Of all the songs that I have analyzed for this project, I am probably most familiar with "Jessie's Girl." This is not because I love the song and have fond nostalgic memories of rocking out to it as a kid. My history with the tune goes back to my first professional rock cover band back in 2003. This was one of our staples and a crowd favorite. The funny thing is, I probably didn't hear the recorded version until 2006. Back in those days, YouTube wasn't the giant it is today and finding recordings of songs was limited to owning the CD or finding stray Napster download. Like many songs in that particular cover band, I learned it on the gig, quite incorrectly, as played by the guitarist.
As I went into this analysis, I listened with fresh ears in attempt to objectively find out why this song is beloved by many. I was initially surprised at how "small" the song comes off....it always felt so much bigger and more epic on a live stage with people singing along. What I did find was some creative songwriting and a no.1 hit with qualities I love discovering.
In an interview with Classic Rock, Rick Springfield says the despite its inherent simplicity, the song took a while to get right. [1] For a song that relies on basic harmony, there is something sneaky complex about this song. Next time you listen, open your ears and you will hear phrasing that sneaks up on you, mixed meter and subtle changes to repeated material.
August 1st - 8th, 1981: "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield finally reaches no.1 for two weeks after a 19 week climb!
For such a "simple" song, this form is not so simple. The first half does contain two chunks of verse-prechorus-chorus, a common song form. Look a little closer though....the lengths of the prechorus and chorus are a little wonky. The chorus starts on the + of beat 1 in the 7th measure of the prechorus, but I decided that was more than a pickup. I rolled it into the chorus, even though the harmony insinuates otherwise.
The second verse sneaks in a measure of 2/4, hence the extra .5 in the measure count. This is only the 2nd time this project has encountered any mixed meter (the first was 1960's "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini")!
When the chorus comes around the 2nd time, it is repeated and given a short tag (C'). That leads to the double bridge, which features a lengthy new melody in a new key, followed by a return to a guitar riff, in a new key! When we get back to the home key, we hear a guitar solo, followed by another double chorus, which is again different.
I love song forms that have lots of twists and turns, yet essentially maintain a predictable structure. When I learned this song on the job 17 years ago, I don't think I wasted any brain space on these intricacies and just tried to feel the broad strokes. I would imagine that's what many listeners do with this song and it's interesting how these small variants go by unnoticed, yet unquestionably contribute to the overall vibe.
Chord Progressions
The opening guitar riff is the basis for the verse and prechorus:
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| Verse Guitar Riff |
The sequence of power chords moves through some predictable diatonic sequences:
D A B G / A D
I V vi IV / V I
The syncopation helps these standard chords stand out. There is an accent on most (4)+, yet the harmonic movement happens on beats 2 and 3. Alone, it feels unstable and jerky. Combined with the melody and grounding drum beat, it comes off smooth.
Coming out of the prechorus with a measure long build on A (V), which is really the first measure of the chorus. When we get to the 1 chord in the 2nd measure, we hear familiar chords, but switched around with new syncopation:
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| Chorus Chords - meas.2 - 7 |
The A5 chord hits on beat 1 and an eighth note later goes to the I chord. In the 2nd measure, we hear defined chord tonality between the guitar and keyboard. The lick alternates between A and Bmin as the bass stays on B. It leaves the A/B feeling a little like Bsus2 with the added C#. This lick moves to a cadence of G-A-D, or IV-V-I, followed by a swerve to B (vi) and then pivoting to A (V). All of these elements keep the chorus moving forward.
The first bridge of the song modulates to a G and features a new chordal melody before the vocal enters. Here, we see the guitar and bass pedaling on a G5 chord with the keyboard/guitar stabbing echo heavy chords above. The chords outline G-D-A, the same changes as before, now in a completely new context, I-V-II in G - G-D/G - A/G.
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| Bridge 1 Harmony |
The only other harmonic wrinkle happens in bridge 2, when the chorus guitar riff appears in the key of B, a minor 3rd lower than the original. After 8 measures, it returns to the chorus cadence in D, bringing us home.
Melody
With all of those harmonic escapades going on, the melody is the glue that holds the song together. Though it contains plenty of syncopation, the notes are structured to create fluid lines. Of the 4 phrases, the entrances happen on beats (4)+, (3)+, 4 and (3)+. Remember that harmonic motion occurs on beats (4)+, 2 and 3......in a vacuum, the phrases feel very strange. In the context of the song, they work.
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| Verse 1 |
The first two phrases stay low in the range, moving between root, 2nd and 3rd. The next two phrases move up to A, or the 5th, and work their way down the D major scale, A-G-F#-E-D.
Compare verse 1 to verse 2. The entrances are different: (1)+ (or (3)+ ?), (3)+, (2)a, (3)+. The third phrase also mimics the chorus guitar syncopation. Pitch wise, we see the same sequences.
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| Verse 2 |
The prechorus comes in strong with a higher range and added harmony. 3 note descending phrases dominate this part - D-C#-B, or root-7th-6th and then C#-B-A, or 7th-6th-5th. The section ends with 6-5, setting up the A chord build in the chorus.
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| Pre Chorus |
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| Chorus 1 |
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| Chorus 3a |
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| Chorus 3b |
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| Bridge 1 - Meas. 5-12 |
The rhythm of this melody is fairly uniform, more so than the verses. Looking above, it's easy to see rhythmic similarities on each line as well as phrase similarities between every other line. This part has such a great vibe and functions as a true bridge, breaking up repetitions of the hook. The vocal harmony here is great as well, taking the male voice to its outer limits (for my voice anyway).
There is, of course, a guitar solo where a third verse would go. I did not transcribe the solo, but it's what you would expect from an 80's rock pop tune. There are some repeated notes, some bends, arpeggios and fast licks in between.
Lyrics
In researching the song, I was unaware it was based on true events. It looks like the real life "Jesse" was named Gary and he had a girlfriend Rick Springfield fancied. [1] Rick had a lot of complicated feelings about this, and he lets it show in the lyrics.
For such an iconic pop song, the tone is bordering on dark.The bridge demonstrates this best, using the simple rhythme scheme ABAB. Check out the video of this part as well if you're questioning his tone:
Other sections use some pretty inventive rhyme schemes. Verse 1 is ABBB, while verse 2 is AABB, with the last B containing a great forgotten phrase "the point is probably moot."
The prechorus doesn't really rhyme at all and the chorus rhymes "girl" with "girl"
Last time, I was not so fond of the lyrics in Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You." I think this was because they were an idealistic sap fest that lacked a real personal connection. This song, on the other hand, reeks of personal experience. You can just tell Rick has some genuine animosity when he belts out "and she's loving him with that body, I just know it."
Common Threads
What musical elements are present in no.1 hit songs across the decades? That is exactly what I am trying to find out. Picking up where "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You (1991)" left off, what common threads does "Jesse's Girl" add or subtract from the equation?
- Repetitive Melody - the verse follows a repeated melodic sequence, as does the chorus, specifically in the repetition of the hook.
- Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - Lots of stepwise diatonic motion in this one. The next most common interval would be a minor third, but 2nds rule the day.
- Texture Changes - There are three main textures throughout: guitar alone (intro), guitar with low key drums (bridge 2) and full on band. We also get the buildup that leads into the chorus.
- Hook that Uses Title of the Song - I wish that I had....
- +Strong motion of I - V - this is a potential late addition to common threads. So far "on the 1's," Bryan Adams (1991) qualifies, while Destiny's Child (2001) and LMFAO (2011) do not. This may be something worth keeping track of and is a common thread I have encountered before.
- New Material at the End - there isn't a new section at the end, or even a new melody. There is an ending that has a new take on the chords, plus the quick overlapping vocal in the end...but in comparison to other songs, not quite enough to qualify.
Chord Count: 10 - D5, G5, A5, B5/Bmin, A/B, D/G, A/G, F#, G#min, F#/G# - There are more chords than you would think when you factor in the chords in bridge 1, modulation chords in bridge 2 and the chords that happen in the chorus. 10 chords here edges out Bryan Adams for most chords in the round, so far!
"Jessie's Girl" easily slides into 4 of the established common threads. I'm not surprised, as this is truly a classic. The next time you see a rock cover band and they play this, notice the crowd reaction and audience participation. For a 40 year old song, it has aged pretty well.
Final Takeaways
The actual version of this song is very different from the bastardized version I grew up on. As overplayed as this song is in the cover band and general Rick Springfield scenes, I say it holds up. There are so many little nuances that keep it feeling fresh. Verbatim repetition of each chorus would get old fast and avoiding that pitfall elevates the tune to that special level.
The vocal melodies present an interesting contrast between high and low. The verses are low in register, representing a brooding Rick Springfield. He gets higher and more agitated in the prechoruses and then goes full on wail is his highest register during the chorus. He really wishes he had Jessie's girl!
The video of the tune features the band playing in a few different settings. I like the stripped down nature of just the power trio, even if Rick Springfield's pantomimes aren't the smoothest. The bass player belting out the high harmony reminds me of me, and he's playing a Music Man bass (my choice for a bass ax)! There is, once again, a dichotomy of pop goodness with a dark undertone, which musically, sums up the entire song.
What do you think of "Jessie's Girl?" Did the subtle nuances pass you by on the first 948 listens, or have you always been aware of the herky-jerky-quirkiness of the song? Leave me a comment!
We continue to dive into the hits, backwards down the decades "on the 1's." Next stop, 1971. A 4 week run at no.1 from August 7th - August 28 - "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" by the Bee Gees! It's moments like this I continue to work on this project. I am pretty sure I don't know this tune. I know the Bee Gee's, but really only a few tunes and their aura of disco era superheroes. 1971 is early disco, so I'm not sure what to expect with this song. Either way, stay tuned for more analysis of no.1 hit songs, through the decades!
[1]https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-stories-behind-the-songs-rick-springfield-jessie-s-girl
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