"Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell, 2013

As we begin the journey "on the 3's" of no.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, through the decades, we encounter the most controversial song yet.  "2013's "Blurred Lines" has gone under the knife of scrutiny in several different arenas.  The song has been banned by several UK universities and the racy video was even removed from YouTube.  The lyrics are considered misogynistic and raunchy.  Countless articles have been written about these topics.  Here are a few I read, all coming to the same general conclusion. [1] [2] [3]

Oh yeah, AND there was a lawsuit filed against the song for copyright infringement against Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up."  It lost.....Robin Thicke paid big time.

So, in spite of all this negative criticism, is the song any good?  Is there any merit to the composition?  It was no. 1 for 12 weeks...... now we all know "controversy creates cash," but is the song itself fitting of the no.1 label?  That's precisely what I hope to find out.  (spoiler.....musically, this song is interesting, catchy and funky.....no.1 material....the lyrics.....they haven't aged well.)

 June 22nd - September 7th, 2013: "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, featuring T.I. and Pharrell slays the no.1 position for 12 weeks!

The form of "Blurred Lines" looks more complex than it really is.  Verse-prechorus-chorus, or ABC, is repeated twice.  That is followed by a third verse and bridge, which combined, feels like a long bridge.  It ends with a verse and final chorus.  The intro bookends the song as an outro.  

Each section has predictable numbers, grouped in 8's.  This cut and dry data is actually telling into the minimalistic approach of the chord progression.  This simplicity certainly gets overshadowed by the multi-layered vocals and risqué subject matter.   

Chord Progressions

"Blurred Lines" is built upon a repeated 8 bar segment that uses only 2 chords!  Those chords are G and D and last four measures each:

G  / G  / G  / G  / D  / D  / D  / D
I                       / V

On it's own, it's not the most exciting progression and certainly doesn't seem like a feasible pattern to last the entire song, until you bring in the bass!

Bass Ostinato

This highly syncopated bass line drives the song.  In fact, this may be its most redeeming quality.  The bass sticks to G roots for the first 4 measures with 2 notable departures.  In measure 2, it plays a short C, hinting at the IV chord, brief as it may be.  In measure 3, the bass approaches the G from a 5 to min7 walk up, hinting at a G7 sound.  It then sticks to D roots for 3 measures before the classic octave descending line D-C-B-A, leading perfectly back to G.  This is an excellent bass line and makes the most of minimal harmonic information.

The bass is not alone though.  The drums provide a rhythmic bed for all that syncopation to lay on.  Bass, snare and high hat lay the funky foundation and are accompanied by a cowbell part for the ages.

Percussion Ostinato

The (4)+ accents shine through with snare and open high hat or bass drum kicks.  They compliment the bass syncopation and keep this funky groove moving forward the entire time.  

The keyboard part is relatively far back in the mix and keeps things really simple, falling in line with the upbeat syncopation theme.

Keyboard Ostinato 

There are a few moments where the rhythm cuts out completely for a few beats.  When this happen, it just strengthens the groove when it returns.

This entire track is a good example of how minimalism can work in pop music.  Granted, there are layers upon layers of melodic and percussive vocal lines to add to the mix, but the pure instrumental tracks are few.

Melody

With such sparse harmonic information, the melody must be complex?  I would say yes.  This marks the first analysis I have done to feature significant use of chromatic motion.  Robin Thicke starts off with a very high register G major melody, moving between root, 2nd and 3rd in the key.  Then, we get the chromatic theme.

Verse 1

Here, he hinges on D, approaching it from a half step below.  This "half step below to a chord tone approach"  will dominate the melody.  He ends the phrase with a G minor lick, touching on Bb and F natural, giving the sparse harmony a little color for a bar.

Speaking of colors, verse 2 gets shaded a little more.  It starts with a new rhythmic and melodic pattern, compared to verse 1, a decidedly G pentatonic thing, reaching that insanely high D.  Measure 4 has a crazy harmony that outlines a G7, reinforcing the bass line approach in measure 3.

Verse 2 - meas. 1-4

The rest of verse 2 is similar to the back half of verse 1.  Both verses are immediately followed by the pre-chorus.

Pre-Chorus 1

Here, we see more chromatic approaches to chord tones.  Eventually, he goes up the G pentatonic scale to usher in the chorus.  The second pre-chorus features additional harmony:

Pre-Chorus 2

  

The "uh huh" backgrounds in measures 5-8 are doo-wopy and add an interesting color to the mix, reinforcing the Dmajor chord tones.

It's worth mentioning that the intro, verse and chorus are filled with repeated vocal lines that thicken the texture all the way through.  Usually happening over the D chord in the second half of the 8 measure progression, those parts consistently feature:

Vocal Extras

These spoken parts, mixed with more chromatic approaches to chord tones definitely fills in any gaps left by simple harmony.

The chorus is a 16 measure festival of repeated melodies and thick(e) harmony.

Chorus

 The first "good girl" includes a nice descending melisma in G minor, a cool color against the major chord in the keys.  We then get a definite G major lick in the "I know you want it" repeats in alternating octaves.  The next "good girl" gets there with, you guessed it, chromatic approaches!  When then hear 3 similar phrases moving between A-B-C, giving a D7 feel for the first time.

Those 8 measures are more or less repeated with different words and a different ornament on "blurred lines."  Keep in mind, all of this is accompanied by "woos," "hey's," "everybody get ups" and a bunch of other vocal filler.  The end result is a damn catchy chorus.

Verse 3 takes a totally different approach than the other verses and features a rap by T.I.  Like many raps, it features repeated rhythmic themes that come and go over the course of 16 measures.

Verse 3 - meas. 1-8

A repeated rhythmic figure is the 8th-16th-16th group that ends many phrases.  It has a certain cadence to it that makes this rap feel like one cohesive verse instead a bunch of lines spoken quickly.  There are a few moments of melody that seem to naturally emerge.  Both of these themes continue in the next 8 measures.

Verse 3 - meas. 9-16 

There is a slight break in measure 13 which uses some heavy delay.  It gives just enough space before the final assault of 16th notes finishes off the section.  In that section, it's worth noting he rhymes "pimpin" with "pimpin" three times....more on that in the lyrics section.

There is also an 8 measure bridge, which breaks things down a bunch, coming right out of this rap.

Bridge

We get shades of the high verses, now outlining G7, leaving a lot of space in between.  It ends with familiar material before sliding into another epic melisma.  This one, again outlining G minor, is a little more involved than the others and lasts more than a measure.  

Lyrics

This is the least redeeming quality of this song.  I'm not going to comment too much because I disagree with the general sentiment.  Thicke has defended the lyrics as "tongue in cheek" and Pharrell has condemned them.  They are, in a way, a glimpse into the dark side of human desire and hint at the egotistical intentions of someone who won't relent until they've got what they've come for.  

The lyrical flow is filled with near rhymes ("say" and "page"; "close" and "animal") and rhymes words with themselves a few times ("hug me").  At least the vocal performance is well done.

I would remised if I didn't draw the parallel between "Blurred Lines" and another controversial song to make no.1 in 2020, "WAP."  Both songs are sexually charged and cross the line of decency repeatedly.  Both songs also claim their message is one of "empowerment."  I'm sure there can be arguments made, but those arguments leave me scratching my head.  I think back to some of my personally beloved music with inappropriate lyrics, namely, Cannibal Corpse and other death metally "shock rock."  While those lyrics can be disturbing, I think most are so fantastic they leave the sphere of real world application.  "Blurred Lines" and "WAP" hit close to popular culture and are very much a real concern.....    

Common Threads

As I begin this set of analyses, "on the 3's," I will keep this list simple and specific to "Blurred Lines," for now.  As I get to other songs through the decades, it will be amended.  I am trying my best to start these common threads fresh each time and not fall into conclusions I've already drawn.  I'm not sure it's possible to be unbiased, but I will try my best to allow for a free flowing thought process to, hopefully, lead to new insights.

Repetitive Melody - There are several repeated melodic patterns throughout the song both in rhythms and intervals.  The chromatic approach to chord tones and the general cadence of the eighth note patterns spring to mind.

Single Repeated Chord Sequence - 8 measures, 2 chords

Multi-layered Percussive Accompaniment - the traditional drum set, the cowbell and the vocal effects create a bed of percussive layers

Features Rap/Spoken Vocal - this may prove irrelevant when we get closer to the 80's, but it's worth noting.

Melodic Bass Line - while it does follow the roots, this bass line has a few melodic moments.  

Vocal Harmony - lots of cool harmonies created in this one!

Chord Count - 2 - G and D.... 

I have the feeling this list will change, but some of these are new and I'm curious to see where this line of thinking will lead.

Final Takeaways

From a compositional standpoint, I think "Blurred Lines" is a slamming track.  It's super funky and cashes in on "less is more."  I used to play the tune in a cover band back in 2013 and I always enjoyed playing this bass line.  Throw that on top of the percussion matrix and it's a one way trip to Funky Town.  Aside from these musical aspects, the song has not aged well.

The lyrics, though open to some interpretation, and defended as "tongue in cheek" by Thicke himself, are uncomfortable to hear.  I wouldn't feel comfortable having my daughters listen to it, which is a short measuring stick, but a litmus test none the less.  The music video fails this litmus test with flying colors.  Director Diane Martel has defended it as an expression of female empowerment, but seven years later, it doesn't quite translate the same.

Regarding the copyright lawsuit, there are certainly similarities in the feel. The cowbell part is there, though not as busy.  The falsetto voice is present, but sings different words and  a different melody.  The chord progression is also different.  I'm surprised Marvin Gaye's victory hasn't opened Pandora's box on borrowing feels and chord progressions in songs.  It's virtually impossible not to rip off some aspect of some song in the 1200 year history of notated music, never mind the 160 year history of recorded music.  

Next time, continuing with the journey "on the 3's," we head to 2003.  July 12th - August 30th, 2003, 8 weeks at no.1, "Crazy In Love" by Beyoncé, featuring Jay-Z.  Ah yes, another song I have played in a cover band and quite enjoyed.  This will also be Beyoncé's 3rd appearance in this project!  Check out 2001's "Bootylicious" and 2020's "Savage."  Let the good times roll.     

[1]https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/nov/13/blurred-lines-most-controversial-song-decade

[2]https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-blurred-lines-notebook-pharrell-williams-robin-thicke-marvin-gaye-20150306-column.html

[3]https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music-theatre/2019/10/how-blurred-lines-scandal-changed-pop

"Circles" - Post Malone, 2019

 Spoiler alert: I know nothing about Post Malone, other than his appearances in beer-alternative commercials and that slick Nirvana tribute he did.  Apparently, Post Malone is a genre bending hip hop artist that has had some massive chart success.  If you listen to his 2019 single, "Circles," that vibe does not clearly come across.  I found many reviews of the song that all praise it for its catchiness, but almost dismiss it due to it departure from Post's normal musical stylings. [1]

Vocal Media's Sean Patrick comes in a bit hotter with his take: "Circles" is a perfect pop song. [2]  He makes some salient points in his article, many of which I agree with.  As someone who had never heard this song prior to analyzing it, I am very impressed.  Not only is this a well crafted pop song with a simple and relatable message, there is some clever musical composition happening under the surface.

November 30th - December 7th, 2019 and January 11, 2020 - "Circles" by Post Malone logs in 3 weeks at the no.1 position!

The form of "Circles" is one of the most simple and effective pop song forms I have analyzed. It starts with an extended 16 measure intro.  The first 8 establish the intro melody and chord progression.  Bass, drums and vocals enter in the next 8 to round out the 16 bar section. 

Then, there's a little color by numbers action happening.  Verse 1 (A) is 16 measures long.  It is immediately followed by the 16 measure chorus (B).  He repeats both sections with the same length.  We do get an 8 measure bridge (C), which is followed by one more 16 measure chorus to end the song.  ABABCB.  This is almost the pop music equivalent to rondo form.  What's interesting is that there is some variation in the performance, especially in the verses. 

Most importantly, the song thrives on this simplicity.  The ultra pop presentation is enhanced by simplistic elements such as the overall structure.  The lesson here may be less is more.  For this song, it certainly seems true, as we will see with the chord progression and aspects of the melody. 

Chord Progressions

"Circles" utilizes the same chord progression throughout.  You could say the same chords keep running in circles?  If this was the intention, Post Malone is taking word painting to another level.

The intro gives us the chord progression right away with a strumming acoustic guitar accompanied by another guitar/synth combo with a melody on top:

Intro - meas. 1-8 (guitar melody and rhythm)

CMaj7 starts off with two strong downbeats and leads into the very cool Emin7/B chord.  Out of the 5 notes, 3 stay the same while the other two resolve down a half and whole step.  It's an interesting and eerie sound that gives this tune its atmospheric sound.  Notes continue to move in small intervals resulting in Fmajor7: E stays while B and G move up a half and whole step, respectively to form the F major chord.  Then, in a wild move, F major7 moves to F minor, seeing the E move up a half step to F and the A move down a half step to Ab.  Super cool voice leading!

The first 3/4 of the progression repeats and instead of Fminor the second time, it stays on F and then plays two beats on a G6 with the E string continuing to ring out.  Also note the quick open G string during the firs Fmaj chord.  It provides the slightest bit of movement in the progression, even when the melody note isn't happening.

Speaking of the melody, it basically outlines C pentatonic, visiting the 6th.  This will quickly become a vocal theme as well as a background melody during the chorus.  The diatonic Cmajor choices over the non-diatonic Fmin result in a continuation of the unique vibe this song puts forward.  

The bass part, which comes in for the next 8 measures of the intro, plays a G over the Fminor chord, resulting in a temporary Fmin/G:

Bass Line

That's basically it.  In the key of Cmajor, the chords flow as follows:

CMaj7  / Emin7/B   / FMaj7  / Fmin   / CMaj7   / Emin7/B  /  FMaj7   /    G6

I           /   iii            / IV          / iv         /  I             /  iii            /  IV          /      V

As seen in several songs, iii - IV is a common progression, as is IV-V, as is iv-I.  I love how these common combinations are combined in an uncommon way.  

Melody

The melody of the song is diatonic to Cmajor, despite some non-diatonic chords.  Again, we see this in the intro melody, first played instrumentally and then sang by Post himself.

Intro - meas. 9-16 (bass and vocal)

Scale intervals 5-6-5-3 are repeated and lead to 3-2-2-3 with the instruments finishing 2-R.  It's a pleasant, mostly stepwise melody that presents a predictable start to the song.  

Post enters with verse 1, using similar syncopation to the intro guitar ostinato.  

Verse 1 - meas.1-8

He starts on a B, the major 7 of C and the 5th of Emin.  That resolves up a half step to C.  In measure 4, he sings the A natural, 6th of Cmajor and major 3rd against the Fmin chord.  While this should clash, it doesn't.  There is almost an audio illusion going on where our ear retains the F major and because the Fmin is far back enough in the mix, and exists from two contrary half step resolutions (E↑F; A↓Ab).  It doesn't come off as a wildly new chord either, it's more of a pivot.  When we hear the same melody in measure 8, the chord remains on F major, so it sounds completely correct.

After these 8 measures, the rhythmic theme continues with new pitches.  He moves his primary pitch to E, now major 3rd of C and root of the Emin.  When we get to Fminor, once again, he sings a "wrong" note.  The E over the Fminor results in a Fmin-maj7 chord, a classic mysterious sound.  It's short lived though and we return to chord tones.  The last measure of the verse banks on the D, 5th of G, even though it's not sounding, and resolves to the tonic.

Verse 1 - meas.9-16

Verse 2 is very different from verse 1.  The empty measures from verse 1 are filled in and for 8 measures, the syncopation borrowed from the guitar part, is abandoned.  The notes change as well, exploring a G in the first 8 and a C in the second 8.   If you account for both verses, his primary pitches are B, E, G and C....he covers each note in the CMajor7 chord.  Too cool!

Verse 2

The second 8 measures introduce a rhythmic theme borrowed from the chorus and augmented in rhythm.  "Special," "sex though," and "echoes" are reminiscent of the "run away" syncopation in the choruses.  In looking at the Fminor measures (4 and 12 above) he avoids harmonic clashes in this verse.  In measure 4, he rests and in measure 12, he sings a C, part of the F minor chord.  

The end of this verse uses a figure we will see in the bridge as he, once again, uses C pentatonic to rise 6-R-2-3.  This verse, like verse 1, and the chorus, and the bridge, uses diatonic pitches to fill out the melody.  

Let's dissect the chorus.  Here's what Post sings in the chorus:

Chorus - Melody Only

The first 6 bars present a line that descends from E to B, bumps back to C and finishes with A-G.  It's all diatonic and, once again, outlines notes of C pentatonic.   In measure 7, he changes the pattern and employs some syncopation on the the repeated "run aways," which eventually passes through F (not C pentatonic) and up to the G.

Measures 8-11 use similar patterns and transition with measure 12, more musings in C major.  Measures 13-16 combine the first 6 measures with the middle "run aways," recylcing themes and getting melodies stuck in your head!

On top of this great melody, there is some substantial vocal harmony added.  a higher part that begins a 4th apart from the melody eventually works its way into 3rds.  As the melody progresses, a lower voice comes into the mix, a third lower than the melody.  

Chorus with harmony

In measures 9-12 of the chorus, we actually hear a reprise of the intro melody figure, played by a keyboard.  The last 4 measures pick up with familiar harmony.  While transcribing this chorus, my ear was definitely playing tricks on me.  Harmonic overtone, studio effect or sang harmony?  Some of the time, I wasn't completely sure.  In the last 2 measures though, I definitely got both higher and lower parts accompanying Post's melody.

The entire chorus is comprised of diatonic melodic passages that are almost all derived from C pentatonic.  When the F pitch is introduced, it coincides with the F or G6 chords, making perfect sense for the cadence and resolves to the C in some fashion.  

There is a bridge, once again built upon the same harmonic foundation.  Here, Post lays down more diatonic C major passages and hinges on the F-E motion a bit more than before.  Rhythmically, he sticks to some of the same patterns, he just more phrases together.  The section, in turn, moves along at a quicker pace, helping to feel like a proper bridge, which is marginally succeeds at, in part thanks to the rhythm section backing off a bit.

Bridge

There is some interesting symmetry with the line "it's only me," happening in measures 3 and 7.  He ends the bridge with the familiar "let it go" flourish from verse 2.  

  

Lyrics

"Circles" tells the story of someone trapped in the negative cycle of  relationship.  The lyrical content here is certainly relatable to many.  Post Malone is good at making powerful statements in plain speak.  (There are plenty of articles about the meaning of this song, so take my analysis for what it is.  Here's a similar, but alternate take to consider [3]).

We couldn't turn around 'til we were upside down

I'll be the bad guy now, but know I ain't too proud

The two parties can't walk away from the relationship until it's completely upside down, though they likely knew it would end up there in the first place.   Post Malone decides he will initiate the break up, becoming the bad guy, even though he's not proud of it.

He goes on to lament about the struggles of the relationship and makes a bold and honest statement that, once again, is relatable to many.

You thought that it was special, special

But it was just the sex though, the sex though

The chorus has one of my favorite lines and sentiments of the song.  It sees Post Malone, knee deep in the struggle of ending this relationship for good, going on the passive aggressive offensive:

I dare you to do something

I'm waiting on you again, so I don't take the blame

I love the image of him daring this person to do something, knowing that if he makes the next move, he will most certainly be to blame.  He did already admit to being the bad guy, though........

There's also the sweeping refrain of "let it go" that appears at the end of verse 2 and in the bridge.

In the end, these two keep "feeding the flame" and this negative cycle continues to run them around in circles.  Easily understood, relatable lyrics that are clever, personal and honest.  

Common Threads

Repeated Melodic Motifs - rhythmic motifs are repeated, with varying pitches, all over the place.  We also see phrases within the sections repeated.  Repetition is key in this one.

Diatonic Melody - despite non-diatonic chords, the melody stays diatonic.  Moving largely in steps and through the C major pentatonic scale.

Texture Changes - there are a few textures here, mostly driven by the presence or absence of drums and bass.  The song actually ends with the sparse texture presented in the intro. 

Vocal Harmony - the vocal harmonies add an ethereal quality to the melody and occur in each chorus.

Song Title Used In Hook - "running in circles...."  "run away" is arguably more prevalent, but "circles" makes it in regardless.

Singular Chord Progression - Not sure if this one will endure as a common thread, but it's worth mentioning.

Chord Count - 5 - CMaj7, Emin7/B, FMaj7, Fmin, G6

5 chords throughout the song is slightly higher than the average chord count of the time, as I have analyzed.  That being said, the fact that the 5 chords are spread over one chord progression is even more impressive.

Final Takeaways

I really like "Circles."  The musical composition is sneaky good, even if the overall presentation is uber poppy.  I actually listened to Post Malone's record, Hollywood Is Bleeding.  My first impression was actually exactly what I expected from an artist who gets labeled as "pop/rap."  He didn't do too much rapping, but there were several guests who did.  "Circles" features a little bit of Post's "billy goat" vibrato, thankfully.  It comes off much more prominently on the recorder.   At first I though it was an effect, but watching some live videos, he's definitely part goat.  It's a cool effect, but like most pop music, gets tiresome after a while. 

Pop records end up having this glossy finish that makes every song sound the same.  I determined this is mostly do to the drum sounds and syncopated cymbal patterns that permeate modern pop.  Hollywood Is Bleeding has plenty of that, but a few songs did stick out as sounding different.  "Circles" was certainly one of them.  I'm glad I took a moment to become acquainted with Post Malone and though I like this song, his other stuff isn't really that appealing to me.  Not to say in the future I wouldn't check something out, but for now, I came, I saw and I'm moving on.

What do you think of "Circles?"  Did you pick up on any of the nuanced details or did they get swallowed up by the poppyness?  Leave me a comment!

Up next time, we star the journey "On the 3's!"  Let's kick things off, keeping in the past themes, with the song that was number 1 in the first week of August, 2013.     June 22nd - September 7th, 2013 - A massive 12 week run at no.1..."Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, featuring T.I. and Pharrell, reigns supreme.  Reading the no.1 hit songs in 2013 is like a time warp.  I was playing in a cover band at the time and played many of these popular songs, including "Blurred Lines."  Hopefully the nostalgia factor will kick in and make this one interesting!

[1]https://vulturehound.co.uk/2019/09/post-malone-circles-single-review/
[2]https://vocal.media/beat/song-review-circles-by-post-malone-is-pop-perfection
[3]https://justrandomthings.com/2019/08/31/post-malone-circles-lyrics-review-and-song-meaning/

"Call Me Maybe" - Carly Rae Jepsen, 2012

Simple is not always a bad thing.  Just ask Carly Rae Jepsen.  Her smash hit single, "Call Me Maybe," is the epitome of a simple pop song, and it works so well.  It uses repetition of chords and melody to imprint catchy melodies into your brain, for better or worse.  Hit Songs Deconstructed calculated that 41% of the song is comprised of the chorus. [1] No wonder it gets trapped in your ear.

It's very easy to pass off "Call Me Maybe" as a typically "bad" pop song.  I had similar feelings going into this analysis.  After uncovering some unexpected nuances though, I discovered it is a well crafted display of melody and rhythm, set against surprising chords and harmonies.  Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding, authors of Switched On Pop, agree as well.  Check out this excerpt. [2] 

If you're on the "call me never" bandwagon, keep reading......

June 23rd - August 18th, 2012:  "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen goes on an 9 week rampage at no.1!

 

"Call Me Maybe" Overview

 The form is straightforward and does everything good pop songs usually do.  We see 8 measure verses followed by a 4 measure pre-chorus.  The chorus is a whopping 16 measures, the same 8 measure segment repeated.  There's also an 8 measure bridge in the middle that gets recycled as the outro.

There is a cool wrinkle in the 3rd chorus, C'.  There, the first 4 measures see the rhythm section and vocals drop out.  They come in for the last 3/4 of the the section, which gives the entire part a slightly different feeling.  The last bridge is followed by 4 measures of delays, noise and effects that gradually slow down until the last beat.  

The intro is a simple string figure that blurs the true downbeat until the bass drum drops on beat 1 of the verse.  The section repeats after the first chorus and is easily felt after the beat has been established. It's a nice buffer to reset for the next presentation of verse and chorus.  

Chord Progressions

"Call Me Maybe" starts out with violins chugging eighth notes on G and D, acclimating the ear to the key of G major.  When the verse drops, a quiet guitar comes in and changes everything though, outlining a harmony that will permeate the entire tune.

Verse Chord Progression

CMaj7 results from the C in the guitar, the G and D in the strings and the repeated B's found in the melody.  While This could be seen as G/C, we get more information regarding C later on so it seemed fitting to include it as such here.  If you're playing guitar, the C chord makes the most sense for this part as well.  In similar fashion, the melody notes and string accompaniment indicate G/D in every other bar.  

Both verses use this basic pattern, resulting in: IV / I

The chorus and bridge expand this idea, adding more information and yielding two additional chords.

Chorus and Bridge Chord Progression

The syncopation, taken directly from the changing note rhythm in the verse guitar part, drives the tune in these sections.  We hear actual chords as the strings shift through the chord tones.

C    G / D   Emin  /  C   G  / D

IV   I / V      vi     / IV    I  /  V

This sequence is nothing new to pop music, centered around I, IV and V with the vi chord thrown in for color.  What's interesting is that the weight of the progression falls on C, the IV chord, not the usual and expected I chord.  You would expect to see V resolving to I (D - G), but it consistently resolves to IV.  It does create an interesting quality to this song that helps it stick out in spite of the simple harmonic movement.

There are a few spices added in during the chorus that elevate it even further.  We see a guitar arpeggio during the second half that moves between G, E and D, a three note grouping that catches all the harmony, one way or another, and contributes a rhythmic pulse.  There is also wild string run at the end of every 8th measure.  It happens very quickly and is more of an effect than an intricate melodic contribution.

Chorus Harmonic Enhancements 

One additional harmonic variation happens at the end of the bridge, both in the middle of the song and in the outro.  There, we see a very brief guitar motive get a massive delay treatment, resulting in echoing tones to create a spacey texture.  The A note, the 9th of G, results in a really interesting color that is short lived yet very intriguing, to my ear.

Post Bridge Guitar Figure

While this song is extremely repetitive, and uses one main harmonic sequence the entire time, it makes the most out of a little.  The verse and chorus, though essentially the same, sound very different with opposing melodic range and rhythms as well instrumental arrangements.  This seems to be a shared characteristics of songs in the general time period (late 2000's to early 2010's).  Basic material is repeated with a revolving door of nuance on the top.  

Melody

Carly Rae Jepsen begins the song low in her range, singing repeated motives that move between 3-2-R in G major, set on top of the C root.  This morphs this melody into those Cmajor harmonic extensions.

Verse 1

Rhythmic entrances are very consistent and each phrase begins on (1)+.  In measure 4, we get the first glimpse of a rhythmic and melodic figure we will see in the chorus, the dotted 8th syncopation.  

Verse 2 is similar to verse 1, but includes added harmony, a trend that begins in the pre-chorus.  Here, the harmony is mostly up a 3rd, but repeats the D note over the moving A and G.  It finally moves in measure 4, creating intervals of 4th, 3rd, 4th and 3rd, respectively.

Verse 2, meas. 1-4

The pre-chorus is a 4 measure refrain that follows each verse.  Rhythmically, it feels very different from the verse, beginning on beat 2 and then accenting beats 1 and 2 in each subsequent phrase.  The vocal melody gets a little higher, in general, working off of D, instead of B.  The harmony is presented in 4th and 3rds, as in verse 2.  Measure 3 has an interesting change with an F# in beat 1, resolving up to G.  It gives the line a little extra motion and keeps the repetitive melody from becoming too redundant.  The last measure features Carly repeating some high G's that lead nicely into the chorus. 

Pre-Chorus

The chorus is certainly the memorable part of this one.  It's 16 measures long, two repeats of a basic 8 measure section.  She repeats the hook 4 times in each chorus.  These stats walk a fine line of becoming too repetitive and redundant, but some sensible arrangement avoids this successfully (9 weeks at no.1 is definitely success!)

The chorus starts with a G major arpeggio, over an actual C chord.  She then sings another G major arpeggio over an actual D chord.  Finally, in measure 3, we hear a C in the melody, confirming suspicions that it was C and not G/C the whole time!?!  In measure 4 we get the hook, R-3-2-R, Do Re Mi in G, over the V chord!  When you break it down like that, it shouldn't sound as poppy and predictable as it does.  I think the trick is using shared chord tones.  G, and B, are shared with G, CMaj7 and Emin.  D is shared with D, G and a logical extension of Emin. All of the pitches work over multiple chords.

Chorus - meas. 1-8

There is a slight variation in measure 6 when she leaps up to another shared chord tone, B, before returning to the same melody as earlier.  Speaking of repeated melodies, there's 8 more measures in the chorus.  Some of the words change and we get an added vocal harmony, once again creating intervals of 3rds and 4ths.

Chorus - meas.9-16

The harmony here is so tightly executed.  Carly sings it herself and the blend in timbre and close voicing comes off as almost unison with healthy overtones.  The added color is just enough to spice up the second half of the chorus, and once again, keep the song from getting too stale and over-played (not this song wasn't overplayed!)

Though the words change, the rhythm and pitches stay the same.  With 4 hooks per chorus, it's no wonder this one gets stuck in your head.....

The 8 measure bridge, though it utilizes the same harmonic motion of the chorus, is a good buffer between the first part of the tune and the ending.  It effectively incorporates rhythms and melodies from both the verse and chorus to create a catchy new melody, built on repeated lyrics.    

Bridge

The lower melody line moves, once again, through G major space, this time through G pentatonic, adding in E.  The vocal harmony is almost exclusively in thirds, keeping the close interval and timbre to blend the vocal into one powerful presentation.  We see rhythmic themes reminiscent of the verse, a descending line with shades of the pre-chorus and the harmonic rhythm of the chorus.  

The bridge is accompanied by a guitar melody that further differentiates it as something different.  A brand new rhythm outlines GMaj9, hitting chord tones of the passing chords along the way.  The rhythmic hiccup between measures 2 and 3 is a cool effect that resets the pattern.  

Bridge - Guitar countermelody

This first bridge is immediately followed by the chorus, without words for 4 measures, which creates lots of space and primes you up for the final statements of the hook.  She even sneaks a final "call me maybe" at the end of the last bridge to end the track.   

Lyrics

I feel like there have been many songs that feature innovative ways to get the most out of little source material and then.....the lyrics.  The verses present a rather intense infatuation with a person, repeatedly saying "now you're in my way," as in they cant get past the idea of having this other person in their life.  

Verse 2 presents intense emotion, though slightly cliche, but effective at getting the main idea across:

I beg and borrow and steal

At first sight and it's real

I didn't know I would feel it

But it's in my way

Each verse uses the rhyme scheme: AAAB CCCB

Then the chorus comes in.  All of these intense feelings are cheapened with a series of shy and juvenile colloquialisms: 

And all the other boys try to chase me

But here's my number, so call me maybe 

 

Not to question the sincerity of Ms. Jepsen, but she presents this desperate plea of attraction and desire for companionship and then asks for a callback, maybe?  The wind in my emotional sails just petered out.  She tries to rebound in the bridge, claiming "before you came into my life I missed you so bad, you should know that I missed you so bad."  She's a chorus late and a few dollars short.

I don't know what I expect lyrically from a pop song.  I like the music, I like creativity of the composition but the lyrics kill it for me.  As I have stated before, my opinion is generally contrary to popular tastes.  The public lapped this one up pretty readily.  Relatable lyrics, simply stated, are probably what gives this song the mass appeal.  The hook, "call me maybe," is strong, so despite my feelings, I can see why it was so successful.  Carly Rae herself recognizes the childish "filler" of the lyrics in this Billboard.com article from 2017 regarding the composition of " Call Me Maybe." [3]

Common Threads

What common musical elements do no.1 hits through decades share?  That's one of the mission statements of this project.  After I complete each analysis, I attempt to find some of these common threads.  So far, I have used songs from 2011, 2001, 1991, 1981, 1971, 1961, 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992 and 2002 to inform this list.  "Call Me Maybe" checks a lot of boxes....

Repetitive Melody -  Another extremely repetitive melody added to the archives.  This one repeats melodic ideas and phrases all over the place.  One of my favorite examples of repetition in a melody comes from Madonna's "This Used To Be My Playground" (1992).  That one repeats segments in a crafty way/  "Call me Maybe" is a little more obvious about it.

Hook that Uses Title of the Song - Double check.  We get the hook 12 times!

Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - the verses help this qualify.  There are quite a few thirds in there as well, as she weaves her G pentatonic melody.

+ Use of Vocal Harmony - The harmony in this one is tight.

+ Texture Changes - There are a few different textures.  The verse is thin, with strings and the guitar.  The bass and drums first enter rather subdued and then kick it harder in the chorus.  The bridge ups the anti even more with louder guitars.  There are also the moments after the bridge with the echo guitar and big space.

- Strong motion of V- I - almost....there is a prominent V chord, but it resolves to IV, not I.  

- New Material at the End - there is some noise at the end, but probably not enough  to qualify as substantial new material

  

Chord Count: 4 - CMaj7, C, D, G, Emin - I didn't count D/G, as it is a similar function to plain old D.  I did count the 2 versions of C though....the CMaj7 really is like G/C and feels very different from the proper C in the chorus. 

5/7 common threads is a strong showing for Carly Rae.   In looking back at the chords used, the song still intrigues me in the use of the CMaj7.....

Final Takeaways

I have played this song a few times, years ago, in various cover band situations.  Believe it or not, I remember singers having trouble finding their starting pitch.  After examining the melody, clearly in G major set against a C chord, that is really G/C, I can see why they got thrown off.  As the bassist, I never felt 100% confident playing the tune, partially because I never committed to learning it fully and relied on my sight reading abilities, but I also remember feeling like there was something strange about it.

All these years later, I do like the song.  It is very repetitive and super poppy in every sense of the term, but it's catchy and well constructed.  I'm not sure I could have written such marginally disjointed harmony and melody.  It makes a little more sense why I was never fully confident playing this song, because it pushes against common patterns and slides in just left of center.  

What do you think of "Call Me Maybe?"  Did the harmony every stick out as a little off?  Did the earworm get into your head or did it get overplayed out?  Leave me a comment!

Next time, a recap of all the songs I have explore "on the 1's" and "on the 2's."  I'll take a look at the various common threads and compile all the chord progressions.  I love these data filled recaps to get a sense of how song writing has or hasn't changed through the decades! 

[1]https://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com/call-me-maybe/#
[2]https://ew.com/books/2019/12/13/switched-on-pop-excerpt-carly-rae-jepsen-call-me-maybe/ 

[3]https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7768166/carly-rae-jepsen-call-me-maybe-interview-greatest-choruses

"Party Rock Anthem" - LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, 2011

 LMFAO provided the song of the summer in 2011 with their smash hit "Party Rock Anthem."  The group, an uncle and nephew duo comprised of RedFoo and SkyBlu worked as LMFAO for 6 years (which, yes, stands for "laughing my freaking ass off" [1]) and then called it quits, presumably taking the money and running. [2]  

"Party Rock Anthem" certainly sounds like a fun loving summer time jam and at it's core, is a catchy electronic dance number.  While this song is not the most musically satisfying song to cross the Decade Hit Analysis Project, it does contain several elements I would expect to see in a no.1 hit song.  

July 16 - August 20, 2011: "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock cements itself as the song of the summer with a 6 week run at no.1.

The form of "Party Rock Anthem" is standard fare with a set of verse/chorus before the bride.  There is an instrumental post chorus (PC) that adds 2 measures the second time around.  The final chorus is half the length of the first two versions. 

The song ends with a lengthy outro that blends elements of the bridge and post chorus sections with a new melody.  27 measures is a strange length, which broken down, works out to be a 10 measure phrase followed by 16 measures of grooving and one final measure of reverberated noise.  

In typical electronic dance music fashion, most of the song is computer generated and the drum part goes where you'd expect it to.  The into features the drums progressively getting more complicated at the synth part bleeds in:

Intro Drum Evolution

The drums come and go over the course of the tune, providing space for vocal breaks and kicking into high gear to keep the dance party rolling.....

Chord Progressions

"Party Rock Anthem" is in the key of F minor and only utilizes three chords.  Part of the intro, the post chorus and part of the outro drone the F minor with a lot of synth bells and whistles, or whirrs and swirls as it may be.  When other chords are in the mix, they follow suit with the progression set up by the primary keyboard riff in the intro:

In the key, this progression works out to:

Fmin7   /  Eb    Db

i          /  bVII  bVI

As seen many times before ("Love the Way You Lie," "Rain On Me," "Magic" to name a few) these chords are staples in a minor key.

Melody

The chorus contains the most melodic substance in the song which is presented after 16 measures of intro.  This catchy hook, which features three part vocal harmony, is the main selling point of the song: (melody written an octave higher)

chorus

In the first measure, eighth notes begin on beat 2 with a C, the 5th of F minor and then leap down to Eb, the minor 7th of the chord.  In the next measure, the melody follows the chord roots, Eb and Db, with added octave harmonies as well as Ab and F, 4th/3rd of the chords, or min3rd/root of F minor.  

In the third measure, we hear an Ab major lick, Ab-Bb-C-Bb, before jumping back down to Eb.  In measure 4, we get something similar to measure 2, this time with 5ths Bb and Ab over Eb and Db chords accompanied by octave harmonies plus F and Eb, 9th/7th of the changes, or Root/min7 of F minor.

These 4 measures are repeated in measures 5 -8.  The entire part is then repeated, save the last 2 measures.  There, we see the Ab major lick extended followed by lots of space.  Silence is broken by "shake that," leading into the post chorus melody.

The post chorus, an instrumental dance break, is led by an analog synthy lead:

Post chorus

The high notes are performed as octave F's, but to my ear, they have this pitchless quality to them (this is probably because I'm a bass player and my listening accuracy diminishes as he pitch gets higher?).  This part is funky and includes some 8th/16th syncopation.  Following a pattern set up in the chorus, the melody follows the root of the chord.

Both of the verses are rapped, starting off with SkyBlu in verse 1.  The flow starts off very disciplined with entrances on (1)+, similar syncopation and a vocable on (4)+ of the second measure.  This pattern begins to deteriorate in measures 5-8, leading into the very different back half of the verse, provided by RedFoo:

verse 1

RedFoo's flow is a stark contrast to SkyBlu and he takes his time and stays just behind the beat.  He trades 8th and 16th syncopation for 8th and quarter syncopation to further the contrast.  

After this verse, we get another chorus which ends with a tag we will hear later.  In F minor, this reestablishes the tonality after the silence and leads nicely into the post chorus synth.

Post Chorus 2 tag

Verse 2, sang by RedFoo, picks up the pace with a faster flow.  The rhythm is not as disciplined as verse 1, but there is use of the silence theme established in the chorus, interrupted with "hating is bad."

verse 2

The last 4 measures of the verse feature some singing.  Here, a two note motive of Eb and F provide the call with the response in a spoken tone.  The calls and responses are melodically uniform, except the final response, which is slower, in RedFoo fashion.

The two note motive set up in this verse foreshadow the bridge melody, provided by English singer Lauren Bennett (G.R.L. and Paradiso Girls):

Bridge - source material

These two measures represent the source material for the bridge and outro.  Each measure is eventually chopped up and repeated in small fragments.  

The outro features one more melodic contribution, that like the bridge, gets chopped up and reused throughout the section:

This line, occurring on the 2nd and 4th measures of the progression, is built on 3 notes, Db, C and Bb.  These pitches cover different chord tones than we have heard throughout the tune: min7th, maj7, 6th and 5th, moving through the three chords.  These new intervals give the ending a very different feel, yet feel familiar when combined with post chorus keyboard, spoken and bridge elements.  

Musical Sticking Points   

This song pulls a whole lot out of three chords.  There are three levels to the chord progression.  1.  The full blast syncopated synth line moving through the changes;  2. The more subtle synth line moving through the changes, generally behind the verse and in the bridge/outro;  3. The single chord pulsing over the post chorus synth line.

The tune also utilizes rests effectively.  As a dance tune, we get pounded with synths and drum patterns at a fast tempo.  When everything stops for 2 or more beats, it results in a cool effect.  Whenever the silence is interrupted, we are given some spoken line, which is easy to sing along with.  

The chorus is very catchy in both lyrics and melody.  The repetitive nature of the melody makes it easy to sing along with and the three part harmony doesn't hurt when non-singers try to keep up.  The small motives are also easy to sing along with.  The 2 note bridge motive and the 3 note outro motive are easy enough on the ears that they get stuck.  The constant repetition makes sure they stay stuck.

The drums are what I think of as typical dance drums.  I'm not up on the lingo of electronica, but I would assume the words "house" or "electro pop" may be appropriate?  The big build in the bridge is a stereotypical part for the genre. Quarter note snare hits for two measures building to eighth notes and climaxing with 16th notes create a huge build.  I am very curious to find the first song that employed this.  I assume it's before 2011, but I'll keep a mental note of its presence here, just in case.

Lyrics

I would argue that lyrics don't matter too much for a dance tune.  If the primary objective is to move to the beat, it doesn't really matter what the words are saying.  This is not a social justice song or an emotional testimony.  LMFAO just wants to you get down....which is a good idea, because these lyrics are terrible.  

The chorus is innocent enough, inviting listeners to have a good time with "Party Rock," LMFAO's album titles ("Party Rock" (2008) and "Sorry for Party Rocking" (2011)).  When the raps come in, things get grim.  Here's a few gems:

Looking for your girl? She on my jock   

Yo! I'm running through these hoes like Drano 

On the rise to the top, no Led in our Zeppelin

Now you wanna be (You're naked now!)

Oh the party lifestyle.  I think they are closer to Led Zeppelin that they think...at least in terms of extra curriculars?

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.  For each round, I like to start somewhat fresh and develop a list of present musical elements that I expect to find in other songs.  While influenced by past lists, I will try to approach this one from a neutral starting point.  

• Repetitive Melody - the chorus repeats itself both rhythmically and melodically, using similar patterns over the course of 4 bars, repeated for 8 and again for 16 measures.
• Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - aside from the leaps in the chorus melody, the song is basically comprised of stepwise motion.
• Texture Changes - The drums do not pound us in the face the entire time.  There is silence, break downs and build ups.  The overall timbre changes throughout the song.
• New Material at the End - this is a holdover quality worth mentioning.  Many no.1 songs include new material to finish out the song.   
• Hook that Uses Title of the Song - another holdover worth mentioning.  

Chord Count - 3 - It might be fun to keep track of how many chords a song uses.....

Final Takeaways

I don't see myself seeking this song out, ever.  I generally don't like dance music (or dance in a club situation) and I would rather listen to other genres.  That being said, I appreciate this song on a musical level.  It accomplishes its goal in spades and the structure of the catchy melody is worth looking at, if you yourself are trying to write a catchy melody.

As a songwriter, I am always trying to write better songs.  Studying no.1 hits has certainly given me insight into the overall process and there is plenty to learn from "Party Rock Anthem."  LMFAO got it right with a simple melody that was enhanced by changing textures and extremes (silence vs dance beat).  They found a formula that worked and 9 years later, this song still holds up, in common musical elements anyway.  *LMFAO are no strangers to quality music....their father and grandfather is Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records!  

What do you think of "Party Rock Anthem?"  Do the musical qualities shine behind the sparkling mirrorball, or are you lost in the dance party?  Leave me a comment! 

Up next time, continuing with no.1 hits "on the 1's": August 4th - 11th, "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child goes two weeks at no.1 amidst a sea of R&B titans (Usher, Alicia Keys, J-Lo, Nelly and Mariah Carey).  Let's see if Beyoncé and company contribute musical qualities found in other no.1 hits through the decades.  

[1]https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/lmfao-trademark-application-310996

[2]https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/474982/lmfao-taking-hiatus-says-redfoo