at the end of “Party Girl” by Elvis Costello, right? And amen to the mention of “Living on a Prayer-” it’s the key change that transforms that song from campy anthem to, um, transcendent campy anthem.

By: slushfund

slushfund — Tue, 12 Aug 2003 02:02:03 +0000

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . . . raisin n biscuit yorkie . . . . . . .

By: Sven

Sven — Mon, 11 Aug 2003 15:12:34 +0000

Oh thank God. I thought Yorkie was a cheap shot at Radiohead.

By: dave heasman

dave heasman — Mon, 11 Aug 2003 14:09:00 +0000

I’ve only ever found the “subtle key change” (as I called it when noticing it on a crap Shadows record in 1961) on one reggae record. Tempting as it is to leave an exercise for the reader, it is Pluto Shervington’s “I Man Bitter”. Which is stunningly good.

By: Nabakov

Nabakov — Mon, 11 Aug 2003 04:27:28 +0000

Another song arrangement trick is what I like to think of the “drop to floor and give me four” when, after the penultimate chorus, everything cuts out except the drums (usually just the kick and/or snare) for four beats, creating some quick and cheap tension before the final choruses. It’s particularly noticeable on sixties tracks like “Satisfaction” “Friday on My Mind” etc. It’s not as grating though as the “gear change” and at least gives the DJ warning the song’s about to end.

By: david

david — Mon, 11 Aug 2003 03:21:30 +0000

Are you talking about Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer?” If so, you may have to rethink. That’s some dramatic pop music, and the step up is full on.

By: Skarl

Skarl — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 21:06:07 +0000

Thanks to Ester, I re-read “Drive Carefully, Pop-Pickers…” with the skepticism a non-tenured music critic deserves.

By: William Sjostrom

William Sjostrom — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 17:51:44 +0000

Wine gums? And how do you talk without teeth?

By: Angus

Angus — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 14:54:15 +0000

That key-change thing has resulted in some of the most sublime moments in pop music. (Just listen to Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” if you don’t believe me.) When people start demanding that pop tries at all costs to avoid being cheesy and obvious, they end up with the soporific likes of Norah Jones. I’ll take Dusty and co (and even Westlife) over that, thanks.

By: ester

ester — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 14:07:55 +0000

Heads up readers of Crooked Timber. Not one of these bloggers is over 35, a few aren’t even over 30. None of them is yet a full professor nor have any of them made a major mark in the publishing world. The jury is still out on their status as intellectuals, show do caution when reading them.

By: Maria

Maria — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 09:17:27 +0000

Back in the days when I thought of conquering the world as a rock star, I thought a great name for a band would be “——and the Modulations from Hell”.

By: Belle Waring

Belle Waring — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 03:31:12 +0000

I really think this post ought to have been entitled Circle Jerk of Fifths. OK, sorry, I’ll be leaving now.

By: Anon

Anon — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 02:53:09 +0000

This also occurs a lot in such composers as Bach and Beethoven. Mostly it will occur in classical music during the development, but it will just be in passing. Later composerin the context of an Neopolitan chord (bII). Suppose a piece is in Db. The section in Db could be repeated in D if the next key was Ab. This forms the large scale progression I-bII-V, a progression I know I’ve seen in several romantic composers. The technique is legitamate if the section up a half step is followed by a section in the key of V. Otherwise, not so much.

By: Tom Runnacles

Tom Runnacles — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 01:03:07 +0000

I’m curious: have Westlife, who’ve evidently been serially guilty on this score, inflicted themselves on the US yet? I can only apologise if they have.

By: zizka

zizka — Sun, 10 Aug 2003 00:07:54 +0000

Called that one right. He’s tied for the top with the Beatles, and there’s a Ray Stevens song called “Help me, Barry Manilow” which is presumably a parody and thus doesn’t really belong on the list. Ray Stevens was a countryish singer whose songs were all novelty songs. Ahab the A-rab is the only one I remember (ca. 1960, unrelated to Middle East politics). His nephew lives here in Portland and knows all of his songs.