"Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor, 1982

I remember seeing Rocky III  as a youngster and being enthralled.  If not for the appearance of Hulk Hogan, definitely for the inspiring story of Rocky Balboa.  The entire franchise was appealing to me; drama and violence set to catchy rock and roll.  Rocky I and II used on Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now," a cross genre blockbuster that spent a cool week at no.1 in 1977.  In 1982, Sly called an audible and the result would be one of the greatest rock songs ever.

I can't imagine getting a phone call from Sylvester Stallone requesting a song for his new movie because he was moved by my music.  If that wasn't surreal enough, churning out the demo just in time for the film's release and having it become HUGE must have fluffed the surrealistic pillow.  That's more or less the story of how Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan of Survivor wrote "Eye of the Tiger." [1]

Of all the songs I've analyzed in this project, this has to be one of the biggest.  If not in terms of record sales, certainly in longevity.  Now I don't go around blasting this in the car, but if it comes on, I'll listen and probably sing along and probably have a physical and emotional response in some way.  If those aren't hallmarks of a good song, I'm not sure what is.  

July 24th - August 28th, 1982: "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor prowls around the no.1 position for 6 weeks!

The form of this song took me by surprise and is simpler than I gave it credit for.  The intro and outro are the cornerstones of the entire piece.  The intro starts with 4 measures of guitar that build with an ominous piano swell.  The next 16 measures are the main guitar riff that develops with rhythmic variance and added harmony.  Then things simmer down with 2 measures of the guitar pedaling on the root.  This little bumper, denoted as "I" above, is a reoccurring interlude.  The first time it returns, it lasts 2 measures and then doubles before heading into verse 3.  The outro features a similar sequence to the intro, adding in some synth swells before fading out.

Verse 1 is a doubled 16 measure section, with verses 2 and 3 lasting the standard 8.  Each verse is more or less the same, aside from lyrics.

The chorus is varied the third and final time, adding an extra measure on the climax of "he's watching us all in the eye...........of the tiger."  

There is no bridge in "Eye of the Tiger."  This is somewhat surprising, especially when considering the last 80's analysis ("Jesse's Girl" 1981).  The song doesn't really need a bridge though and accomplishes the mission of a kick ass motivational rock song without one.  The intro and outro are perfect bookends to the vocal sustenance.  

Chord Progressions

The iconic intro starts with the guitar pedaling 16th note C's.  We will hear this riff throughout the entire intro and outro, laying a tonal and rhythmic bed for the rest of the band.

Guitar Ostinato

As this rolls on for four measures, an ominous swell ushers in the first sense of tonality, the R-min7 motion in the famous power chord guitar riff.  This eventually leads to the Ab, or bVI chord, a staple in minor chord progressions.  Note the slight change in rhythm 6th measure below, off set by an eighth note.  

Intro Guitar Riff

After we hear the power chorded riff, the guitar changes roles and add harmony, filling out the chords:

Riff with harmony

The three chords presented in the intro will constitute the entire verse progression, through shifted around.  The intro works out to:

Cmin  Bb Cmin /    Bb Cmin /  Cmin  G   Ab  / (Ab)
i        bVII   i    /    bVII  i      /    i         V bVI /

The verse stabilizes and reorders them to:

Cmin   /   Ab   /  Bb   /  Cmin

i          /  bVI  / bVII /    i  

The bass plays an interesting role during the verse.  In the intro and through the first half of verses, it thumps quarter notes on a repeated C, flourishing with C minor licks every 4 bars.  In the second half of the verses, chord roots are followed and slightly different flourishes and articulations are incorporated.

Bass - verse sample

Verse 2 features background guitar harmonies that add a little spice to the familiar part. The tail end also features an adventurous flourish from Stephan Ellis, one of Survivor's revolving bassists.  The guitars sustain an Eb and G, shifting chord tones over Cmin (-3/5) and Ab (5/7), then drop down a step to line up with Bb (3/5).  It certainly has the 80's twin guitar feel.

Verse 2 - guitar harmony + bass fill

Moving along to the chorus, we get more of the same, this time enhanced with some slick syncopation and the addition of 2 new chords.  The guitar and piano interplay during the chorus looks something like this:

Chorus - Guitar and Piano Redux

The chord progression works out to be:

Bb    Cmin /  Fmin   /  Eb/G   Bb   / Fmin    /  Cmin  Bb

bVII   i      /   iv       /  III/V    bVII/  iv         /     i       bVII

Fmin  /  Eb/G     Bb  /  Fmin   Eb/G  /  Ab

iv      /   III/V   bVII /   iv        III/V  / bVI

Adding the minor iv chord into the mix gives the part a completely different feel.  Even though it's built around minor chords, it feels brighter than the verse thanks to the higher guitar chords.  The Eb/G almost acts as a Bbsus as the guitar's Eb resolves to D over the Bb in the bass.  I have heard this song hundreds of times and never bothered to really analyze what was happening in this section.  It is a great balance to the rest of the tune.

The last two measures feature a harmony with the vocal on the ascending lines, a third lower, doubled by guitar and bass.  The walk up F-G-Ab creates a perfect tension until the classic release "of the tiger."  

Melody

While the famous guitar riff is no doubt an important melodic statement in the song, let's look at the vocal melody.  The first time we hear Dave Bickler (who also sang "real men of genius" from those early 2000 Budweiser commercials!), he enters on beat 2, singing two words that most people know, "rising up."  

This double verse is well crafted, repeating rhythmic and melodic themes.  The first two 4 measure phrases begin on beat 2 with a similar pitch and rhythm patterns.  Throughout each phrase, the rhythm is altered but the pitch choices are similar.  G-Bb (5th and -7) over Cmin, G, F and Eb (7, 6 and 5) on Ab, F, Eb and G (5, 4 and 6) over Bb and a chord tone resolution in the 4th bar on C minor, Eb or G.  

Comparing the first 8 measures with the second 8, we see more repeated patterns, specifically the quarter note triplet figure in measures 6 and 14.

   

Verse 1

Each verse follows this basic melodic structure.  I like how it maintains the same character but leaves plenty of room for variation, driven by the lyrics.  Every note is delivered with confidence and strength, very fitting to the musical style and message of the song.

The chorus begins with a subtle syncopation shared with the piano, entering on the + of beat 3 with the repeated dotted 8th figure.  The structure of most of the chorus is similar to the verse, sticking to note groupings for each chord.  Every F minor chord features repeated Ab's (-3) walking down through G and F to Eb (-3, 2, R, -7).  The 2nd and 6th measures use Eb, F and G, R-2-3 for Eb and 5-6 for Bb, similar intervals as in the verse.  

Chorus

The end of the chorus has the climax to the song and one of the hooks "and he's watching us all in the eye of the tiger."  This part kills on a few levels.  First, the ascending line that moves up two steps then down one until reaching the top C is a familiar pattern and very dramatic.  The way the F minor scale (F, G, Ab, Bb, C) works over the shifting chords adds to the drama.  When it the C is held over Ab, now the 3rd, it has the intense open quality.  The band tacet on beat 3 an the prolonged completion of the phrase, "of the tiger," is just a classic moment.    

Lyrics

While the lyrics to "Eye of the Tiger" are not very poetic or profound, they are motivational, especially if your name is Rocky Balboa and you're training to fight Clubber Lang in a championship boxing match.  

For a song to be universally motivational, the language has to be to the point without much room for interpretation.  Survivor does a good job of telling the story about a beaten person developing "the eye of the tiger" and "rising up to the challenge of their rivals."  The chorus gives this sentiment particularly well!  

Apparently, the original version of the song only featured two verses and Stallone requested a third verse. [1]  If this story is true, then according to Lyric Genius, verse 2 may be the additional verse, directly influenced by the movie. [2]  In reality, the whole song seems to be written directly about the plight of Mr. Balboa; Everyman's journey from poverty to prosperity, if you will...

The verse rhyme scheme follows ABAC.  The C line, in fact, is "survive" three times and "alive" once.  Note the use of "survivor" in the chorus as well.  Any band who can regularly reference their own band name is okay by me.  I mean Iron Maiden has a song called "Iron Maiden" and Black Sabbath has a song called "Black Sabbath."  Not that this song shares the band's name, but a little self promotion isn't a bad thing. 

Common Threads

Are there common musical elements shared by no.1 hits throughout the decades?  That's what I'm hoping to find out.  For every analysis, I compiled some potential shared elements and investigate how they are utilized in various no.1 songs.  Building off the list from last time, with Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again (Naturally)," let's see how "Eye of the Tiger" fits in:

Repetitive Melody -  'Eye of the Tiger" has a lot of repetition.  The main guitar riff, the vocal melody from verse to verse, as well as chorus to chorus, along with melodic conventions within each section use repetition liberally.  

Texture Changes - While they are few, the texture changes are prominent.  The isolated guitar playing a single note is an enduring texture for this song and rock music in general.  The sparse entrance of the rhythm section stabbing out the chord melodies is another classic sound, reminiscent of "stop rhythm" choruses in blues music.  Then there is the pulsing verses contrasted with the brighter choruses, complete with octave guitars....lots of texture changes here for sure.    

Hook that Uses Title of the Song - I couldn't even make up my mind which "eye of the tiger" hook was more catchy!

Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - Steps and minor thirds have the "Eye of the Tiger."  The verses and chorus definitely rely on 2nds.

- Strong motion of V- I - We see lots of bVI -i resolutions, common for songs in a minor key.

Hold Overs

- Use of Vocal Harmony - no background vocals!  The second one in 9 analyses.

- New Material at the End -  While the coda may seem new, it's the same as the intro

Chord Count: 6 - Cmin, Bb, G5, Ab, Fmin, Eb/G - I lumped the power chords in with their triadic brothers.  After hearing this song my entire life, I expected less chords.  6 is a solid number for a relatively straightforward tune.

For such an iconic song, I'm not surprised to see some of these commonalities.  The melody is repetitive, built on diatonic steps with lyrics that are easy to relate with.  The end result is a catchy tune that elicits feeling from the first note.  

Final Takeaways

"Eye of the Tiger" has to be included on a list of songs I learned to play early in my musical training.  I took a life changing course in high school called "instrumental workshop" that offered non-band instrumentalists an opportunity to play in a rock band setting.  There was a class book filled with classic rock songs every young player should get the chance to play and not surprisingly, "Eye of the Tiger" was there.  Funnily enough, it was always considered "hard," mostly due to the clunky rhythm of the chorus.

As an elementary school music teacher, this song comes up regularly.  When kids reach upper elementary and their parents expose them to Rocky, they request the guitar toting music teacher (me) to serenade them with Rocky's training music.  It is also adaptable to play on recorder, a genuinely fun melody on that instrument (B  BAB   BAB   BAG).   Funnily enough, in all of my experience with the song, I have been playing it wrong for all those years!  It's nice to finally know exactly what they are playing in the main riff and chorus.  Sorry for getting it wrong all those years Survivor!

Given my experience, I half expected to be tired of it heading into this analysis.  While I don't plan on rocking out to it in my "off" time, I was happy to learn it in this context and even enjoyed it.  For an almost 40 year old song, it has aged well.  It has intensity, nostalgia, a relevant message and a catchy melody you can't help singing along with.  While it may be lacking a bridge or any serious variation from section to section, it serves its function well.  What more could you want in a motivational rock song that makes you want to kick life's ass?  

What do you think of "Eye of the Tiger?"  Does it hold up as a no.1 hit?  I am the only musician who has been playing it incorrectly for 20 years?  Leave me a comment!

Up next time, we head to 1992, the next stop "on the 2's."  August 8th, 1992, snugly nestled between the 5 week run of Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" and the monumental 13 week run of Boys II Men's "End of the Road," we get a one week flash in the pan.  "This Used To Be My Playground" by Madonna.  I have been strictly adhering to songs no.1 in the first week of August.  Madonna's entry sneaks in between two very well known songs.  I am unfamiliar with this one, so given my track record "on the 2's," I could be in for a pleasant surprise?   

[1]https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/story-behind-the-song/2015/02/14/eye-toger-jim-peterik-rocky-sylvester-stallone/23316471/

[2]https://genius.com/2086242

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chord Progressions

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

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

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

Verse (A) Chord Changes

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verse 3 - arrangement highlights

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

 

Melody

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

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

Verse 1 - meas. 1-8

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

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

Verse 1 - meas.9-16

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

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

Bridge

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

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

Lyrics

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

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

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

Looking back over the years

And whatever else that appears

I remember I cried when my father died

Never wishing to hide the tears

And at sixty-five years old

My mother, God rest her soul

Couldn't understand why the only man

She had ever loved had been taken

Leaving her to start with a heart so badly broken

Despite encouragement from me

No words were ever spoken

And when she passed away

I cried and cried all day

Alone again, naturally

   

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

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

Common Threads

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Takeaways

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" - Bryan Adams, 1991

 Bryan Adams is one of those iconic 80's and 90's songwriters whose music creates instant nostalgia.  His voice, coupled with song writing sensibility, is unmistakably his.  That being said, his songs do have a tendency to blend together, all having that signature sound, which is reminiscent of others (Rod Stewart?).  A New York Times article from 1994 begins to pin down the ordinary magic of Bryan Adams, a musical quality lacking in the flashy landscape of 2020, for better or worse. [1] 

When I think Bryan Adams, I think of "Summer of 69" and today's subject, "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You."  I had pretty good recall of this one prior to the analysis and remember the video from my childhood, complete with scenes from "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves" (though that video appears to have been deleted from YouTube.  There is, however, a live video featuring the album length version).  

Bryan Adams is one of those guys that you are more familiar with than you may realize.  He has logged 25 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, 11 of which cracked the top 10 and 4 that hit no.1 . [2]  After analyzing this song, it turns out I am a fan of his song writing. He shared some insights into his process in this Songwriter Universe interview from 2006. [3]  Today's melody may be one of the more iconic entries this project has come across.  I am reminded of Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting (1989)" in style, but Adams presents an overall more developed and sophisticated presentation.

July 27th - September 7th 1991:  "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams goes 7 weeks at no.1!

This song uses classic song structure.  We hear two rounds of verse-chorus, followed by a bridge, concluded with a final chorus.  There isn't any wasted time between sections and even in the intro, we are getting teased with bite sized chunks of the melodic content to come.  

The tune is also filled with space.  The chorus melody ends more than a measure before we hear the next section, leaving the instruments to settle in on huge chords.  This also happens out of the vocal bridge (B1) and again at the end, leaving you to well up tears with a few beats of silence after the vocal climax of the tune, "I'd die for you....."

The outro is a simple statement of the hook, completing the chorus we missed a few bars earlier.  The album version actually includes additional solos and vocal musings after the single version ends.  Today we will be basing the discussion off the shorter, single version.

Chord Progressions

The opening piano intro provides us with a harmonic and melodic preview of the song to come.

Piano intro

Note the chord sequence, each preceded by a 16th note grouping that compliments the melody:

Db  / Ab/Db   /  Gb/Db   / Dbsus2

I    /  V         /   IV          / I

The verse basically uses this pattern, replacing the Dbsus2 with Ab/Db or Absus and Ab.  All of this simple movement is familiar, but gets its own flavor with the common Db.  

The chorus is broken up into two very different 4 bar phrases.  The first half ventures to Eb minor and features the bass passing through chords to give a completely different feel than the verse:

Ebmin  Db/F  / Ebmin/Gb    /   Ebmin   Db/F  /   Ebmin/Gb

ii           I        /  ii                  /  ii                I       /  ii

The second time we hear the chorus, there is this additional guitar arpeggio that adds another subtle flavor.  This crunchyness foreshadows a few heights the guitar reaches towards the end.

Chorus 2 guitar riff

The final 4 measures play out closer to the verse, once again sticking to I and V in the key, with some added inversion:

Db/Ab   / Ab   /  Db   /  Db

I           /  V     /  I      /  I

The bridge, also divided in two sections, starts with a temporary modulation down a whole step:

B          /   E       / B   / Gb

(bVII) / IV/B   /  I    / V/B (IV/Db) 

The Gb chord pivots us back into Db for the final five measures B1:

Db  /  Ab   / Eb   /  Ab   /  Ab

I    /  V      /V/V  / V      / V

The extra measure of Ab provides a breath before the guitar solo in the second half of the bridge.  Here, the changes are simpler, alternating between 2 bars of Gb and 2 bars of Db, IV - I.

The master of subtle nuance, Adams isn't done yet.  The last chorus keeps the Ebmin chord, but ditches the passing tones in the bass and introduces a syncopated guitar/keys riff with Absus resolving Ab.  The climax shifts some chords around and brings us to the Beatlesesque Gbmin, or iv.

As if that wasn't enough, the final measures feature a new harmonic variation on the hook:

Db/Ab   / Ab   /  Gb  Ebmin  /Db

I           /  V     / IV    ii         / I

Melody

As I mentioned, this melody is well crafted and iconic.  I like how it doesn't waste time getting to the point and uses space to its advantage.  Verse one comes in after the 4 measure intro and melodically  answers the piano flourishes established in the intro, continuing throughout the verses.

Verse 1

This 8 bar segment is comprised of two sets of like phrases.  The first begins on beat 2, covering 3rd and root.  A similar phrases follows on the next beat 2, covering 5th and root of Ab.  Then we get an ascending phrase starting on the 3rd of Gb and working up to Eb, the 5th of Ab.  So far, lots of chord tones.

The second half of the verse covers the same melodic ground, but flips the rhythm on its head.  This time, the phrases start on beat 4 of the preceding measure.  The ascending line in measures 7 and 8 is similar, but is slower getting to the ornament over the Ab chord.  The use of chord tones, diatonic steps, ornaments and subtle rhythmic displacement make this verse melody an integral part of the song and not just a forgettable verse that comes before the chorus.

The chorus uses less space with a more deliberate pacing than the verse.  Combined with the Eb minor chord, this part sounds completely new and fresh when it arrives.  We quickly return to familiarity with a return to verse harmonic and melodic conventions:

Chorus 1 and 2

The hook, using faster notes with lots of space, is very effective at getting stuck in your head.  There are more chord tones with repeated leanings on Gb before resolving to chord tones.  The big of space after the vocals let the chord ring out and settle in your feels.

Verse 2 and chorus 2 are similar the previous statements.  Things take a surprise turn in the first bridge:

Bridge 1

The rhythmic motives are very different from the verse.  Phrases start on beat 4 and finish around beat 2.  The last two phrases are longer with basic 8th note syncopation.

The entire melody here gradually gets higher with each phrase.  The added harmony starts lower than Bryan for 4 measures and then goes above him for the last 4, really highlighting this arc.  Note the melody continues to utilize chord tones that flow stepwise through the chords.  Following the last measure above, we get more silence, interrupted by 3 piano notes to lead in the guitar solo:  

Bridge 2 - Guitar Solo

This guitar solo immediately sticks out as something different with many alternate note choices.  We hear an F over the Gb, the major 4th.  The briefly resolves to the 5th, Db, before sustaining an Eb, now the 9th of the Db chord.  From there, we get several chord tones and then a sudden jump to Bb, the 3rd of the Gb chord.  It finishes with a quick pentatonic line and some bluesy bends to bring it home for the last chorus.

In the last chorus, we get the most dramatic moment of the song.  4 measures of something familiar are interrupted with the emotional and desperate pleas from Adams, reflected in the music.

chorus 3

The section starts higher than before, moving from Ab to Gb and then down to Eb, once again, primarily chord tones (also note the syncopated Absus - Ab line notated above).

The last 4 measures turn the harmony back on and give us three like phrases that devolve to the climax.  A slight ritard add to the drama as does, surprise, surprise - silence.  

The last statement of the hook finishes out the song, slightly varied from before:

outro

Wow, what a melody.

Lyrics

The lyrics are uber sentimental, walking a line between undying devotion and 90's cheese.  

Search your heart, search your soul
And when you find me there, you'll search no more

The bridge jumps over the line and falls into cheese:

There's no love like your love

And no other could give more love

There's nowhere unless you're there

All the time, all the way, yeah

The last chorus throws out repeated "you's" and an out of date phrase in "walk the wire:"

Yeah, I would fight for you

I'd lie for you 

Walk the wire for you

Yeah, I'd die for you

The verses follow an AABB rhyme scheme with the chorus doing the same.  Other than that, the unrelenting emotional sentiment is what it is.  Luckily for Bryan, the music does a great job of enhancing this sentiment, even taking a little attention off of it.  

 

I always remember the video enhancing these lyrics.....I wish the Robin Hood video was still available because I remember making a connection with the characters at the peak moments.  Perhaps these feelings are not so common in everyday life and transferring them onto others, even movie characters, helps to make the story slightly more personal.  I wonder if Bryan channeled the movie when writing the lyrics or it was based on personal events?  The New York Times article may have predicted the answer.....[1]

Common Threads

What musical elements are present in no.1 hit songs across the decades?  That is exactly what I am trying to find out.  Picking up where "Bootylicious (2001)" left off, what common threads does this Bryan Adams classic add or subtract from the equation?

• Repetitive Melody -  Both the verse and chorus melodies play off the theme set up in the piano intro. 
• Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - There is a lot of stepwise motion in the song.  It frequently covers the 4th, so I omitted "pentatonic" in this common thread.   
• Texture Changes - The frequent silence and rhythm section tacets qualify this category.  The guitar solo and slow outro also help the song get out of the same sonic landscape.  
• New Material at the End - On two fronts, we hear new material at the end of the song.  The last 4 bars of the closing chorus have a new melody and the final statement features a slight melodic variation and an added chord.  
• Hook that Uses Title of the Song - No parentheses needed for this one. 

(- pentaonic motion common in melody)

Chord Count - 9 - Db, Gb, Gbmin Ab, Absus, Ebmin, Eb, B, E - the only slash chord that feels worthy of it's own chord would be Absus, which is more than an inversion.  

I am surprised as to how easy this song checked the common threads boxes.  This is my 28th analysis and I'm wondering if I have truly found relevant commonalities or I am reaching a little bit too much to fit these songs into my preconceived slots.  The other explanation is that these are valid connections no.1 songs share.  Some of these songs fit easier than others and so far in this round, there are many commonalities among musical devices.  

Final Takeaways

Despite the cheesy lyrics, I like this song.  It is built on simple musical premises that are slightly tweaked to make it seem special and unique.  The arrangement enhances the melody, with the call and answer between piano and vocal, and the use of silence builds drama every time it appears.  There is no wasted section and the structure does exactly what it needs to: produce an emotional rock ballad in about 4 minutes.

While the rhythm section, on the surface, does that typical 90's soft rock thing, there are some shining moments.  The bass, which mostly plays a dotted quarter-eighth feel, accentuates the changes with passing tones to create inversions and rhythmic fills.  The drums keep a basic 4/4 beat but shift the texture from rim shots to snare, building intensity.  The cymbals also float between 8th and 16th notes, providing just enough rhythmic stability when it's necessary.  

I feel this song is somewhat important to the project, thus far.  "I Do It For You" may be in the top tier of quality songs, not just because I am most familiar with it, but because it clearly and creatively manipulates base, simple source material into something much more.  Bryan Adams sold lots of copies, which is not an easy accomplishment in any decade.  Hopefully, as we get deeper into this round, "on the 1's," I can realize why this song holds a special place in my heart.

What do you think of "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You?"  Does the nostalgia value keep it in high regard or does it stay well regarded because it's good?  Leave me a comment!

Next time, we continue backtracking "on the 1's" to 1981....2 weeks at no.1, August 1st - August 8th, another nostalgic classic: "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield.  Get ready for some fun!

[1]https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/08/arts/review-pop-bryan-adams-more-mr-nice-guy.html

[2]https://www.billboard.com/music/bryan-adams/chart-history

[3]http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/bryanadams.htm

Round 3 Wrap Up - "On the 0's"

The motivation for this analysis project is rooted in my search for answers to the question: "what makes a good song good?"

While "good song" invariably means different things to different people, I am drawing source material from the Billboard Hot 100, the industry standard that tracks the best selling songs.  While sales don't always indicate quality, they do indicate people's desire to listen to a song, which insinuates that if people are spending money and time to hear it, it probably has some inherent value, to someone.

In this round of analyses, I looked at songs "on the 0's": 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020.  After analyzing 11 songs in total, I compiled a list of common musical elements.  While the presence of certain musical elements does not guarantee a song to get to no.1, many no.1 songs do share certain characteristics.   It's fascinating to find musical devices used in no.1 songs across a wide range of time.  

Working off of the list of "common threads" compiled for "songs on the 0's," here are the findings:

Repeated melodic motifs - 11/11 - Patterns of melody end up being repeated either within a section or in multiple sections.  It makes sense that repetition is a unifying element for pop songs in any decade.     

Strong harmonic motion from V to I  -3/11 - In Western music, the V chord pulls naturally to the I chord.  Many pop songs capitalize on this phenomena.  Note, the 3 songs that use V - I motion happened in 1960, 1980 and 1990....

Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture - 8/11 - Background vocals are common in many songs, but to qualify here, they have to be integral to the song, contributing to the harmonic and/or melodic texture and not just a decoration for the lead vocal.  They must be an important part to the overall composition and presentation.

Modulation -  4/11 - Does a song remain in the same harmonic space/key for its entirety, or does it modulate to another tonality?

New material presented at the end - 6/11 - When the song is nearing its end, just when you think you've heard it all, a new melody or chord sequence appears, leaving you longing for more, or wondering if you missed something earlier.

Hook that uses the title of the song - 10/11 - The hook is the melodic chunk that gets stuck in your ear, and it often contains the title of the song.  

Contains a lyrical refrain  - 5/11 - Repeated use of the same lyric, in like or different sections, qualifies as a lyrical refrain.  

Evolution of musical elements - 7/11 - When a section of a song is repeated, does it sound exactly like it did the first time, or is something different?  This may occur in the vocal performance or some added production element that makes one repeat sound different from another.  

Looking at the above chart, some trends stick out.  The use of chord progressions with V - I and the use of modulation is prevalent up to 2000 and then completely falls off the map.  This could be in part to shorter chord progressions, though Sisqó's 2000 contribution would disagree with that.

  

The two most enduring musical elements seem to be repeated melodic motifs and the use of the song title in the hook.  

Musical evolution/development of a song is a little less penetrating that I would have thought.  Its absence in 1960 and 1980 is not quite as surprising as its absence in 2010 and 2020, especially considering the advancement in recording techniques in later years.  It seems as though simple and straightforward is a returning trend over the course of the last decade.  

In the round 2 wrap up, I consolidated song data to show vocal gender, tempo/meter, key signature, length, chord progressions used and sections present.  The chart below shows data for the songs "on the 0's":

Adding these 11 songs into the mix yields the following notable statistics:

• 9/25 (36%) in a minor key 
• 6/25 (24%) have a tonal center of Ab (G#)
• 12/25 (48%) utilize one primary chord progression for the entire tune
• 17/25 (68%) contain more than 2 sections
• 6/25 (24%) have verse and chorus only
• 13/25 (52%) contain at least one bridge section
• 10/25 (40%) utilize the bVII chord
• 18/25 (72%) utilize the IV(iv) and I(i) chords*
• 23/25 (92%) are in duple (2/2 or 4/4) meter
• 14/25 (56%) feature a male lead singer
• 23/25 (92%) use the title of the song in the hook
• Average length - 3:49

After adding in these new data points, percentages more or less stayed the same.  A few categories dropped lower (Primary chord progression - 57% from rounds 1 and 2 down to 48% with round 3 songs added in).  A few went slightly higher (bridge section - 50% to 52%).  With no drastic drops, I am confident that these elements represent qualities of no.1 hit songs across the decades.  

I hope this data can prove valuable to song writers and at least give some insight into proven musical elements for pop songs.  

The Decade Hit Analysis Project is continually evolving and I am learning much from analyzing and transcribing no.1 hit songs through the decades.  I will now move forward on two fronts:

• I like the idea of periodically returning to no.1 hit songs from 2020.  Data points from every no.1 hit in 2020 would be very valuable in representing this year's music.  I plan to tackle them all, in between other analyses
• I am gearing up for Round 4, songs on the "1's!"  I will look at no.1 songs in the first week of August, starting in 2011, and work backward to 1961, which means....

Up next time: July 16 - August 20, 2011: "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock goes 6 weeks at no.1.  I am only vaguely familiar with this song and hope to find the quintessential "song of the summer" in this 2011 entry. Let round 4 begin!

"cardigan" - Taylor Swift, 2020

 Taylor Swift released her 8th studio album in the July 24th, 2020.  The lead single, "cardigan," debuts on the Hot 100 at no.1, August 8th, 2020.  

The track was co-written and produced by Aaron Dessner, of the National, and is not what I would expect from the pop singer, though I am hardly the person to make T-Swift recommendations.  Her new album, Folklore, seems fantastic and well regarded by many.  After reading this Insider.com track by track review, my interest is peaked! [1]  After transcribing most of the lead single though, I'm afraid I won't be as jazzed as those authors.  

There are elements of this song that I do like and there are clear similarities between "cardigan" and other no.1 songs through the decades.  In the end though, the song is just there.  The no.1 status makes me think that the curiosity factor of a surprise Taylor Swift song helped it rocket to the top.  If it manages to stay another week, I will be surprised and impressed.  This Slate.com article eventually agrees with me and hypothesis why the song reached no.1. [2]  Never the less, I will try and set opinions aside and focus on the musical attributes of the song.

August 8th, 2020: "cardigan" by Taylor Swift debuts at no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

There are a few surprises in the form.  The intro features a wind noise and a faint shaker evolving into a neat hand drum/body percussion sample.  Then, all of a sudden, the piano chimes in with verse 1.  This "intro" is a total of ten 8th note beats, equal to 1.25 measures.  This might be the most challenging part of the song, as the accents in the drum sample don't quite indicate where beat 1 ends up landing.  

We then go through a verse/chorus/refrain sequence.  The first statements of the chorus and refrain work together and are only separated at the very end, justifying different labels.  The third chorus, though, ditches the refrain and gets an extra 4 measures, which are different from the first 4.  Each chorus also features different lyrics, furthering the overall story of the song.    

The "refrain," in this case, houses the title phrase and is repeated 3 times in total.  The closing statement gets a cool treatment with alternate chords, taken from the bridge.  

Speaking of bridges, there are two of them.  The first begins with 4 measures of an instrumental followed by 4 measures of melody built over new chord changes.  The 2nd bridge uses recycled chord changes and features a brand new melody, making it more than a third verse.

There is lots of added production to the entire track ranging from noises, to string samples to a Mellotron part.  All of these sounds, combined with the slow tempo certainly create an tangible mood.    

Chord Progression

Before looking at any notation, the song utilizes swing 16th notes.  This swing feel only occurs with groups of two sixteenth notes and not with two 8th notes.  If you feel the micro beat (8th notes), it has the same effect as swung eighth notes.  

"cardigan's" opening chord progression is set up by the piano in the first verse:

Piano - Opening

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

Fmin   /   Bb  /  Ab   /  Bb

ii       /   V     /  IV    / V

The chorus delivers the I chord and a familiar chord sequence:

Eb  /  Bb  / Ab  /  Bb

I   /  V    / IV   / V

The refrain uses the verse changes, above.

The first bridge features a different chord progression, which is also used over the final refrain:

Ab  /  Cmin  /  Bb   /  Ab

IV  / vi        / V     / IV

There is a very slight variation used during the second half of the third chorus, which carries over to the second bridge.  There, we see the first Bb chord get an F in the bass.  This slight shift gives that chord a much different feel when following the Eb.

Melody

The verses share a similar melody, built on two syncopated figures, sang low in T-Swift's range:

Verse 1

Measures 1,2, 5 and 6 use a motif built around note groupings Ab, G, Bb and Bb, C and F.  Each chunk fits into the 16th-8th-16th syncopation beginning on beat 2.  

Measures 3,4, 7 and 8 use a triplet theme, which will reoccur throughout the song.  Repeated three note groupings of G, F and Eb (3-2-1 in Eb) are borrowed from the piano riff that floats above each section.

The first verse leads directly into the chorus, carrying over both rhythmic entrances and syncopation.  The chorus leans on repeated 16th notes, a staple in Swift's melodic arsenal.  Each of the two phrases ends with a melisma on Eb-G-F-Eb, the same pitches used in the piano line and the verse triplet figure.

Chorus 1 and Refrain

   

After 4 bars of chorus, the chords shift back to the verse progression for the refrain.  Here, once again , the triplet rhythm is used, this time descending through the Eb pentatonic scale.  The word "cardigan" uses a brand new rhythmic figure and is followed by familiar syncopation.  At the tail end of the refrain, we hear a guitar riff which will also reappear throughout the tune and is repeated in verse 2.

Basic Guitar Riff

 

Verse 2, chorus 2 and the 2nd refrain rehash melodic material from previous iterations.  After the second refrain, we head into the first bridge with 4 measures of instrumental plodding.  The piano riff retains its rhythmic placement but shifts notes to support the impending C minor chord (C, Eb, F, G, C).  When Taylor comes in, we hear:

Bridge 1 - meas. 5-8

Rhythmic entrances shift to beat 4, instead of beat 2 and the dotted eighth-sixteenth figure is used repeatedly.  The first half uses C and G, which resolve down to Eb on the C minor (minor 3rd).  The second half shifts those notes down a whole step to Bb and F, retaining the ending descending line.

At this point in the song, we have heard each primary section twice, gotten a brief instrumental interruption and new melody with the bridge.  Now, we head into the back half, which picks up the pace.  Out of bridge 1 comes the third chorus, an 8 measure variation on the original 4 bar melody:

Chorus 3

The first 4 bars are like the previous choruses with different lyrics and a harmony added up a third.  The last 4 measures start like the chorus proper, but veer off course in measure 6, going lower over the new chord, Bb/F.  The last two measures borrow the triplet line from the verse and refrain, only with a new note grouping: Eb, C and Bb.  

These last 4 measures create a very subtle shift to the natural minor sound and blend melodic and rhythmic themes used previously.  The 8th measure of this chorus (above) is the pickup to the second bridge, a mammoth 12 measure section that expands upon rhythms and melodies presented in the first bridge:

Bridge 2 - meas. 1-6

The entrances in this bridge are similar to the last bridge; 8th-16th syncopation on beat 4.  Each entrance is followed by descending 16th notes, Ab, G, F, Eb, and lead directly into an additional statement of the phrase.  Bb and F become melodic focal points in between and the chord progression shifts to include more Bb/F chords. 

Bridge 2 -  meas.7-12

After 8 measures, the chord progression shifts back to verse changes and the pacing slows down.  We get 4 repeats of "you'd come back to me," which feel spacious after all the repeated 16th notes.  The piano strays from its original feel and the guitar riff weaves in and out.  

A returning piano riff sets up the final refrain, this time utilizing the bridge changes.  The guitar riff ends the song, repeating the last two notes, played over an Ab chord.  There is an "outro" consisting of a faded 3 measure chunk of NIN-esque noise.  

Guitar - final melodic statement

  

Musical Sticking Points

There is certainly an evolution of musical ideas throughout the song.  While this is most obviously driven by changing lyrics, the chord progressions sneak in and out.  The song is built on, essentially, 5 chords: Fmin, Bb, Ab, Eb and C minor.  While the chord progressions vary in chord order, intensity and inversion, they do end up settling into the same harmonic feel.

The melody is crafted well, constantly borrowing rhythms and motifs from itself.  The third chorus has a nice mix of several parts and the second bridge logically develops a melody seen earlier in the tune.  All of these moments are great, but there is a lot of repetition before we see any development.  

The drum part is unique for a pop song.  The opening groove is very sparse and sounds like clapping and patting on someone's legs.  Eventually, we hear the familiar kick and snare, but they don't play a standard beat.  Below is an approximation of the opening/first verse drums feel compared with the chorus feel:

Drum approximations - Verse 1 vs Chorus 1

Both versions play off of the swing 16th feel and syncopation present in the vocal melodies.  

The overall arrangement is pretty slick.  On my first few listens, I had trouble distinguishing the parts.  This was due, in part, to ever changing lyrics, but also due to borrowed themes.  When I wrapped my head around what was actually happening, I could see the quality craftsmanship.  Unfortunately, this is not overwhelmingly positive.  The dreamy atmosphere can work against itself and create this gray blob of sound that all feels the same.

Lyrics

Taylor Swift is a master at painting vivid portraits with words.  She writes these lyrics from the perspective of "Betty," a character featured on the album "Folklore."  There is a lot to unpack in these lyrics, and I recommend taking a peek at the Lyric Genius annotations. [3]

The verse uses the rhyme scheme AAB CCB, with B being a refrain, of sorts, "when you are young they assume you know nothing."  The chorus reverses this pattern with ABB ACC, this time with A as a refrain of "I knew you."  

Bridge 1 is comprised of internal rhymes resulting in (AA)B (AA)B.  The second bridge moves through 4 sets of rhyming and/or near rhyming couplets ("long" and "young"; "expired" and "light").

The refrain also uses a near rhyme with "cardigan" and "bed."

Overall, the lyrics are well crafted and contain some cool imagery and lots of "Easter Eggs," which Taylor has become known for.  

Common Threads

This has been an epic round "on the 0's" with data points from 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, two songs from 2010 and now, four songs from 2020.  For each song, I have compiled a list of common musical elements present and then see where the analysis in question figures in.  Adding "cardigan" into the mix, we see:

• Repeated melodic motifs - this song expertly reuses themes in each section.  This song is right up there with "Rain On Me" in the way melodic motifs are recycled and repackaged.  
• Strong harmonic motion from V to I  -While there is a strong pull to V, it doesn't actually function like V.  The pull from IV to I is noticeable.  
• Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture - I'm not ready to cross this one out due to the presence of the vocal harmonies from the first bridge through the end of the tune.  They are not, however, such and important contributing force to the melody or the overall textural presentation.  The instrumental arrangement is far integral in that picture.
• Modulation -  
• New material presented at the end - technically, there is not new material at the end.  There is however, is different twist on something we already heard: the refrain lyrics and melody combined with the bridge chord progression.
• Hook that uses the title of the song   - I'm not even sure what the hook is, or if there is a hook.  I chose "you put me on and said I was your favorite" because it was the one part I could easily sing along with, it stayed lyrically consistent and featured a melody used elsewhere in the song.  Any way you slice, it doesn't use "cardigan" in the most singable part of the melody.  
• Contains a lyrical refrain  - This could get triple points, as there are several lyrical refrains: "when you are young they assume you know nothing," "I knew you," and "when I felt like I was an old cardigan...."   
• Evolution of musical elements -  The melodic development and ending chord rearrangement qualify this for sure.

A solid 3/8 common threads and 2 near hits for "cardigan."  The end of round wrap up will hopefully flush out some of these elements and see what musical trends have been seen in no.1 hits through the decades.

Final Takeaways

After this entire analysis, I'm still not sure where I land on "cardigan."  On paper, I love it.  I think the way the melody and chord changes seamlessly move between and play off one another is genius.  The lyrics are rich with description and references to provoke the imagination of any listener.  The whole song has a vibe that can't be denied and I found this song affecting my mood.

Listening to it, though, is not as fun as talking about it.  It's so slow and all of the similar melodies blend together, resulting in forgettable melodies.  The hook in this song is hard to pin down, which for a pop tune, is a very surprising.  

All of that being said, I would be happy to hear or play an acoustic rendition of the tune.  I actually started thinking about how this song would translate with just chords and melody.  Well, Taylor must have thought that too, because there is a lovely acoustic version.  When the production is taken away, you can hear the song for what it is, a lovely ballad.  All of this is fine, it's just not what I would expect from a no.1 hit song, even if it has some great musical elements at work.

I will be very curious to see if this song lasts another week at no.1 or if its popularity is largely due to the curiosity factor.  2020 has seen a lot of 1 week reigns at no.1, which I'm willing to bet has happened before, through the decades.  Perhaps I should take comfort in the adventurous taste of music consumers.  Taylor did not have to rap about her wealth or romantic prowess to make it to no.1  Instead, she wrote a beautiful song that people want to hear.  

What do you think of "cardigan?"  Am I missing something, or is kind of boring?  If you read this before August 15th, 2020, do you think it will make another week at no.1?  Leave me a comment!

Up next time, the "on the 0's" recap round, where I will look at all the songs analyzed and see if there is any definitive common ground between musical elements.     

[1]https://www.insider.com/taylor-swift-folklore-review-tracklist-breakdown-2020-7

[2]https://slate.com/culture/2020/08/taylor-swift-folklore-sales-cardigan-billboard-hot-100.html

[3]https://genius.com/20429809