"The Morning After" - Maureen McGovern, 1973

"The Morning After" or "The Song from the Poseidon Adventure" is one of many random 70's hits that made its way to the no. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100.  In my analyses thus far, the 70's contributions have been real head scratchers.  Just a year before today's entry, Gilbert O'Sullivan sang about committing suicide after being stood up at the alter.  In 1971, the Bee Gees crooned softly about their own familial troubles.  The Carpenters sang a low key classic in 1970 and even Lionel Richie kept the slow dance moving with 1978's "3 Times A Lady."  Of this 6 songs I've analyzed from the decade, the average tempo has been 89 bpm.  Yes, I know the sample size is small and random, but I think this speaks to the fondness of ballads and easy listening that permeated the collective popular tastes.  

Maureen McGovern was a secretary who sang in a folk band.  When 20th Century Fox wanted a single version of a prominent song in the movie The Poseidon Adventure, McGovern eventually got the call. [1]  It worked out well for her, even if the music (and movie) are good examples of melodramatic cheese that 70's is now known for.  Despite an overall presentation that is quite forgettable, there are some interesting changes and melodies buried within the lush orchestral arrangement.  

August 4th - August 11th, 1973: "The Morning After" by Maureen McGovern sails at the no.1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 for 2 weeks!

One of the elements that both hurts and helps this song is the length.  It's quite short, so you never have enough time to be completely annoyed by it.  It's so short, however, that it's easy to forget.  There is no chorus, just three verses (and a coda) that use variations on the lyrical theme "there's got to be a morning after."  

The AABA form isn't too surprising for a song featured in a movie and written by TV and movie writers Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn.  It has a very "jazz lead sheety" vibe.  The song plods on with some thick arranging with a full orchestra that never really traverses too much ground.  Harmonically, it's jazzy as well, which features a bridge that eventually sets up a modulation for the final part of the tune (more on that in "Chord Progressions").  

The outro hammers home the hook several times with an impressive countermelody over the top.  As pleasant as some moments are, it's over as soon as it begins.  

Chord Progressions 

The opening chords tell you right away we are in for an easy listening  spectacular.  Harp glissando, soaring oboe, warm piano, oh my.

Intro

In the key of Bb, IV and V lead us, predictably, to I.  The Fsus to F change foreshadows a sequence that permeates the entire tune and happens on just about every V -I cadence throughout.  Once in the verse, strings lay down some lovely pads behind a moving piano and a surprisingly active bass line.

Verse 1 Score Redux

Bb    /  Fsus  F  D7    / Gmin   / EbMaj7  / C7         F   D      / Gmin   /  Eb    Ab  / Fsus   F
I       /    V         V/vi / vi         /  IV          / II (V/V)  V  V/vi / vi        /  IV     bVII/ V

The chromatic and stepwise bass motion takes center stage for me, with beautiful voicings forming around the moving line.  Included above are some of the moving string and piano parts that add to the overall texture.  Though the changes are fairly "normal," there are a few surprises like the C7/E and the Ab.  These moments, enhanced by a patterned vocal melody, do their best to help the song develop an identity (which it never really does).  

The repeated piano notes in m5 is, in a way, foreshadow the gnarly harpsichord part in verse 2:

Verse 2 Harpsichord

The notes shift in small increments, outlining the chord of the moment in a fashion not unlike the bassline stealthily moving through the changes.  Unfortunately, the harpsichord dates the sound in a major way.  (I'm personally glad modern pop music doesn't feature too many harpsichord call backs).

The bridge features a few harmonic twists that eventually lead to a modulation up a half step.  The first shift moves up a minor 3rd from Bb to Db major.  The ultimate function of this chord is V/V of the modulated target (B major), so perhaps C# is more appropriate?  Either way, we get shifting chord qualities with more stepwise motion in the supporting instruments.  After 3 1/2 measures, The bass comes off the Db pedal and sets up DbMaj7/Ab and Gb (F#) where the modulation fully comes into view.

Bridge Score Redux

  The Gb (F#) leads to E, where a ii-V change sets up the turnaround to the new key.  In these final measures before the return to A, we get a variation on the verse changes - ii-IV / Vsus V, instead of IV / ii V.  The use of the Vsus V resolution also leads the ear back to the A section.

Db (C#)            /  %  / % / Db  /Ab Gb(F#)   / E     / F#min  B      /  C#min  E  / F#sus  F#
bIII (V/V - B)/       /     /                V/IV (B) / IV  /  ii (E)    V (E)/  ii          IV/  V (B)   

 The A section repeats for a third verse and we hear the same changes, only up a half step.  The coda features a moving B chord, functioning similarly to the Db in the bridge with shifting lines that change the quality of the chord.  Here, they move trough the 6th and 4th.  Check out the bass in this section, ripping through some improv style lines of the constant B major tonality.  

Melody

Maureen McGovern delivers a strong performance belting out the melody.  Most phrases are concluded with a sustained note that she holds for the full rhythmic value.  Knowing that Maureen was singing in a folk band at the time, her style and delivery makes sense as I can almost smell the Appalachian valley on her breath.

Verse 1 Melody

If you look at the first and last notes of each melodic phrase, there is a nice shape that appears.  The first phrase centers around F, 5th of Bb.  She moves lower to D, 5th of G and major 7th of Eb.  She goes down even further to C (root of C7, 5th of F and 7th of D7) and lands on Bb, minor 3rd of Gminor.  She finished the final phrase with several roots and 5ths of the passing chords.  F-D-C-Bb-F  

While there is mostly stepwise motion at work, the leaps stand out and provide some interesting moments.  I especially like the descending minor 6th leap from Bb to D in measure 4.  The 5th/4th sequence in measure 7 is another nice moment.  

The bridge kicks in with a short and sweet vocal harmony (3rds).  The melody uses rhythmic variation of the verse melody, simplifying some of the busier phrases and syncopating what was previously straight.  Her phrases, here, begin centered around the 3rd, F.  Leaps of 3rds and 5ths lead to accentuating the 9th, Eb.

Bridge Melody

As the approach to the modulation kicks in, the melody shifts from the 3rd to roots and 5ths, a callback to the verse's melodic construction.  This bridge melody is by no means offensive to the ear, but maintains the theme of just kind of being there.

The third verse, in the key of B, reuses the established verse melody.  The 8th measure adds an additional phrase that sweeps into the coda in grand fashion.  The phrases starts on the 5th, leaps to the root and then approaches the root again 6, 7, 8.

Verse 3 melody to Coda

The coda brings back the vocal harmony, this time with a call and response variation on the main theme.  The contour of the two phrases is very different and this little melodic burst definitely peaks my interest in listening.  Unfortunately, the song is over before this part can really sink in.  Form wise, it happens at the most logical point in the song......too little, too late though.

Lyrics

 

On the surface, the lyrics tell the story of two lovers desperately trying to weather the hard times upon them.  They come off as impersonal with many analogies to nature (night, shore, storm, darkness, warm).  Upon further investigation, these lyrics are directly tied to the movie in which it is featured, The Poseidon Adventure.  They take on a new meaning in that context, with the subjects hoping to literally see the next morning and survive the impending doom of a sinking ship.

The verse uses the rhyme scheme ABCB while the bridge employs ABAB.  These lyrics aren't really offensive, but like the rest of the tune, they're just kind of there.

Common Threads

I am fascinated with common musical themes and elements present in a variety of no.1 songs through the decades.  In each round of analyses, I have attempted to identify these themes and track their presence in various decades.  Picking up from 1983's "Every Breath You Take," let's see how Maureen McGovern stacks up musically. 

Repetitive Melody - for such a short tune, there is quite a bit of repetition in the melody.  The verse phrases have similar contour and structure and are repeated 3 times throughout, plus the opening phrase again in the coda.  

Melody Utilizes Chord Tones - The melody consistently outlines chord tones, with a special fondness for roots and 5ths.  

Two Harmonic Sequences *- A and B represent two different chord sequences.  The modulation maintains the structure of the A chord changes.

Multi-layered Percussive Accompaniment - The drums float around in the background.  There are a few moderately interesting fills, but nothing to write home about.

Dense Arrangement - Here's a new one for this round of analyses.  The orchestral part is very dense with many moving parts and pads throughout.  Some of the pop songs in the 2000's have had a similar density, but don't come close in complexity and orchestration. 

Features Rap/Spoken Vocal - Maureen is a true trobairitz!

Melodic Bass Line - Though it's somewhat subtle and easily forgotten with the dense arrangement and, err, forgettable nature of the tune, this bass line is hip!  The lines run at the end are exceptionally fun. (In fact, transcribing this one was what pulled me out a two month long hiatus from this project.  Nothing like a 70's ballad to stop your progress on a music analysis project!)

Vocal Harmony - There are those brief spots in the bridge and then the call and response at the end.  Not super important, but it's there.

Non-Linear Form - AABA is a standard musical form.  Each section consists of 8 measure phrases. The coda does fade out, but it's balanced in the way the phrases are laid out.  

Chord Count: 18 - Bb, Fsus, F, D7/F#, Gmin, EbMaj7, C7/E; + their 1/2 step up counterparts; Dbmaj (several variations), F#min, C#min, Eb69.  

DRUM ROLL....We have a new winner for highest chord count.  Maureen McGovern wipes the floor with Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)" (1972) by 4 chords!  I'm not surprised this new record occurs in the 70's.  At this rate, the 1974 entry should be equally as complex in it's chordal construction. 

5/8....common threads....factoring in the new category, 6/9.  Not too shabby for song that leaves such a shallow impression.

Final Takeaways

hmmm, I'm not sure what to say about this one.  I don't hate the tune and have even found myself, as usual, blurting out the hook while going through my normal routines.  Aside from that, the tune doesn't resonate with me.  

In my research though, I have found this song apparently resonates with many.  First, Maureen McGovern , herself, appears in the 1980 comedy classic Airplane! as the singing nun!  How fitting that the movie that helped her song soar to number 1 was the very kind of disaster flick Airplane! set out to poke fun of in the first place.  

Also, this song has been used as the ubiquitous "cheesy love ballad" in several controversial cartoons - South Park [2] and Family Guy [3]!  I guess it's this type of forgettable content that writers look for to get their point across and accrue the lowest possible copyright fee?  Or they just hope no one will notice at all?  It's funny where the number 1 songs end up after their moment of the sun has ended.

Up next time, we head to the last stop in the journey "on the 3's."  The second week of August in 1963...

August 10th - August 24, 1963....a three week run at no.1 and the first appearance for this legendary artist.  "Fingertips" by Little Stevie Wonder gets the nod.  Stay tuned!

[1]https://www.stereogum.com/2039490/the-number-ones-maureen-mcgoverns-the-morning-after/columns/the-number-ones/

[2]https://southpark.fandom.com/wiki/The_Morning_After

[3]https://familyguy.fandom.com/wiki/The_Morning_After

"Alone Again (Naturally)" - Gilbert O'Sullivan, 1972

 One of the greatest joys this project has given me is exposure to new music, new to me, anyway.  When I looked up the no.1 hit around august of 1972, I was completely unaware of Gilbert O'Sullivan and was impressed with a 4 week run at no.1.  Upon further digging, I discovered that a week after being dethroned (by Looking Glass's "Brandy"), it climbed back to no.1 for two more weeks!  

In 1972, Roberta Flack's "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" stayed at no.1 for 6 consecutive weeks, the longest running no.1 that year.  To put this into a little context, earlier in the year, "American Pie" by Don McLean hit no.1 for 4 weeks.  Other notable entries in the no.1 position that year included "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers, "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young and "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green.

I'm trying to convey that fact that"Alone Again (Naturally)" was in fine company.   When I first listened to it, it seemed dated, but in a good way.  Gilbert O'Sullivan's sound reminds me of Burt Bacharach meets The Beatles, another complimentary comparison.  As I continued to listen, I became obsessed with the delicate balance of complexity and simplicity.  Musically, this one is a bit of an outlier.  It is, however, a killer song!  Hopefully I can figure out how this obscure classic reached such popular heights on a musical level.

July 29th - August 19th; September 2nd - 9th, 1972: "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan lasts 6 non-consecutive weeks at no.1!

Looking at the form, it's strikingly simple.  Each verse is a 16 measure cycle.  The way each A section is structured reminds me of a jazz standard, repeating the changes and the same melody each time with little variation, aside from lyrics.  After two verses, we get a 6 measure bridge that leads to the back half of the tune. There, we find two more verses, one of which features a guitar playing the vocal melody, before the song tags the hook.   

While there is no formal chorus, each verse contains a refrain: "alone again, naturally."  This refrain is even heard in the guitar solo verse and is used as a fitting ending.  I'd like to think the simplicity of the form, along with easily understood and relatable lyrics provides a balance to the complex chords and melody that comprise each section?

In a way, I see similarities with "In The Year 2525" by Zager & Evans from 1969.  That featured 11 verses with no chorus: AAA or strophic form.  While "Along Again" does contain a short bridge, the A section is the main attraction.  This type of song composition is surprising to see in a pop song, and I am continuously surprised as I learn more about Gilbert O'Sullivan.  UPI (United Press International) gave him a "Shlock Rock Trophy" and called him "the worst potential influence on the direction of pop music since Tiny Tim" in the wake of his success. [1]  While I actively disagree, it does affirm my suspicions that, despite success on the charts, this song must have seemed strange to listeners in 1972.

Chord Progressions

Why do I keep referring to this song as strange and obscure?  Get ready.....it's all in the harmony.  The 4 measure intro gives us a small taste of what's to come:

F#     /  A#min7  / G#min C#7b9  / F#6  F#
I       /   iii           /  ii           V         /  I

Very rarely in pop music does a iii chord resolve to ii.  Usually, we get iii - IV or iii - vi.  The b9 sound on the dominant chord sticks out as a little dissonant, usually reserved for resolving to a minor chord in the home key.  Instead, we get a major 6 chord.  When the vocal comes in, the first two measures repeat, then things go way out!  Below is the full 16 measure A section:

Verse (A) Chord Changes

  In the third measure, we begin a ii-V sequence to G#min (ii), moving through some half diminished chords.  This is a very unusual sound in pop music and is comes off quite dissonant.  While it strangely works with the gloomy lyrics, it is certainly surprising. (The A#min7b5/C# chord could also be viewed as a C#min6, resulting in v/F# or even iv/G#min).  When we finally arrive at G#min7, that gets altered to G#min7b5 (half diminished).  If you think of G#min7b5 as B minor 6, that acts as the iv chord, moving back to F#.  You could also think about it as the ii min7b5 of F# minor.  When it resolves, we get F# major instead of the more appropriate minor.  Either way it feels like home. 

Measures 7 and 8 keep evolving with an chromatically ascending inner voice: F# - F# + - F#6; C# - D - D#.  While this is just the glorified I chord, if you look at where we are going, they take on different function.  Measure 9 rests on A# minor.  To get there, F#+ could be considered the V of D# (A#,CX (D) root and 3rd); D# minor and F7 are iv and V of A# minor.  These two bars provide some interesting voice leading to get us back to the iii chord, now the second time we've resolved there.

Measures 9 through 12 rehash measures 1-6, only they move more quickly through the changes.  When you hear them the second time, they sound less dissonant, especially when we hear the last 4 bars of the progression, a familiar iii-VI-ii-V pattern in the home key.  With 10 chords in the verse alone, I think we may have a new contender for "most chords used in a pop song."  I'm not sure Tiny Tim's music can boast that kind of chord volume!

The bridge of the song modulates to A major, a minor third higher.  There we see a 6 measure section:

A    /   E  / G#min7b5  C#7b9 / A   D#min7b5 / C#maj7   / G#min7  C#b9
I     /  V   /  ii/vi            V/vi   /  I     ii/III          / III             /  ii/F#       V/F#

The bridge continues to use half diminished chords to get to new places.  Like the verse, the III chord (C# major) is used as a resting point. The last two measures sneakily get us back to F# with a good ol ii-V.  

Verse 3 - arrangement highlights

The last verse uses the same 16 measure progression but adds in a tag over the last two measures.  To get there, he goes through another round of iii-VI-ii-V.  Below, I pulled the melodic bits from the arrangement to highlight the progression.  The arrangement is nicely split between strings, horn and flutes.  

 

Melody

16 measures is rather long for a pop melody.  There are certainly 16 measure sections, usually composed of smaller repeated chunks.  That is not the case here.  There are repeated rhythmic cells as well as melodic motifs, but they are spread out in a way where repetition is not glaringly obvious.  For this analysis, we will look at the first verse.  

Right away we hear 16th notes that gradually become more syncopated.  In the first two measures, chord tones are used with rhythmic anticipation into the next bar.  Measures 2-4 expand on this with more rhythmic variance and a killer descending line from E to G natural, major 3rd of D#7.  

Verse 1 - meas. 1-8

Measures 5 -6 repeat melody chunks, B and G#, chord tones over the shifting G#min, root and minor 3rd.  Measures 7-8 expand this, now using F#, G# and A# in similar rhythms; root, 2nd and 3rd of F#.  An ascending line brings us up to the F7, touching chord tones all the way.

Measure 9, below, continues the repeated note motif, this time with A#, B# and C#, root, 2nd and minor 3rd of A#min.  Measures 10-11 return to the descending line we saw in meas.3-4, this time only getting as low as G#.  Measure 12 is unique, touching on 4th, minor 3rd and minor 7 of G#min7b5.  The lyric "remaining" also sounds very low after all the high crooning.

Verse 1 - meas.9-16

Measures 13 and 14 are similar to the opening measures of the section, taking less time to get to the high note, E# (F).  We then hear the hook, sequences of 2nds and 3rds with a huge leap down a minor 7th in between.  The very last measure is a sample of the impressive guitar arpeggios that permeate each verse.  There, the guitar descends through the scale, A#, G#, F#, E#, arpeggiating the F#6 chord along the way.  

The bridge uses some familiar conventions like 16th note syncopation and descending scales through chord tones.  While it sounds different, it is similar in character.  Notice how the "what do we do" line has a similar feel and syllable count to "naturally."

Bridge

 The bridge is the most "out" with a suspension to the 4th over the A chord and the b9 and b7 usage in the 4th measure over the C#7b9; still chords, but less obvious ones than the verse.  Other than that, notes are generally resolved pleasantly and in an expected way, even if the harmony is moving very unexpectedly.  

Summarizing this mammoth melody, the most unifying factor is use of chord tones.  Given the dissonant harmony, I think that's the only way the melody could work. Rhythmically speaking, this melody gets around.  We see almost every 16th-8th syncopation you can think of....except 16th-8th-16th.  There are many spots where the same pattern repeats a few times before it gets varied.  It is a wonder it works so well.  The element that makes it work has to be:

Lyrics

Songs that hint at suicide have a certain aura.  They are usually dark and depressing, loved or hated, depending on your emotional capacity and tolerance.  "Alone Again" goes there quite a bit, capping it off with a more universal feeling of loneliness.  While the lyrics do fit the music quite well, it's still surprising to me that this song was so popular.

Verse 1 flirts with suicide after being left at the wedding altar.  The second verse presumably continues this tale of woe with the narrator contemplating the existence of God. The final verse deals with losing aging parents.  Heavy stuff all the way through, delivered with a melancholy matter of factness.  

The rhyme scheme is complex.  First off, the verse is so long and lines blend together so often, it's hard to get a sense of properly segmented phrases.  There are also many internal rhymes that further muddle the mixture.  Here is verse 2 with the rhymes underlined. 

Looking back over the years

And whatever else that appears

I remember I cried when my father died

Never wishing to hide the tears

And at sixty-five years old

My mother, God rest her soul

Couldn't understand why the only man

She had ever loved had been taken

Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken

Despite encouragement from me

No words were ever spoken

And when she passed away

I cried and cried all day

Alone again, naturally

   

  There is a hint of AABBA that gets disrupted the 2nd time with "taken."  The third chunk then adds AABBCCD, with "naturally" acting as the refrain and un-rhymed line.  The other verses are similar in this approach.  

I implore you to read the lyrics while listening to get a full sense of how well they compliment the music.  Maybe that's to blame for the song's success.  There is a somber feeling that comes from listening, that despite the apparent unpleasantness, smothers you like a dark warm blanket.  You know it's sad but it doesn't stop you from wanting more.  Way to be Gilbert O'Sullivan!

Common Threads

For the past 7 song analyses, I have compiled a list of common musical elements in each no.1 

hit.  Last time, I looked at "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" by Neil Sedaka from 1962.  Let's see how "Alone Again" figures into some of these commonalities:

Repetitive Melody -  This one barely qualifies.  As noted, the primary 16 bar melody borrows from itself on several occasions.  It is also repeated 4 times throughout the song.  Note, this is not the type of repetition pop songs usually employ.  Generally, we hear phrases repeated throughout a section.  This is certainly different, but repetitive none-the-less. 

Texture Changes - again, this one is barely sliding in.  The arrangement features strings, flutes and French horn adding background pads and melodies throughout.  We also hear classical guitar arpeggios ripping in the background.  While each verse has these elements, they are varied in intensity from verse to verse.  The guitar solo verse provides an actual texture change.   

Hook that Uses Title of the Song - yes, though the "hook" is relatively weak in terms of strong melodic hooks.  It's really the only candidate for hook as it repeats five times, like a good refrain should.

Strong motion of V- I - There are many resolutions of V-I.  There are several other resolutions, but it technically qualifies.

+ Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - While there are other intervals used, 2nds are mostly dominant in the melody.  

- Use of Vocal Harmony - no background vocals!  This is a first in 8 analyses.

(hold overs: - new material at the end -  the hook gets the tag ending)

Chord Count - 14 - F#, F#6, F#+, A#min7, A#min7b5, D#7b9, G#min7, G#min7b5, C#7b9, A, E, C#Maj7, F7, D#min7b5 

We have a new winner!  Wow, that's a lot of chords.  Last time, "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" took the lead with 12 chords.  This one is going to be tough to beat!

I have to say there are more common threads than I initially expected.  For as strange as the harmony is, there are many strong cadences, a trend more prevalent in older decades.  The melody, though lengthy, is repetitious, which is somewhat expected.  Repetitive melody has been an enduring common thread through every analysis I have done.    

Final Takeaways

This tune hit me hard.  I certainly did not expect to admire it so much.  It was a thrilling challenge to transcribe with every chord change becoming an exciting discovery.  In a rare move, I listened to the entire record, Back to Front.  It has some charming moments, even though the 70's sound is a little grading after a while.  "Alone Again" is the album closer.  I'm not sure if that was a ploy to get people to listen all the way through or not.  In any case, I was happy to learn about Gilbert O'Sullivan and his music.

I'm still taken aback by the harmony.  In perusing my end of round recaps, no song has the same complexity.  The closest might be "Magic" by Olivia Newton John from 1980.   But that one had a definite verse and chorus and repeated dissonant harmony enough that it sounded "normal."  I became obsessed with playing and singing that one on my acoustic guitar.  It's safe to add "Alone Again" to my playlist of "obscure no.1 hits."

One explanation for "Alone Again's" rise to the top may be the state of the world at the time.  Tom Breihan's "The Number Ones" series does a nice job of summarizing the toils of the early 70's.  He also touches on a lawsuit involving good old Gilbert and Biz Markie......Gilbert won in case you were wondering. [2]

What do you think of "Alone Again (Naturally)?"  If you were alive when the song came out, do you remember the mass appeal?  Are you surprised it made no.1 twice and was tied with the longest running no.1 single from 1972!?!?  Leave me a comment!

Up next time, we continue to the assault "on the 2's," travelling to my birth year, 1982! July 24th - August 28th, 1982: "Eye Of The Tiger" by Survivor!  I know this one quite well and look forward to diving into the transcription!  This should be a fun one to add to the catalog of no.1 hits through the decades! 

[1] https://www.superseventies.com/1972_2singles.html

[2]https://www.stereogum.com/2034341/the-number-ones-gilbert-osullivans-alone-again-naturally/franchises/columns/the-number-ones/

"How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" - Bee Gees, 1971

 Prior to the composition of "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" the brothers Gibb were going through a period of separation.  Barry and Robin Gibb got together to write this song and months later, it would stake a claim as their first Billboard Hot 100 no.1 hit! [1]

This song is one of those epic 70's ballads that struck the right chord at the time.  It has gone on to be covered by some music giants such as Al Green (on Let's Stay Together), Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow and Michael Bublé, to name a few. [2]

While this tune does not fit the stereotypical image of disco Bee Gees, it does pack an emotional punch.  Not only that, the ballad tempo and passionate delivery stand out as honest and unique, especially after all the poppy analyses I have covered in this round, "on the 1's."  Let's tear this thing apart and see why it reached no.1, from a musical standpoint.

August 7th - August 28th, 1971: "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" by the Bee Gees stays at no.1 for 4 weeks!

I've noticed a trend in songs with a "classic" song structure that also have a few twists.  By classic structure, I means verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus, or ABABCB.  There are many variations on this, of course, but that't the gist.  "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?" delivers exactly that, with a few added wrinkles.

For starters, the verse is 9 measures long, instead of a more traditional 8 measures.  The first time we hear the chorus, it is 17 measures long, opposed to the 16 measure version we hear later on.  Extra measures tacked on to a section provide space for melodies to settle in and reach maximum effectiveness.  The Bee Gees accomplish that here.  

The bridge section, which is a variation on the first half of the chorus, serves the purpose of a bridge: bridging the beginning of the song to the end.  While melodically it is not new, it does break up the lengthy chorus section in a new way.  An abbreviated chorus is a nice way to wind the song down, leaving us with the primary message and longing to hear it again.

The outro is a short 4 measure section that winds the song down to zero.  We get melodies reminiscent of the intro and verse.  The piano tinkles into nothing as the song ends contemplatively.  The form of this one helps keep the sentiment focused and no doubt contributes to its accessibility.  

Chord Progressions 

Much like the form, the chord progressions are straightforward with a few small wrinkles tossed in.  The intro establishes the home key, E major.  The guitar sets it up with a cowboy like strum on the E chord, establishing the swing eighth feel:

opening guitar rhythm 

When the piano comes in, A's are added to create a suspended 4 sound (sus 4), a sound that will be developed during the verse:

Intro - Piano Melody

When the verse melody comes in, the first 4 bars stay in the E major space:

E  / Emaj7  / F#min11/E    / E 

I  /  I           /  ii or Isus      / I

The F#min11/E only sounds for 1 bar and is undoubtedly a "guitar thing;" open low E over 2nd frets down the line.  To my ear, it has the same effect as the opening piano suspension.  Perhaps then it should be E 6/9?  The melodic emphasis on the A inclines me to keep it as the F#min foundation and function.  

The next 5 measures of the verse follow a standard progression we have seen in several songs throughout this project ("Incomplete" (2000) off the top of my head):

G#7   /  C#min  / F#7  / B7    /  B7
III     /  vi          / II     / V      /  V

The chorus uses a variation on the verse, developing it further, adding in IV and V:

Emaj7   /  E Maj7  / F#min7  /  F#min7  / A  B7  / A  B7  / F#min7  B7 / E
I            /  I             / ii            /  ii             / IV  V  / IV  V /     ii        V    / I           

These 8 bars are repeated to finish out the chorus.

The bass part adds a few nuances to the mix with some rhythmic accents on roots and 5ths, chromatic passing tones and an inversion on the F#min7 chord in the penultimate measure.  Here is the bass line as heard in the second half of the second chorus (starting at 2:40):

Chorus 2 Bass - m9-16

Melody

When the Bee Gees wrote this tune, they were going through some familial turmoil.  The music reflects that quite nicely through the words and the delivery of the melody.  In verse 1, we hear Robin Gibb sounding vulnerable.  After 4 measures, he is joined in unison, enhancing the lyrical impact:

Verse 1

Rhythmically, this verse was hard to pin down.  Robin is often just behind the beat and delivers the melody in a conversational way.  The first 4 bars stay diatonic and suggest an E6 chord in the first measure with the C#, resolving to the G# (3rd) in the 2nd measure.  The F#min11/E measure touches on all the chord tones, except B, before going back to an E major lick, root-2nd-3rd.

G#7 is not a diatonic chord and the melody moves up root-2nd 3rd of G# major, raising up A and B.  The C#min measures hinges on a C# before moving up to E, minor 7th of F#7.  The B7 measure uses a familiar root-2nd-3rd pattern, in retrograde to start.  The last measure creates a brief suspension to set up the chorus.  

The second verse follows suit with the first, altering the initial four bars more so than the last four.  While the verses are emotional and fitting, they do not contain the signature Bee Gees harmony.  Heading into the chorus, we get a different tone of voice and that sweet, sweet harmony after four bars:

Chorus 1 - meas. 1-8

The first two bars create a tangible feeling.  Moving between major 7th and root in a high register, Barry Gibb brings the goods.  The next two measures move lower, with a return to the conversational feel of the verse and the C# tonal center, now over an actual F#min7 chord.  

The harmony in the next four bars is close and creates a wall of blended sound.  The punctuation of their delivery pushes the melody forward, propelled by the faster moving harmony.  The descending scale to finish the phrases also flows nicely into a triplet string line, leading into the second half of the chorus.

Chorus 1 - meas. 9-17

    The second half of the chorus is similar to the first half, coming in with the same pitches and feel.  In the fourth measure there is a new string line that appears, leading in the harmony vocals in measures five.  The harmony is similar and devolves to a single line on "and let me live again."  In this first chorus, the extra measure calls back the piano intro, this time with an added vocal in contrasting rhythm.  

The chorus has a little bit of everything a good melody wants to have.  There is syncopation set against lots of space.  There is a melody that explores high and low registers, in unison and in three part harmony.  These same qualities can be seen in the bridge, a variation on the chorus's opening four measures, this time in harmony:

Bridge

The harmony here is in octaves, reaching all the way to high C#.  Though this part is just a reharmonization of the chorus, the high notes and new harmony make it feel completely different.  This is followed by the last 4 measures of the chorus.

Lyrics

The lyrical content of this tune offers something for everyone.  There are abstract ideas as well as some predictable, and dare I say, cheesy analogies you would expect from a 70's soft rock ballad.  

I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees

And misty memories of days gone by    

The opening lines of verse 2 present a vivid picture, complete with alliteration and no rhymes.  This is concluded with a rhyming callback to verse 1, complete with a less subtle indication to the emotional point of view:

We could never see tomorrow

No one said a word about the sorrow 

I think my favorite line has to be:

How can you mend this broken man?

How can a loser ever win?

This is a little more clever than previous questions about how to stop "the rain from falling" or "the stars from shining."  This line, delivered with raw emotion, epitomizes the feeling of personal loss and defeat, a feeling all of can relate to.  

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 "Jesse's Girl (1981)" left off, what common threads do the Brothers Gibb add or subtract from the equation?

Repetitive Melody -  the verse and chorus each share borrowed melodic and rhythmic influences.  The conversational tone coupled with single note phrases that develop into stepwise passages happen throughout.  

Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - The entire melody is built on 2nds.  There is the occasional third, but this one moves in steps most of the time.  

Texture Changes - The most impactful texture change comes in the vocal harmony.  The arrangement helps as well with piano, strings, drums, bass and guitar making their way in and out.  There is also a tasteful trumpet solo behind verse 2.  This one never sticks with the same timbre for too long, a helpful quality for a ballad to have to keep it moving forward.    

Hook that Uses Title of the Song - Check.

Strong motion of V- I - The ii-V's qualify this one.   

+ Use of Vocal Harmony - Upon further review, every song in this round "on the 1's" has contained important vocal harmony.  It just took the power of the Bee Gees for me to see it!

(- New Material at the End) - the outro section borrows ideas from the intro and verse, so this one is still out.

Chord Count: 8 - E, Emaj7, F#min11/E, F#min7, G#7, C#, F#7, B7 - I was tempted not to count the variations on E, but I feel they each have a different effect when they happen.  In the future, I may go back and summarize the chord counts to other songs.  "Jessie's Girl" still leads with 10 chords. 

Final Takeaways

Going into this one, I had never heard the tune.  When I did, I was struck by the overall sound.  The opening voice sounded hollow and the harmonies came in much later than I expected them to.  The arrangement was impressive the first time around, but I was still unsure about the tune.  I remember thinking, "where's the hook?"

Like many songs, after repeated listens I came to enjoy it.  After listening to the words, the vocal delivery made sense and the prolonged harmony paid off to my ears.  I noticed lots of nuance in the arrangement and walked away from listening singing "how can you mend..."  

I think I really like the Bee Gees.  They get pigeon-holed as a disco group, but there is a lot more to them.  This song sounds nothing like their more popular work and it's their first no.1 hit.  A group that has the ability to morph their sound so dramatically must be doing something right.  They also wrote the tune themselves, inspired by real life events.  

In a modern world of songwriters pitching songs to artists and lyrics that glorify the party lifestyle, this one seems out in left field.  I love the honesty of this song.  Much like I talked about in my preference of "Jesse's Girl" lyrics compared to "Everything I Do..." lyrics, this one is obviously inspired by first hand experience and not a idealistic or forced narrative that makes for a good song premise.  

What do you think of "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?"  I was not around in 1971, but it is fun to imagine hearing this song as it was being released.  I would imagine it stole the heart of the USA in many of the ways I pontificated on today.  Leave me a comment!

Up next time, the last stop in our journey "on the 1's:"  July 10 - August 21 1961, "Tossin' and Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis lasts 7 weeks at no.1  Wow, I have no clue about this one.  7 weeks seems like a long time for a song to be at no.1 in any decade.  What common musical traits will this long lost classic share with other no.1 hits through the decades!?!?!?

[1]https://www.beegees.com/behind-track-can-mend-broken-heart/

"(They Long To Be) Close To You" - The Carpenters, 1970

Burt Bacharach and Hal David are a legendary song writing team, arguably on par with Lennon and McCartney or Rogers and Hart, etc.  Their songs have found success with numerous performers while still maintaining their signature sound.  In 1963, they wrote "(They long To Be) Close To You," and several artists record versions of the song. [1]

Seven years after being written, the Carpenters take a crack at it.  Combine Richard Carpenter's lush arrangement and Karen Carpenter's warm yet powerful vocals to produce a no.1 hit song and a Grammy Award. [2]

This song has so many dimensions ranging from sweet, silly, thoughtful, catchy, cheesy and just plain awesome.  There are prominent passages for strings, vibes, piano, flugelhorn and of course, vocals.  This soft rock anthem not only endures as a relevant song for the genre, but is a signature song of the Carpenters. 

July 25 - August 16, 1970: "(They Long To Be) Close To You" by the Carpenters makes a 4 week run at no.1!

The form is relatively straightforward with two sets of AAB up front, followed by AAC.  After three A's, there's a modulation up 1/2 step, ushering in the classic flugelhorn solo.  The last A contains a tagged ending, leading into the coda section, a repeat on the title lyric.

In many songs, the hook, or catchiest part, comes during the chorus.  "Close To You" flips that paradigm and puts the hook in the verse.  This line "just like me, they long to be close to you," repeated at the end of each verse, is a great example of a refrain.  The first two lines in the verse change, followed by this repeated refrain.

The verse melody, in its entirety, is a hook unto itself.  The lyric "why do birds suddenly appear" is synonymous with "love" and is possibly more memorable than the title refrain (coincidentally, it has the same intervalic structure as the title hook).  This line has been used numerous times in movies and television in this burgeoning love scenes (it's Homer and Marge Simpson's wedding song!).

The chorus, a repeated part that includes the same lyrics, is not as memorable as the verses.  It does provide melodic and harmonic contrast to the verse and only happens twice during the course of the song. 

The coda section contains one last melody, a variation on "close to you."  The introduction of new melodic or harmonic material at the end the song was seen last time in "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini," and in a few other songs analyzed in this series.  It's an interested choice to put brand new material at the end.  The result, to me, is repeated listens.  The late introduction of something new is an invitation to go back to the beginning and rehear what you wanted to hear again, again.

Chord Progressions

"Close To You" is in the key of G, but begins on a Cmaj9 chord.  This acts as tonal center and color throughout the tune.  The piano introduces this sound right at the start.

Opening piano

 The chords shift from the 9th extension to straight triad, a technique featured in every section.  This harmonic rhythm creates a flowing quality right until the very end.

Following the piano intro, we hear the verse:

Cadd9 / Bsus    B   / Bmin7 / Emin7 / C Cadd9 / C Cadd9 / GMaj7 / GMaj7

IV       / III (V/vi) /   iii        /   vi       /   IV          /    IV        /    I          /  I   

After establishing the IV chord, it moves down a half step to the iii, but on a sus4 and then major version, functioning like a V of the vi (E minor) chord, which we do eventually get to, but not before hearing a shift to the expected minor iii.

From the Emin7, it goes back to IV chord, flipping the rhythmic positioning of the Cadd9 and the C triad, compared to the intro!  Again, the C major tonality is established before we then finally hear the I chord over the last two measures.

Beginning the tune on the IV chord and then going to a non-diatonic chord is unique and tricks the ear into finding the home key.  When we finally get the I chord, it puts all of the previous harmony in a new light.  The tone color of the chord extensions create an ambiance that give this song character!

The bass generally follow the chord roots, creating a foundation for the chord extensions in the piano and orchestra.  The third verse features variation in the bass that enhances the changes and melody.

Bass - verse 3

The chorus, set up by a G7, is similar to the verse with a few twists:

C C6 CMaj7 C6 / % / Bmin7 / E9 / Cadd9 C / CMaj7 C6 / D / (piano lick)
IV                      /  IV/  iii        / VI  /  IV           /  IV             /  V /  

Again, we get moving extensions on the C chord, this time exploring the C6 sound.  When it goes to iii, it jumps directly to Bmin and then resolves to E9!  This almost acts like a ii-V to A minor, which is basically the C6 inverted.  We return to slower moving extensions on C in a descending line (D-C-B-A) before finally hearing the V chord (D).

The chorus uses a tonal center of C again and we never "go home" to G major, even after the D chord, which returns to C in the verse!  The piano lick, mentioned above, is figure around a D major scale, followed by a drum fill to push back to the verse:

Chorus Ending - Piano lick + drums

The third A section (horn solo) shifts up 1/2 step to the key of Ab.   All of the progressions repeat in the new key, unchanged.  In the coda section, the I chord is finally established as the tonal center:

Dbmaj13(#11) / DbMaj7 / AbMaj9 / AbMaj9
IV                  /   IV         /   I            /  I     

The first two bars, like the other sections, use the moving extensions on the IV chord, but this time, resolve to the I chord.  It's interesting to me that we don't truly get to the home key until the very end of the song.

Melody

The melody in "Close To You" sounds so smooth and "right," like it was always meant to be.  When you look at its construction though, it is filled with leaps and resolutions on chord extensions.  It shouldn't sound this good!  Karen Carpenter's delivery certainly helps things out.

Things get rolling right away, starting on E (6th of G, 3rd of C), then leap to G (another chord tone) and then leap up a 5th to the D, or 9th of C

verse 1

  After all the initial leaping, things settle down with some familiar stepwise motion, before leaping down from E to B.  We then get two arpeggios in a row: B minor on "every time," and an inverted E minor 7 on "you are near," each occurring just before we actually hear the chord, masterful musical foreshadowing!

The end of the verse is a repeat figure, matching the opening, in a different rhythm.  The 3rd, 5th, 9th intervals on the C transform to 6th, root and 5th of the D, a pattern we hear in the 1st and 2nd verses, as well as in the last A section tags.

The third verse, the last one in the key of G, introduces a slight variation.  It begins like the previous verses and adds background singers, echoing the lead vocal.  They continue echoing with thick harmonies.

verse 3

This verse ends with a variation on the refrain with a descending line on the G major 7 chord.  This entire verse is repeated again, in the new key (verse 4).

The chorus presents a very different melody with a few familiar elements.  There are less leaps in the chorus and instead, we hear a repeated scalar theme in a faster rhythm.  The vocal follows the piano on the moving C chord extensions.  We also hear another minor triad over B minor.  In the last few bars, we hear a repeated G before moving to the highest note in the tune.

Chorus

Like other songs analyzed, the chorus contrasts the verse, yet has similar elements.  In this case, the moving chord extensions and the tonal center around C major are both present in both verse and chorus.  As mentioned previously, this chorus is far less memorable than the verse, to my ear.  Perhaps this is due to the lack of leaps and the more predictable motion of the chords and melody in the chorus?

The final section of the song is my favorite.  Beautiful lush harmonies utilize a melodic theme found in the rest of the song - moving extensions on the IV chord.  The Db major gets the royal treatment, visiting the major 7, major 6 (13) and #11 before resolving to the "simple" major 7.

Coda

We also get a melodic echo, as in the verse, provided by the flute.  The settling in of the I chord with full harmony ends this tune with a warm fuzzy blanket, tucking me in for a sweet dream filled slumber.

Musical Sticking Points

Musically, there's a lot happening here.  While the song is in the key of G (and Ab), the tonal center hangs out on the IV chord most of the time.  All of the interesting stuff happens on the IV chord and the I chord is used sparingly, until the end.

All of the moving extensions provide a sense of momentum, furthered by the lack of cadences on the I chord.  The song is constantly moving ahead, a good quality for a ballad.  This is also helped by the eighth note triplet feel throughout.  The long-short motion of two swung eighth notes pushes things along and the frequent use of 3 eighth note triplets feels very fast, comparatively.

Melodic rhythms are also repeated throughout.  The "close to you" rhythm is found in the verses and in the outro.  This syncopation contrasts other melodic rhythms used.  The verse melody is repeated 5 times throughout the song.  To keep it from getting stale, there is a modulation, an instrumental solo and some vocal variation, enhanced with background vocals.

When you hear the song, you instantly know it's a Brut Bacharach tune.  His signature "jazz" chords used in the context of an easy listening pop ballad are hallmarks of his style.

Lyrics

While very sweet, the lyric to this song are a bit over the top.

"Why do stars fall down from the sky

Every time you walk by?"  

The subject of this song sure is special.  So special in fact, that the "angels sprinkled moon dust in their golden hair and starlight in their blue eyes" at their birth.....wow.

As cheesy as they are, the lyrics are wide open for interpretation.  Even in the third (and fourth) verse when we discover;

"that is why all the girls in town

follow you around"

  it's still not clear if we are talking about a man or woman.  There are many situations, though, where this ode to greatness can be applicable.  A classic love song?  Sure.  A tribute to a loved family member?  Why not?  An envious plea for someone you want and can't have?  Quite possibly.  An over-the-top comedic ploy to get the girl/guy?  I can see it.

Common Threads

When we left off last time with "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini," I came up with a list of key elements that will likely be seen again.  Here is how that list matches up with "Close To You."

• Repeated melodic motifs - absolutely!  The "close to you" intervals are used throughout the verse and in the outro.
• Strong harmonic motion from V to I
• Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture
• Modulation
• New material presented at the end

4/5 elements are carried over.  It's very interesting that songs 10 years apart, in very different styles, have so much more in common than making it to no.1!

I should also include a previously used common thread: Hook that uses the title of the song.

Final Takeaways

I love this song.  It is a masterful example of song writing and arranging.  When I think of no.1 songs, I usually think of upbeat dance numbers, or something that you can sing along with easily.  When a ballad appears on the list, it's always a little surprising.  I know people like ballads, but they like them enough to make it to no.1?

This song is nostalgia.  As soon as I hear the piano, I am taken back to some memory of a love story (probably The Simpsons).  Even though I was not alive when it came out, it feels familiar.  It's one of those songs that was always meant to be.

What do you think of "(They Long To Be) Close To You?"  Does it give you the nostalgic warm and fuzzies?  Leave me a comment!

Up next time, August 2 - August 23, 1980.  Another four week run at no.1: "Magic" by Olivia Newton-John.  At the time of this writing, I couldn't pick this song out of a police line-up.  Early 80's music is a still a little whacky as it comes out of the 70's fog.  This one should be interesting!  Stay tuned.

[1]https://www.stereogum.com/2027578/the-number-ones-the-carpenters-they-long-to-be-close-to-you/franchises/columns/the-number-ones/

[2]http://www.rebelmusicteacher.com/blog/2016/7/11/direct-modulation-in-the-carpenters-they-long-to-be-close-to-you

"Bad Girls" - Donna Summer, 1979

Donna Summer is known as "the Queen of Disco."  As the mere mention of disco instinctually causes most music fans to hold their noses, this moniker is not entirely fair.  Donna Summer is more than disco, she was a trail blazer of dance and R&B music.  Her first appearance on the Hot 100 Chart came in 1976 with "Love To Love You Baby," a shining example of her disco prowess.  She would ride this wave to many more appearances on the charts, 14 of which cracked the top ten, with songs that would continue to evolve all the way to 1999.

By 1979, disco was breathing its final breath.  In walks Donna Summer and releases an acclaimed album, "Bad Girls."  The record had two no.1 hits, "Hot Stuff" and the title track.  These no.1 songs, combined with "MacArthur Park" from November of 1978 and "NO more Tears (Enough is Enough)" with Barbara Streisand in November of 79, would mark FOUR no.1 hit singles in just over a year! [1]

"Bad Girls" provides a defining template for several songs previously analyzed and for many, I presume, we will see in the future.

July 14th - August 11th, 1979: "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer goes on a 5 week run in the no.1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart!

Take a moment to examine the "simplified form."  Essentially, we hear ABC three times, get a new section in D (bridge), and bring it home with one more A.  This strikes me as very "classical" with multiple returns to the A section with plenty of variation in tow.

Now look at "form," a detailed categorization of the sections in terms of modern song structure.  There are a lot of sections, with multiple delineations and variations.  "Bad Girls" takes the "7 Layer Dip" approach I have observed in the past few analyses.  Basically, an instrumental loop is garnished with additional loops that are combined for different textures and timbres.  Throughout the song, the base material remains and different instruments make occasional appearances.

The intro sets this in motion.  Bars 1-4 feature guitars and percussion.  Bars 5-8 add in the bass and piano.  Bars 9-12 feature the first of two prominent horn parts and the police whistle.  Bars 13-16 introduce a vocal ostinato that we will hear throughout the song.

I labeled bars 17-20 "PreChorus" which at this point, is really still part of the intro.  These 4 measures are the first introduction of a second prominent horn melody, a part which will reoccur before every chorus.  Look for more on this part in the "Melody" section below.

After the intro, the horn prechorus is generally preceded by what feels like a more traditional "prechorus."  This part, labeled PC', features some rhythm section "hits," and an altered chord change, which hosts a guitar solo in place of vocals in the back half.  This one was fairly challenging to map out considering it features long sections with lots of substance in each.  The "simplified form" tells the story much more succinctly, yet does not show all the variation this song has to offer.

Chord Progressions 

Like so many songs we have seen, this song thrives on, essentially, a static chord progression.  We hear this through the intro, verse and chorus sections.  The intro sets it up with this contrapuntal guitar web.

Intro Guitars

The signature disco guitar sound on the top sets up the chord progression, I v / iv v in Dmin.  The lower line, a funky muted guitar riff, reinforces the D minor sound with only 3 notes: root, minor 3rd and minor 7 of D minor.

Then, we get a brilliant bass line!  This line uses a main theme that gets a healthy dose of improvisation throughout.  This feature, to me, sets the repetitive nature of this song apart from others.  Even though it's the same chord progression for most of the song, the bass does not play the exact same thing, a clear sign that there are actual humans playing the instrument.

Here is a 4 bar segment of the bass line that occurs from m9 - 12.  Notice the improvised flourish in the last line.  We will hear variations of this throughout the song.  To get a sense of the big picture regarding the bass line,  check out this transcription from Scott Edwards. [2]

bass - m9-12

 The horns serve an important role in "Bad Girls," providing support for the chord progression as well as melody.  In the intro, we hear the first prominent horn background.  Rhythmically and harmonically, they support the guitar vamp.

Horn background 1

All of this is propelled by the drums, a hallmark of the disco sound.  They provide strong downbeats and added support for all those 16th note lines.

drum feel

Aside from the main chord progression, there is the PC' part, featuring full band syncopation that leaves space for some vocal flair and a rippin' guitar solo, later on.  Here's how the horns are added to the mix.

PC'

This part ventures to Bbmaj7 (VI) and Gmin7 (iv) before bringing us back home with the A7sus and A7 (V) chords, leading back to the D minor tonality.  In a way, this part could be called the bridge, as it harmonically bridges sections sections of the song together.  It happens so frequently though, and usually right before a chorus, that I felt it should get a "prechorus" label.  (In the "simple form" this is C)

Melody

The first vocalizations heard in the song come in the form of a spoken vocal ostinato.  This part part has been widely sampled and borrow from in more modern music, including R. Kelly's "Ignition Remix."

Toot Toot Ostinato

 We hear this throughout the entire tune, including acappella in the outro (coda).  This part is fun, sang by the background singers, and gives space for all the other stuff happening, yet fits in with the harmonic rhythm.

The next melody we get is from the horns.  This part, labeled "PC", is also featured throughout the tune and happens during the last vocal chorus at the end.

"prechorus" horn melody

This part is unique in its rhythm as well as note choice.  It works around the minor 3rd of Dmin, pausing on the G and E.  All in all, it gives the D minor feeling with the added flavor of the E, the 2nd of Dminor and the 5th of Amin, the passing chord in the 2nd measure - chord tone/passing tone.

After 2 introductory melodies, we finally get the hook, about 40 seconds into the song.  Like the bass line, the chorus evolves throughout, adding call and response as well as additional flourishes from Summer.  Here is the second chorus.

2nd Chorus

This melody plays in the D minor space, hitting it hard on the root - minor 3rd motion.  The echoes also exploit the minor 7 - root motion, much like the muted guitar in the intro.  There is lots of space in this chorus, which makes sense, considering all the movement in the supporting parts.  ("Genie In A Bottle" has a similar quality but features much less space in the vocal rhythm.)

The third chorus introduces a variation and features the background singers in unison.  They utilize the minor 3rd - root and minor 7- root motion while incorporating the added 4th we will see in the verse and even part of the "toot toot" ostinato.  This part has a "na na naboo boo" quality that makes it fun.

Chorus 3

Verses 1 and 2 are busier than the chorus, which only helps to contrast the 2 sections with similar chord progressions.  The verses feature phrases starting on the 5th (A) and venturing to the upper minor 7th (C) before making its way down to the D.  Some of the syncopation is reminiscent of the horn parts.  We even hear call and response, which increases in the 2nd chorus and 2nd verse.

Verse 1

As in case of third chorus, the third verse also gets a variation.  This section blends elements of the chorus and first verses with a greater focus on root-minor 3rd motion than in the first verse and an increased presence of background vocals.

verse 3 - first 2 bars

PC' features even more new melodic content.  This entire section is sort of a call and response between the horns and Donna Summer.  We get a pleasant ascending and descending contour with some wild melisma to end each phrase. 

PC' melody

We also hear Donna hit the highest note in the song as it moves from PC' to the horn PC.  She throws down some serious D minor pentatonic riffage here, which adds to the stanky funk of the rhythm section.  Over the horn line, she sings a B natural, the only non-diatonic note of the whole vocal melody.  It works though, as she descends slowly down the scale, all the way to the lower root.
She also takes a cue from the horns and accentuates the E during this part, adding to the 9th flavor!

She's not done yet!  More new melodic content happens in the bridge.  Here, she incorporates elements of other vocal melodies heard up to this point.

bridge lead vocal

We get some speaking parts ("toot toot"), phrases focusing around A and the high C (verse 1) and a focus on the high D (prechorus).  This section also features more space than other melodies, helping it to truly feel like a bridge, headed to the last chorus and coda.

Musical Sticking Points

This songs hits the mark, for me on having a great balance of repetition and variation.  The highly varied bass line provides a character that extends well beyond the modern loop equivalent.  There are also a ton of elements that are added and subtracted throughout: two guitar parts, a piano part (that has variation similar to bass), two contrasting horn backgrounds and plenty of auxiliary percussion (shakers and castanets).

Melodically, there are 8 sections that all borrow elements from one another.  Many songs include a verse, chorus and bridge.  Even if you add in an outro, that's only 4 sections of potential melodic content.  "Bad Girls" doubles that with tons of variation.  It comes from the same source material, D minor pentatonic, so it feels familiar and never out of place.

This round of analyses has featured songs with extended runs at no.1.  As we look back through the decades, the amount of time at the top is generally small.  A potential explanation would be the constant output of quality material from artists at the time.  Considering that, Donna Summer's presence on the charts during the year 1979 can be attributed to her musical sensibility.  You can dance to her songs, a plus for the disco enthusiasts.  Even as disco was becoming monotonous, Donna Summer figured out a way to extend her shelf life with danceable rhythms and enough musical substance to sate the tastes of people looking beyond the genre.

Lyrics

This song is also about prostitution.  That's right, the "bad girls" are ladies of the night.  Summer reportedly wrote it after her secretary was mistaken for one of these women, walking down the streets at night, in a bad part of town. [3]  When you take that into account, a lot of the nonsense lyrics make more sense:  "toot toot, beep beep" - cars getting the attention of the women; "hey mista, got a dime?"; and of course, the police whistle.

Summer does raise the societal dilemma of these "sad girls," offering the notion: "now you and me, we're both the same, but you call yourself by different names."  Obviously upset about the unfair stereotyping of her secretary that fateful night, these lyrics are slightly angry yet sorrowful towards the whole scenario.

The rhyme scheme for most sections is AAAB, with some being AAB.  Melodically this flow works great with the first phrases being similar and the last phrases being longer and drawn out, supporting the non-rhyme with flowing melody.


Common Threads  

I'd like to approach this section a little differently today.  This song has so much in common with the other songs "on the 9's,"  they deserve a look individually.

"Old Town Road" (2019) - both tunes share a repeated chord progression.  ("Bad Girls" does have one additional section.)  Both feature a layering approach with instruments that appearing sporadically throughout.  Both feature numerous melodies that borrow elements from each other, including a varied 3rd verse.  Both also have melodies that move step-wise through the mode, though "Bad Girls" relies more on the minor 3rd leaps.

"I Gotta Feeling" (2009) - both tunes thrive on repetition.  They also feature gang background vocals, offering call and response.  Both songs also utilize the layering approach to keep the repetition interesting.  They also feature spoken passages.

"Genie In A Bottle" (1999) - both tunes feature a web of syncopated rhythms right on top of one another.  Both songs have a repeated chord progression, enhanced by layered instrumental parts.  They also feature talented female singers who love to use melisma in their phrasing.  I would imagine Christina studied Donna to some extent.  Like "I Gotta Feeling," both songs feature spoken passages.  They also utilize stepwise scalar motion in a minor key.
   
"Right Here Waiting" (1989) - Both songs feature several statements of the primary melody (though Richard Marx holds the record with 6x).  Both songs also include slight variation in the delivery of musical ideas.  Both songs also feature instruments bearing a significant amount of the melodic responsibility, including guitar solos.

In addition to that, we still see the hook containing the title of the song, repeated melodic content and texture changes throughout.  In terms of common threads, this tune is significant to this project and utilizes many techniques seen through the decades.

Final Takeaways   
I really enjoyed this one!  This tune is super funky, with great instrumental material to latch onto.  I had completely forgotten I arranged this for a horn band I played in.  When I found it, I was definitely excited to see what I had done about 10 years ago.  Unfortunately, I don't think we ever played it at the one wedding we played.....but if we did, it would have killed!

To me, this song is significant to this analysis project.  As discussed in common threads, there are many similarities between this song and others that follow.  I was most taken aback by the technique used in layering instruments.  "I Gotta Feeling" was very "color by numbers," adding the parts in, cut and dry.  "Genie In A Bottle" did that nice trick with fading into the piano arpeggios so the opening felt brand new the second time around.  But this song just has more stuff to process.  The two guitar parts are so funky, and join and rejoin throughout.  The horn lines, three variations in all, provide a nice texture and timbre shift.  And that bass line!

What do you think of "Bad Girls?"  Do you see the common threads between this and no.1 hit songs to follow?

Moving back to the 1960's is an exciting venture as we close out the journey "on the 9's."  This round has been fruitful for discovering some potent music techniques used in crafting no.1 hit songs.

Up Next: July 12 - August 16th, 1969.  "In The Year 2525" by Zager & Evans goes on a 6 week run at no.1, only to be dethroned by "Honky Tonk Women" by the Rolling Stones.  This one I am clueless on.  I am excited to take a trip back to the psychedelic 60's!

[1]https://www.allmusic.com/artist/donna-summer-mn0000661524/biography
[2]https://basslessons.be/transcriptions.php?i=138
[3]https://www.songfacts.com/facts/donna-summer/bad-girls