Song Writing Experiment #1

I am a composer.  I write music in many genres and styles from progressive jazz fusion to children's songs.  I love the act of creating music and exploring ideas.  I have been writing since I picked up the bass guitar at the age of 14, probably even before that.  In my initial overview of this project, I stated my hopes to gain insight into my own songwriting:  

What else?

I write a lot of music in many different genres.  Through my song analysis, I hope to get some insights into my own song writing and push myself past my normal writing limits, conventions and tastes.

 Writing "pop songs" is not always in my bag, but given all of these analyses, I am eager to infuse my own voice into the genre.  So, I sat down at a keyboard and attempted to come up with something interesting.  I will now analyze my own song and attempt to find out if I used elements of no.1 hit songs, consciously or not!

"Devil's Luck" by Steve Johnson Jr.

 The form is straight forward, cycling through verse, prechorus and chorus twice.  In lieu of a bridge, the drum groove, from the intro, sets up the outro.  There is a slight wrinkle in verse two, cut to four measures, from eight.  In the middle, there's an extra measure crammed in to create a psychedelic effect and paint the words "life in the bubble moving on the slow."

I used an old version of Garage Band and found the electric piano sound to set up the groove.  I performed the programmed drums, using the "Tight Studio Kit."  I also performed the guitar and bass parts. I included a few synth elements to get those swells and string pads as well.

Chord Progressions 

The verse and chorus are driven by a 4 measure progression, set up by the keyboard:

Verse/Chorus Progression

The key to the song is up for debate.  Having been enamored by songs like "Close To You," "Incomplete," "Magic" and others, I decided to have the key sound like one thing, but technically be something else.  To me, the tonal center sits in G minor:

i  iv / bvii iv  

The Fmin7 doesn't quite fit into that equation (usually major).  C minor may be more applicable and results in this:

v i / iv i

This is a little closer to "correct," but the minor v chord isn't quite "right" now (usually major).  In truth, I tapped into Eb major to draw out these chords, the true home for the Gmin7, Fmin7 and Cmin7:

iii  vi / ii vi  

The prechorus offers a little more insight with this progression:

Prechorus Progression

In the key of Eb, this part plays out to:

V  / I / V /IV / V / bIII / V / IV

in C minor, it works out to be:

bVII / III / bVII / bVI / bVII / bV / bVII / bVI

Calling it Cminor has a strong appeal:  Gb, the bV chord, or the "tritone," AKA "The Devil's Interval."  (Yes, I am reaching)

The outro contains a slight variation on the primary progression:

Outro Progression

v  III / III i in C minor - iii I / I vi  in Eb

So even though  I wrote it, I'm not technically sure how to label it.  G minor is certainly the tonal center, but the chords come from Eb major, the relative major of C minor.  

Melody

The chorus kicks things off, establishing melodic themes that will carry through in the verse and outro.

Chorus

The melody primarily uses G, F and Bb, occasionally making it up to C and D.  Most passages outline Gmin7, leaving out the 5th.  The syncopation on "devil's luck" and ""wind it up" will occur in various sections, as will the 16th note figures introduced here.

The verse occupies the same melodic space as the chorus, leaning a bit heavier on the Bb, as opposed to the G.

Verse 1

After analyzing Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, I may have written this part differently.  The verse and chorus are too close in their melodic choices.  Rhythmically, the verse has less space and introduces some new 16th note syncopation.  I purposely included the "devil's play" line to be a callback to the chorus.  Retrospectively though, it seems too much of the same.  

The prechorus breaks away from the sameness with only major chords, juxtaposing the minor chords in the verse and chorus:

Prechorus

  

Starting on F, the melody descends to C, utilizing syncopation from previous sections, with more space.  The Gb6, the only non-diatonic chord, is highlighted with a slight shift to the Gb in the melody.  In the repeat of the prechorus, the entire melody includes lower harmony. 

The final section in the song is a big jam, repeating this line:

Outro

  

Again, call backs to previous melodies dominate the section, with a few new additions every 8 bars.  This entire part is accompanied by a noodling guitar solo and synth elements.  

Lyrics

I wrote the lyrics in response to the general state of the world - the pandemic, social unrest and the biblical nature of present day society as it may or may not relate to the end of days.  

Generally, my lyrics saunter to the impenetrable side and I tend to write with very vague and obscure hints as to what I really mean to say.  Partly, I like the possibility of multiple interpretations, even ones I did not necessarily intend....who likes being told what to think?  I prefer lyrics that let you interpret them based on your own perceptions. 

My lyrical spark was the phrase "luck of the Devil," which seemed appropriate when looking at our general situation.  After some consideration and tweaking, here's what I came up with:

"yo yo yo, dropping in from below, this piece is about to get lit up!"

Chorus:

Devil's luck, 

We be burning down an evil pablum

A bigger problem

Wind it up

A wall of wins and words, it won't stop em

No, won't stop em

Verse 1:

Sit back reach for the sky,

High is where the good ones always lie

Dig in deep with no regrets

Such a long time coming outta hedge the bets

It's all your call, so push away

A center stage seat at the end of the day

For the devil's play, no escape

It's bound to come soon, keep your mind awake

PreChorus 1:

Love, in a time and place

Goes to the empty space just below you

Love in yourself displaced

Long for a sweet embrace to take control

Chorus

Verse 2:

1,2; 9 months to go

Living in a bubble moving on the slow

All messed up, don't relate

The speed of life just pumped the brakes on

Prechorus 2:

Love, in a time and place

Goes to the empty space just below you

Love in yourself displaced

Long for the normal pace to take control

Chorus

Outro:

If we're gonna make it, we're gonna need the Devil's luck

There is a little variation from chorus to chorus, but those are the basic lyrics.  There are a few hidden Easter eggs I will crack open:

The opening spoken line, contributed by Lucifer himself, contains a very random reference...."light this piece up"...with "piece" referencing a wig....which would equate to a "flaming toupee," or perhaps more appropriately, "hell toupee"???

There are a few moments where you could interpret the lyrics to be a call to action or a call to be not sober...

"1,2; 9 months to go," - 1,2 starting a count and "9 month to go" referring to potentially how much more time we can expect in social distance society, is my birthday!  1-29. 

Themes and Lessons Learned

As mentioned, the chord progression is intentionally misleading.  I set out to string together chords that make you think and feel one thing that are technically something different.  I would say I accomplished that, for the most part, even if I'm not completely sure about it.  I did try to work in a more deliberate tritone sequence, but they all sounded too forced.  I'm glad the one I didn't force (Gb6) theoretically lines up!

A common thread of many songs analyzed was repeated melodic motifs.  As noted, I used small chunks from the chorus in just about every section.  I may have overdone this one.....  As a note to self, I did not write out this melody before I performed it.  In the future, I will probably write it out first and perform after.  I am adept at recognizing patterns visually.  When dealing with my own music, it's easier to see it instead of only hearing it.  My ears have a bias to my own creations...

A few easy elements I aimed for included having new material present at the end of the song, a hook that uses the song's title and the element of background singers.  I can check the box on all three of those!  Keeping step with common threads, the entire outro could be considered a lyrical refrain, as "devil's luck" happens quite frequently throughout the song.

In the future, I think I will compose when an actual idea inspires me.  I sat down to write this one with NOTHING, expect for a few compositional bullet points.  Because I have the luxury of no deadlines or quotas, waiting for a genuine idea, instead of forcing one out, would make the song feel more natural.  When I hear this song, it sounds forced.  I know I am trying to write music in a way I don't naturally migrate to.  

I did have some fun incorporating synth elements.  There are a few keyboard parts and drum patterns I added after the song was "finished."  I certainly have lots to learn and analyzing songs that rely so heavily on production is a great way to get there.  

I am, primarily, a performing musician that excels in a space where improvisation is encouraged and necessary.  If I ever perform this song live, I would be curious to see where it goes with other musicians playing.  The ending section is perfect for extended improvisation and I think the right group could have some fun with this one.  

I fully intend to go through this exercise again, firmly believing that at the very least, it's a great songwriting exercise.  If you feel inclined to leave me a comment, please do, I would love to hear from you.   Thanks for listening! 

"A Big Hunk O' Love" - Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires, 1959

Elvis Presley's Billboard Hot 100 legacy is quite impressive: 7 no.1 hits, 25 songs breaking into the top 10 and 109 songs making into the top 100 overall.  This is even more impressive, considering many of Elvis's signature hits like "Hound Dog," "Blue Suede Shoes," and "Jailhouse Rock" were chart-toppers before the established Hot 100 chart.  (check out the track listing on "Elvis: 30 #1 Hits")

Elvis is certainly an iconic figure in music.  I admittedly don't know much about him, outside of the previously mentioned tunes, so I was eager to come across this gem from 1959.  As an interesting note, Elvis joined the US Army on March 24, 1958.  In June of that year, he managed to squeeze in a recording session, his last before discharge in 1960. [1]  In that session, we would get this no. 1 hit:

August 10 - 17, 1959: "A Big Hunk O' Love" by Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires lasts two weeks at no.1!

At it's core, this song is a 12 bar blues.  We have seen 12 bar blues in no.1 hits before ("Roll With It" by Steve Winwood in 1988).  Like many no.1 hits, we hear something familiar, like a 12 bar blues, then get a slightly altered version to keep things interesting.

Most notable about "A Big Hunk O' Love" is length of the verses.  Verse 1 sticks to the standard 12 bar blues.  Verses 2 and 3 use a modified 12 bar blues, extended to 14 bars.  Verse 4 further modifies the form with a 16 bar version (more on that in Chord Progressions). 

The verses are interrupted with a standard 12 bar blues bridge, which are instrumental solos!  There have not been too many improvised solos seen throughout this analysis project.  It's exciting to hear both a piano and guitar soloing in this song.  Both seem organically improvised and fit perfectly with the blues/rock&roll styling of the tune.   

The song ends with a tag of the refrain, "just a big-a big-a big-a hunk O' love, will do."  We finally get a proper refrain, a repeated lyric line that occurs in each verse.  This line is very catchy and got stuck in my head throughout my analysis.  For me, the surprising quality of this song gives Elvis a little more credibility, in light of my limited experience with him. 

Chord Progressions

As mentioned above, this song is a 12 bar blues in the key of C.  12 bar blues generally follow the sequence below.  In "A Big Hunk O' Love," we hear this in verse 1, as well as behind both solos.

12 bar blues - verse 1 and solos

In verses 2 and 3, the sequence is extended to include two additional bars on the I chord.  The result is a 14 bar blues that sounds far more smooth that a 14 bar section of music should sound.

14 bar blues - verses 2 and 3

The rhythm section becomes the star in those extra bars, providing a call and answer with Elvis's vocal, which we will examine in Melody.  The 4th verse extends the I chord again, with a different call and answer pattern in the rhythm section, to get a 16 bar blues:

16 bar blues - verse 4

The end of the song "tags" the final 4 bars, repeating the refrain lyrics 3 times before fading out. 

Within the blues progression, there are few funky chord extensions.  The I chord (C) is often heard as a C6, or C with an added A.  In addition to that, we hear the #9, or D# (Eb) on top, giving it that dirty blues feel.  The result is a C13#9 sound.  This occurs in the opening bars:

opening rhythm section

  The upright bass plays a common blues walking line, outlining root, 3rd, 5th and 6th (13).   The guitar (top) plays the 6th and #9, or minor 3rd of C.  The piano connects it all together with a moving line that touches on the #9 as well as 6th.  This pattern is transposed through the chord changes.

Melody

"A Big Hunk O' Love" has 4 verses with 2 different melodies throughout, tied together with the repeated title refrain. 

The first verse kicks things off with a melody we only get once:

Verse 1

Starting on beat 3+, Elvis hits the 5th of the chord and then works down a C minor triad.  The repeated "no's," outline the 6th and #9 and lead to the IV chord.  Over F, Elvis uses the same melodic content, typical of blues based melodies, and outlines the minor triad of the I chord.  In the final 4 bars, we hear the refrain, an outline of the G triad with some chromatic motion to get to the root of the IV chord.  He settles back into the tonal center of the tune with the C on "will do."

The second and third verses, a 14 bar blues, change things up a bit.  Here, he starts on the #9 (minor 3rd), dipping down to the root to cement the bluesy flavor.  The rhythm section play call and answer with a nifty blues scale riff.

verse 2 - bars 1-6

After four bars, he revisits the repeated note motif ("no's" in verse 1), this time hanging out on the minor 3rd before visiting the 6th and 5th, like before.  The rhythm section also accents the chords at an increasing rate, pushing us into the IV chord.

In the second half of this verse, we hear the background vocalists, the Jordonaires.  They were present during the first verse, but stuck to the chord roots, tightly blending with the bass.  Here, we get some annunciated words answering Elvis's calls.

Verse 2 - bars 7 - 14

The background vocals date this song with a doo-wop feel.  The close voicings provide a perfect bed of support for the lead vocal.  Notice how the "no's" use the Eb, minor 7th of F7, and bump it to E natural, the major third of C.  This arrangement repeats in the third and fourth verses.

Speaking of verse 4, it starts like verses 2 and 3.  The rhythm section call and answer is reduced and they take a little longer in their rhythmic build up.  Elvis takes a little longer to get to the "no's" as well.  Before he finally gets to the IV chord, he bumps up, every so slightly, to the E natural, bringing back the C7 sound before we hear more familiar material to lead to the F. 

Verse 4 - bars 1 - 9

This melody is relatively simple, but variation makes it interesting.  In a song with no chorus, it's very smart to vary previously heard material so it always sounds new and fresh. 

Musical Sticking Points

Sometimes less is more.  That's exactly what Elvis gives us throughout this song.  He sings and the rhythm section or vocalists answer him, that's basically it.  In the first verse, we get it with eighth note guitar attacks.  In the rest of the verses, the singers reply with words.  The length of verses gets varied, but it's really just the same thing, only different.

I love the simplicity of the instrumentation and overall arrangement.  Guitar bass and drums handle all of the instrumental load.  Elvis's powerful voice is complimented perfectly with the smooth singing of the Jordanaires.  The instrumental solos a refreshing element in pop music and at the time, pop was not so far removed from jazz and blues traditions.

Lyrics

Elvis really wants a kiss from the woman he is singing to.  His lyrical premise of "hey baby, I ain't asking much of you (A).....just a big hunk O' love will do (B)," sets the tone from the start. 

The first verse follow blues lyric construction: AAB.  The second and third verses feature 3 extra lines with rhyme scheme aab.  This is followed by the AB lines established in the first verse.  The fourth verse adds 4 extra lines with the rhyme scheme abcb before going back to the familiar AB.  The c line above also uses an internal rhyme "you know I'd have all the things these lucky charms could bring."

Once again, we see something that is relatively simple get transformed into something much more complex with a little variation.

Common Threads

Picking up from the previous list, we see these commonalities with Elvis and the others songs analyzed "on the 9's."

• Hook that uses the title of the song
• Repeated melodic elements
• Texture changes

The texture changes in "A Big Hunk O' Love" are not achieved the same way as other tunes.  Here, the rhythm section provides the changes with some stops, call and answer patterns and solos.  In the other tunes, instrument parts changed the texture with a synth part here or a horn part there.

The biggest common thread, though, is the idea of repeated material carrying the song.  This one is probably closest to "In the Year 2525" (1969) in form (all verses).  It shares a little bit with "Bad Girls" (1979) in the way the background vocals answer the lead vocal with repeated musical themes.  It shares the element of instrumental solos with 'Right Here Waiting" (1989).  

Comparing Elvis with "Genie In a Bottle" (1999), "I Gotta Feeling" (2009) and "Old Town Road" (2019), we see the use of a refrain (albeit in slightly different terms), reliance on repeated chord progressions and the use of texture changes and slight variation to keep things moving.  

Final Takeaways

When I recently explained this project to someone, they asked "what are you really looking for?"  My answer was "common musical themes that emerge in no.1 hit songs, regardless of when they were written."  I think that statement is proven relevant in this particular analysis.  If someone asked me what Elvis and Christina Aguilera had in common, prior to this, I might have only been able to answer "they are singers."  

The recurring theme in this round of analyses has been repetition with subtle variance to keep things evolving.  Every song has used a significant amount of repeated material.  There has not been much harmonic variation.  Vocal variation has been running rampant, but harmony has remained largely static.  

So where to next?  A recap common threads found in round 2, compared with common threads found in round 1.  This is what it's all about!  What do these songs, the height of popularity in their decade, have in common with one another?  What musical elements help make a song popular?  Stay tuned to see what musical themes emerge from decades of hits!

[1]https://biography.elvis.com.au/

"In The Year 2525" - Zager & Evans, 1969

The 60's were a unique time both musically and culturally.  One of the aims of this project is to uncover musical elements that contribute to a song's success.  While cultural elements are undoubtedly a factor in how high a song reaches on the Billboard Hit 100 chart, I am choosing to gloss that part over, believing that a good song is indeed a good song, regardless of when, why or how it became popular.  Which brings us to "In The Year 2525."

On the first listen (and the 2nd through 8th), I was perplexed as to how this song could have possibly reached no.1 and stay there for 6 weeks!  In part, the cultural climate of the times, I am certain, played a large role in this song's popularity (more on that in Lyrics).  But as I started to transcribe vocal parts and listen close to what was actually happening, the musical picture became more clear.  "In The Year 2525" utilizes musical techniques we have seen in so many other no.1 hit songs.  As I uncovered these techniques, it's easy to see why, musically anyway, this song made such a big impact.

July 12 - August 16, 1969: "In The Year 2525" by Zager & Evans strikes fear into the heart of man, going on a six week run at no.1 and then disappearing from the charts shortly there after, never to be heard from again. 

Upon first glance, the data for this song does not look unusual.  There is about an octave vocal range, familiar intervals, typical instrumentation for the times and a form with multiple sections....oh wait.....12 verses!?!?!

This song is a classic example of strophic form, or singing every verse of the text to the same music.  To be fair, there are slight variations in the melody, but for the most part, we get the same thing 11 times (the 12th time fades out quickly, but it's there).

How can you keep a song with the same music interesting for 11+ verses???  Zager & Evans accomplish this in a few ways.  First, the song starts in a free, rubato tempo.  Then, the band kicks in for the interlude (I) to set up the groove we hear for a majority of the tune.

Another way they keep things moving are through key changes.  This tune modulates through 3 different keys, each maintaining the same chord progression.  This happens in the second and third interlude sections.  The modulations up a 1/2 step really help to build tension, playing nicely off of the lyrics.

In verses 9 and 10, the drums cut out and we return to a free feel, similar to the intro.  This free tempo section is actually more rushed than the intro, so even though it feels like we are slowing down, the sense of urgency, again playing off the lyrics, keep the suspense high.  These two verse (V'9, V'10) are unique also due to the lyrics; the only verses in the song to not use the hook of "in the year ____."

To follow up on a topic I have traversed in other analyses ("Old Town Road," "I Gotta Feeling," and "Genie In A Bottle"), we could argue the song has a refrain.  A refrain could indicate a repeated section of music or a repeated lyric.  Think of "this land was made for you and me" being the refrain in "This Land Is Your Land," occurring in both the verse and chorus sections.  "In the year ____" is sort of a refrain, repeating 10 times throughout the song.

Chord Progressions 

Like so many songs "on the 9's," this one is made up of one unchanging chord loop.  We hear it in the intro played freely on a Mariachi sounding guitar and then more rocking in the verses.  Here is the start to verse 2, in tempo, set up by the guitar:

verse 2 -5 changes

This progression is a minor key staple!   i - bVII - bVI - V

There many songs that use this, like "All Along the Watchtower (Dylan/Hendrix)," "Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)," "Stray Cat Strut (Stray Cats)," "Love Song (The Cure)," and many many others.  The strong V- i motion keeps the tonal center intact among the other chords.

The bass line propels the song with pulsing 8th notes and a sly little turnaround:

bass line example

Each chord gets this basic treatment.  There's chromatic motion at the end of the first bar, replaced with pentatonic motion before moving to the next chord in the second bar.

The song modulates twice, going up to A minor and then Bb minor, maintaining the progression.  We have seen repeated chord progressions in nearly every song analyzed.  Modulations do not happen so often though.  In fact, "Hello, I Love You" by the Doors, no.1 just a year prior to this song, used a modulation to break up the repeated chord progression.  60's music man, so trippy!

Melody 

Strophic form can get redundant, using the same melody and chord progression, changing only the lyrics.  While this song certainly has lyrics that keep one engaged, the melody helps the cause with a few interesting nuances.

The song starts freely with guitar, strings, trumpet and vocals.  Here is the first verse, which has a call and answer between the vocals and trumpet:  *note:  all vocal parts are written out 1 octave higher than they sound.....who wants to look at a bunch of ledger lines??

verse 1

The melodic motif is set up clearly, with this R - 2nd - min3rd pattern, answered by the trumpet on the upper part of the scale.  On the F# chord, we hear 3rd - 2nd - R - 3rd, a reverse of the opening statement.  The E chord gets the same treatment (3-2-R-2-3) with a similar trumpet call on the upper scale notes.  The D# chord gets away from opening intervals and hits A# -B- A#, 5th, b6 and 5th of D#.  He does dip down to the G natural (F double sharp), or major 3rd of D# here, which pulls up to the tonal center for the 2nd verse. 

When the band kicks into verse 2, we hear a great harmony that enhances the hook.

verse 2

The 2nd verse begins the same as the intro, but then develops rhythms and melodies.  Over the F# chord, we see use of the 3rd and 5th, instead of 3-2-R as in the intro.  the E chord uses 3-2-R with the D# focusing again on the 5th of the D# chord.

Also notice above the 4th and 6th measures.  In m4, the melody lowers down to the F# and in m6, it goes down to the E.  Now look at the 4th and 6th measures in verse 3:

verse 3

 Here, the phrases end on A# and G#, higher than in the previous verse.  This subtle nuance gives the melody a flowing feel, preventing things from going stagnant.  As we head into verse 4, we see a mix of these melodic choices from previous verses in m4 and m6.

verse 4

This tweaking of pitch and rhythm happens through each verse.  When we arrive in verse 8, the melody climaxes with the highest notes in both lead and harmony vocals:

verse 8

 The end of this verse also contains a "whoa oh oh," which happens previous to this in verses 7 and 5, another example of a small change that keeps the melody fresh.  These "whoa oh oh's" occur before each modulation and before the 2nd rubato section.

Musical Sticking Points

This song masterfully takes repeated material and enhances with the addition and subtraction of musical elements.  This technique has been seen in just about every song analyzed "on the 9's."  Here is a verse by verse breakdown of those elements:

V1 (2525) - Freely - trumpet, strings, guitar

V2 (3535) - Tempo - + bass and drums

V3 (4545) - + sustained strings following chords

V4 (5555) - + Horns sustaining chords

V5 (6565) - + syncopation through the chords (strings or horns?) + "whoa oh oh"

verse 5 syncopation

Interlude - 4 measures - up 1/2 step in the second half.

V6 (7510) - + more developed horn syncopation

verse 6 horns ex.

V7 (8510) - Horn syncopation develops further + "whoa oh oh"

verse 7 syncopation ex.

Interlude - 2 measures, up 1/2 step

V8 (9595) - horns and strings continue to develop in rhythm and dynamics + "whoa oh oh"

V9/V10 - free tempo - guitar, bass and vocals with drums simmering in the background

V11 (2525) - Full elements

V12 (3535) - fades early into 3rd bar

Though each verse is similar, no verse is exactly the same.  The element of continuous development help to keep this relatively simple song progressing towards the finish, sneakily mixing around melodic and rhythmic elements the entire time.

Lyrics

In my opinion, this is the musical element that puts this song over the top in.  I suggest you watch the lyric video linked above or view the lyrics here.

The basic gist: what will life be like in the year 2525?  How about 3535, ad so on and so forth?  With the passing of each millennia, man's prognosis grows more grim.  In this bleak future, machines and science take credit for most of our human-like activity and we completely deplete Earth's resources.  Eventually God makes an appearance and contemplates some sort of Judgement day level event.

These lyrics are completely terrifying in their Orwellian prophecies of doom.  Just as "man's reign is through" and you think the doom is over, it restarts with "in the year 2525," begging our attention and making us rethink choices to prevent this future.  Though in a few instances, there are actually moments of proven prophecy.  Consider the 5th verse:

In the year 6565

Ain't gonna need no husband, won't need no wife

You'll pick your sons, pick your daughters too

From the bottom of a long glass tube

All of these societal choices are certainly common place in 2020.  Let's hope in the next x-1,000 years we will still be utilizing our teeth and eyes.

I would imagine the in your face nature of the lyrics, at a time when people where questioning man's motives in the wake of war and the Hippie movement in general, would have gotten many interested in the song, which apparently, is exactly what happened.    

If "In The Year 2525" came out today,  I think lyrically, it would be a huge turnoff.  These lyrics would probably be deemed "too cliche" and "too niche" in our hyper-categorical views of everything.  Musically though, it might have a chance.  It's fun to think of the question "if song ____ came out in the year ____, would it still be popular?"  That's a blog for another day!

Common Threads

Comparing "In The Year 2525" with other songs "on the 9's," we see several commonalities.

• Hook that uses the title of the song
• Repeated melodic themes
• Texture changes through instrumental additions and subtractions

This song is notably similar to others in this round for the use of extra musical elements throughout the arrangement.  Like so many other songs, little instrumental bits are sprinkled in to make similar sections feel different.  Musical development through slight variation has been a unifying factor in all songs analyzed.  People love surprises, but only if they are not too surprising.   When songs slightly vary some aspect, this type of sweet spot surprise is achieved.  

So even if this song is lyrically way out there, musically it's not so different.  It's popularity,  though largely influenced by the current time, has to be somewhat rooted in familiar musical sensibilities that people can connect with. 

Final Takeaways

Zager & Evans are a bonafide one hit wonder.  They hit no.1 in the US and UK and never charted on the top 100 again.  They tried, but their other songs, dealing with rape and religion, did not take off. [1] I guess the old adage "timing is everything" is true.

I like this song on many levels.  I enjoy the lyrics as they paint a dystopian picture that modern society perpetuates in TV and movies all the time.  This is a slightly different take on some common tropes and caught me off guard.  I also like the music.  The theme I have been observing "on the 9's" involving layered instruments over a single chord progression are front and center in this one.  There is so much evolution of melodies and instrument parts as well as tempo shifts and moments of tension.  

The hook in this one is very strong.  I asked a few people who would have been youngsters when this song came to sing a bar.  All of them instantly came out with "in the year 2525," sang at full tempo with wreckless abandon.  It's interesting to me that this lyric happens once in the beginning, at the slow tempo and again at the very end.  I guess the year doesn't matter, just the simple minor scale setup. 

What do you think of "In The Year 2525?"  If you have never heard it, please listen and give some thought to the lyrics.  I'm still floored this song sat at no.1 for 6 weeks!

Up next time, the last stop in this tour of "the 9's."  August 10th - 17th, 1959 - "A Big Hunk O' Love" By Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires.  

I am certain I do not know this song.  I have expected to see Elvis pop up on this list and am moderately excited to digging into "The King of Rock and Roll."  Stay tuned!

  

[1]https://www.waybackattack.com/zagerandevans.html

"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