"California Gurls" - Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, 2010

In this round of analyses, "on the 0's," I have analyzed no.1 hit songs during the first week of August 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010.  I was hoping to look at the no.1 song in the first week of August, 2020, but I am ahead of schedule!  So, a little deviation is in order to fill the time and, more importantly, analyze additional hit songs.

Today, I will be analyzing the song that was dethroned by "Love The Way You Lie," which made an impressive 7 week run at no.1 from late July through September, 2010.  What did it beat out to make no.1?  "California Gurls" by Katy Perry, featuring Snoop Dogg.

There is a lot to unpack with "California Gurls."  It sold a massive amount of copies and could be regarded a quintessential "summer song." [1]  Katy's production team, though, takes a little heat for the ultra high gloss finish you would expect from a pop tune, which is not always a compliment.  Glenn Gamboa of Newsday comment, "a fizzy-pop concoction of empty calories, but it sure does stick with you," is not so flattering.  [2]   

There was even a little controversy around a Beach Boys copyright infringement.  The song shares a title, spelled differently, and one lyrical line.  In the end, there was no lawsuit and Brian Wilson himself called the tune "infectious." [3]  Why all the hate on "California Gurls?"  Katy just wants to represent California much in the same manner that Jay-Z represents New York in "Empire State of Mind." 

June 19th - July 24th, 2010 - Katy Perry's "California Gurls," featuring Snoop Dogg, goes on a 6 week summer time fun run at no.1.

"California Gurls" uses classic song construction.  Verse, prechorus and chorus repeated, followed by a bridge, a return to the chorus and an ending - pretty standard fare.  The first verse is double the length of the second verse, which keeps the song moving forward, despite the static chord progression.  Despite this simplicity and predictability, it works well.

The 20 measure bridge seems slightly out of place,but that works too.  Snoop Dogg makes the section flow laying down 10 two bar phrases.  This is followed by one more chorus and an outro,  which contains new material, a familiar device used to end songs in this round (4 out of the previous 6 songs analyzed contain new material at the very end).  Again, we see an unexpected number of measures here, with the 9th measure being an instrumental statement of the newly introduces melodic theme.

Chord Progressions

There is one driving chord progression that dominates the entire tune:

F/A   Bb  /  C Dmin
I       IV  /   V   vi

The keyboard begins the tune with dyads (two note chords).  As first verse progresses, the bass enters with a funky popping/slapping line:

keyboard and bass

The initial F/A chord feels like A minor and doesn't get any help from the vocal melody in determining its identity.  It isn't until the chorus, when the guitar joins, that we truly get the F major tonality.  The guitar provides syncopated octaves, on F, enhancing the funky feeling:

guitar - choruses

This progression runs throughout the verse, chorus, bridge and outro sections.  The only deviation comes in the prechoruses, where the same chords are reorganized to this:

C  / Dmin /  Bb  /  Bb
V / vi        / IV   / IV

This section not only slows down the harmonic pace, it also eliminates the fancy syncopation.  This part is another pleasant break from the potentially tiring repeated progression.

"California Gurls" evolves continually.  Though sections are repeated, they are never exactly the same.  This is done with added background vocals, synth elements and evolving drum feel.  The drums begin minimally, just bass and snare, and by the end, are firing on all cylinders.

Drum Evolution

Again, this device keeps the momentum of the song pushing forward and helps to keep repeated material from feeling stale.  For all of its standard conventions, the song is a shining example of pop songwriting mastery.

Melody

The verse is essentially made up of a repeated 4 note phrases.  Starting on the 3rd (A), it descends through G to the root, which aligns with the 5th and minor 3rd of the changes.  It then works back up to the A, only to go back to the F, this time ending with G and D, the 6th and 3rd of Bb.  The third and 4th phrase vary the rhythm and add in the responses of "undone" and "at us" where there was space the first time.

Verse 1

This simple melody is a good contrast to the syncopation in the keyboard and bass.  The rhythm of the lyrics is consistent from phrase to phrase, which combined with the narrow note choices and intervalic structure, make it highly singable.

The prechorus has a different feel and utilizes a higher melodic range.  The melody gets the syncopated treatment while the rhythm section sticks to eighth notes or less.  The very end of this section also foreshadows a major component of the chorus (oh oh oh oh oh's).

Prechorus 1

The melody is another illustration of how this song evolves.  In verse 2, Katy varies her delivery at the beginning of the phrases even further.  The second prechorus also adds in background vocals that float between harmony and response:

Prechorus 2

The calls evolve from the calls heard in the verse, utilizing E and F: 3rd of C and minor 3rd of Dmin (from verse harmony).  So far, the verse and prechorus borrow each other's melodic content, presented in a different way.  Very crafty.

The chorus marks the return to the syncopated keyboard line, which means the vocals should keep things straight.  They do just that, hanging out on the root to deliver the hook, "California girls."

Chorus

Here we really get the F major feel, furthered by the "oh's" which use the other notes in the F triad.  The chorus is also filled with little melodic figures, some of which we will see in the bridge.

The bridge features the credible presence of Snoop Dogg, whom up to this point in the song, has only contributed to the intro ("Greetings loved ones, let's take a journey") and with a few spoken "west coasts."  When we finally get the full Snoop treatment, he throws down this 20 bar rap:

A few things stick out to me.  First, Snoop's style is very interesting, especially when comparing it the Eminem rap I transcribed last time.  He is often just behind the beat, relaxed in his delivery.  Like Eminem, he has this quasi singing quality, though it's hard to pin down exactly what note he "singing."

Every two bars of this rap is its own little thing.  Bars 1 and 2 share rhythmic entrances and syncopation with bars 3 and 4.  After that, every 2 measure sequence shares either rhythmic entrances, syncopation or both.  Snoop strings together small sequences to construct the larger rap.

During the rap, you hear some exposed vocal harmonies that also pop up in the chorus.  The last measure, leading to the chorus, features Katy powerfully interjecting her own background and sustaining a C as the chorus continues.

The outro features new melodic content with the catchy and title affirming "California, California girls."

outro

  We get some familiar harmony and syncopation all wrapped into one tidy package to end the song.  The keyboard doubles this melody and ends the song with a final instrumental statement. 

The entire melody, at times, had me wondering if the tonal center was F major or D minor.  The entire chorus is comprised of D minor triad, but often feels like F major, as a D minor triad is an F major plus an added D.  The outro teases this line, walking down the scale from D to A, which feels like D minor, but then descends D all the way to F.  This little confirmation of F major reminds me of a similar feeling from way back in the intro.

Musical Sticking Points

Part of me wants to despise this song (more on the in lyrics), but part of me has deep respect for the composition.  "California Gurls" feels like many other pop songs I have analyzed in the way it is arranged and composed.

This chord progression is sneaky.  Is it D minor or F major?  There are times when either feels more like the tonal center.  D becomes the resting point after the chord syncopation, so rhythmically, it settles there at times.  Though the C is V of F, it's also bVII of D minor, a common progression.  In the bridge, we venture to Bb, which at the point could be IV of F or bVI of Dminor.  I love chord progressions that leave your ear searching for a true sense of tonal center.

The song is a prime example of how music can evolve, allowing you to hear the same thing without hearing the same thing.  Each section is slightly different from its repeated predecessors.  There is always something new to listen for.  In "Love The Way You Lie," I was disappointed to hear the same exact melody in each of Rihanna's choruses.  Katy Perry does not fall into that trap and keeps things interesting with background vocals and little nuances in her delivery.

The bridge does it's job and bridges the beginning of the song to the end effectively.  There are several texture changes throughout the section and Snoop's aura enhances the final product.  We also see a return of several vocal elements, from the ooh's to call and response from Katy.

The new content at the end is also something I have grown to enjoy.  It always prompts me to question what I heard earlier, which results in additional listening.  Musically, this song is clear, concise, inventive and exciting. 

Lyrics

Lyrically, I am not even close to where I am musically in my fondness for the tune.  While there are some clever references - "where the grass is really greener" (Paradise City?) and "Sippin' Gin and juice,"  The rest falls way flat.  There's a whole lot of sexual innuendo and glorification of the party lifestyle delivered bluntly and in an uninspiring way.
   
The verse uses a rhyme scheme of ABCB, with a few questionable near rhymes ("greener" and "water").  The chorus rhyme scheme is fairly disjunct, starting with ABAC and then ABDC.  This looks a whole lot tighter on paper then when you actually hear it.

The rap lyrics, I am sorry to say, are not good.  I would imagine Snoop wrote them and tried to stay within the poppy confines of the song, but oh man.  Some low-lights include:

The girl's a freak, she drives a jeep and lives on the beach

Bikinis, zucchinis, martinis, no weenies, just a king and a queenie

Only the S. N. double O P. D. O. double G. can get away with rhyming zucchinis and weenies. 

Coupled with the video, this song enters into the  "inappropriate zone," based on the "would I show this to my children" scale.  That being said, John Q. Public obviously loved it, though the target audience, I imagine, embraces the party lifestyle and all that goes with it?

Common Threads

So far in this round, "on the 0's," I've compiled a list of common musical threads.  The other selection from 2010, Eminem's "Love The Way You Lie," only shared 2.5 out of the following 7 elements.  Let's see where "California Gurls" stacks up:

• Repeated melodic motifs - For sure!  There are many motifs that occur in multiple sections.  Katy is also good at keeping melodic passages uniform within sections.   
• Strong harmonic motion from V to I   
• Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture   
• Modulation -  
• New material presented at the end 
• Hook that uses the title of the song
• Contains a lyrical refrain  

4/7 elements are present.  More than half is a strong showing of musical elements, especially considering the list started with a selection from 1960.  It's extremely enlightening to see that while musical styles significantly change from decade to decade, certain elements endure.

Final Takeaways

I think "California Gurls" is a fine example of pop songwriting.  Though the lyrics are sometimes cringe worthy, and difficult for a middle aged East Coaster to completely identify with, I can fully respect the composition, arrangement and production.

The biggest takeaway has to be the shared elements of different sections.  There are vocal pieces that help glue the entire song together into one cohesive unit.  It's also impressive how the same drum beat can be stripped down and built back up to build drama and enhance the texture.  As a songwriter, there are many good lessons to be learned.

What do you think of "California Gurls?"  Do the words and/or video push it to your "inappropriate zone?"  Is it just me, or is the Snoop Dogg rap not a shining example of his work?  Leave me a comment!

The post date of this analysis is July 21st, 2020.  I am hoping to analyze the no.1 song for the first week in August, which won't be until August 8th.  That means I have a few weeks to wait.....so here is my plan:

I have been learning so many lessons in song writing, I think back to one of my initial intentions of this project:

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.  

So, I think I will try writing a song and apply some of the lessons I have learned.  This will entail choosing a few common threads, sitting down at a keyboard and seeing what comes out.  It should be another entertaining detour!  Stay tuned....

[1]https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/weekly-us-music-releases-katy-perry-usher-eels-and-fantasia-2059960.html
[2]https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/katy-perry-s-hot-and-cold-teenage-dream-1.2227160
[3]https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/aug/06/beach-boys-katy-perry?cat=music&type=article

"Love The Way You Lie" - Eminem featuring Rihanna, 2010

If I were to list the lyrical themes of songs analyzed throughout the project thus far, it would look something like this: love, respect, perseverance, jealousy, curiosity, joy, the future, cowboys, bikinis and heartbreak.  There's a little bit of everything, ranging from serious to sad to silly.  While all of these provide the listener with some potential insight into their own lives, they are relatively light. 

"Love The Way you Lie" is much heavier.  At it's core, the song is about domestic abuse, shining a light on something far too easy to overlook.  While the message and true intentions can be debated, the end result is the same: a powerful statement delivered by talented performers. [1] 

Eminem's history has been well documented, thanks to the movie "8 Mile," and he has left a controversial and profound mark on pop music, bringing a completely different flavor than that of his peers.  Eminem is a force to be reckoned with rhythmically, lyrically and philosophically.  After stepping away from music for a few years, his comeback was not very encouraging.  A few years later though, add in the Rihanna factor and her close connection to the song's subject matter,  and Eminem is stepping back into the spotlight.

July 31st - September 11th, 2010: "Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem, featuring Rihanna, dominates the charts for 7 weeks!

Musically, this song is cut and dry.  The form, comprised of only 2 sections, alternates between verse and chorus.  There are a few small nuances: The first chorus is 9 measures long, including the hook twice, with the latter choruses tagging on extra measures.  The verse, mostly 16 measures, get a reverse treatment, extending the third verse by 1 measure. 

The instrumentation is stylistically simple as well.  Piano begins the song, leading into the main groove which adds some string like synths, bass drums and an integrally strumming acoustic guitar.  The programmed beat is relatively extensive, but it mostly stays out of the way.  The 4 bar drums groove can be condensed to this,

drum groove

where at the tempo, the syncopated 16th notes create a nice foundation to support the rap verses.

For all its musical simplicity, "Love The Way You Lie" more than makes up for it in vibe and raw emotion.  Both performers have back stories that tie into the meaning of the song.  The public, no doubt aware of this, likely weighted this in their reception.  There was also an emotional video (linked above) that helped to hammer the point home further.  While all of these elements are important, and if anything, helped me understand the song on a deeper level, my main goal is to examine the musical merits.  Let's dice into the musical aspects of "Love The Way You Lie."
  
Chord Progressions

The piano starts things off, playing through the base chord progression:

Gmin  /  Ebadd2  / Bb   /  F/A
i        /   bVI        /  III   / bVII

The F/A chord provides pleasant movement back to Gmin, with bVII being a natural resolution (sub for V7 - FAC in place of DF#AC) and the A in the bass resolving down to the root G.  This chord progression leaves no question where the tonal center lies and consistently gets us back there after 4 measures. 

There are two places in the song where the 4 bar sequence is extended an extra measure to accommodate vocals, percussion and/or sound effects, as in the opening chorus-first verse transition. 

The verse takes the above progression and alters it slightly, adding an 11(4th) to the F/A chord.  The verse is driven primarily by the guitar, strumming this:

verse guitar

Played with capo 3, the guitar strums open chords (Emin, Cadd2, G, Dadd11/F#) and utilizes shared tones at the top of the voicing to create the suspensions.  This adds a subtle, different color to the verses. 

In other songs analyzed in the late 2000's, and those that follow, static chord progressions have been a recurring theme.  In my analyses for "In My Feelings" (2018) and "Old Town Road" (2019), there has been one 4 bar chord loop repeated throughout the entire song.  The same can be said for "I Gotta Feeling" (2009).  It's interesting that as we venture closer to present day, chord progressions are less complex.

Melody

There are two very contrasting melodic themes for the song: the sang chorus, provided by Rihanna and the percussive verses provided by Eminem. 

Rihanna kicks things off with a no frills, right to the point melody, delivered with precision and somberness. 

chorus 1

Two contrasting phrases are each repeated.  The first features a leap up a 6th and then back down a 5th, landing on the chord root.  She repeats the interval leaps and lands on the F, highlighting the 9 of the Eb.  In the second phrase, she sticks to the root  (Eb), working her way down through D and C, chord tones of the next two changes (3rd and 5th of Bb and F).  This structure is repeated with different words for the next two phrases.  She caps of the chorus with a tag of the hook, altering the last note to Bb, the minor 3rd of G, another chord tone.

The remaining choruses add harmony and an additional tag of the hook.  The first and third phrases are harmonized in octaves with the 2nd and 4th phrases adding a higher third.

choruses 2, 3, 4

Rihanna sings the same melody each time and stays away from any variation.  This is a direct contrast with Eminem's verses.

Eminem's name comes first on the track listing, so it's fitting he takes the limelight in the verse.  There are three 16 measure verses and the longest rhythmic value used is 1 beat.  The rhythmic assault is relentless, a trademark of Eminem's unique style.  His delivery sometimes resembles singing and even when he's clearly speaking, there is pitch distinction, indicated below. 

verse 1 - m.1-8

The first four measures end with two 8th notes, which gives way to a slightly different beat 4 figure in the next four measures.  The last four measures are also bookmarked with entrances on the 2nd sixteenth note of the measure.  This continues with the concluding 8 measures of the verse:

verse 1 m.9 - 16

Of these eighth measures, 7 end with the same rhythmic figure (SSE).  Measures 9 and 12 also borrow the rhythmic entrance established in measures 5 and 8.  All verses end in just enough time to give Rihanna a solo entrance for the chorus. 

This pace continues throughout verses 2 and 3.  Towards the end of the third verse, there is an extra measure before the final chorus.  Notice how the flow is changed, including 16th notes at the end of the measure to keep building momentum towards the final bar. 

Verse 3 - m.13 - 17

The last three notes of this verse are the only time in these 5 measures with more than two 8th notes in a row.  The fast flow of notes leading to a dramatic halt certainly create an exciting moment, heightened by the grim lyrics. 

Musical Sticking Points

"Love The Way You Lie" is musically simple.  A single chord progression runs throughout alternating verse and chorus sections.  That's it. 

The chorus melody is essentially copy and pasted, offering no variation between each iteration.  The verse makes up for this in spades, featuring more rhythmic theme and variation that instruments could ever get away with. 

The production is stellar and there are melodic bits and pieces flying around at various points.  All of these, however, are short lived and not very memorable.  They flow in and out to add color as the sections build, but don't repeat enough to be essential. 

I was happy to transcribe an Eminem rap.  He has such a command of rhythm and flows in and out of sync with the drums and other instruments effortlessly.  His mark in popular music is undeniable.  Check out this article, comparing Eminem to Jimi Hendrix, from Rapanalysis.com [2]. 

Lyrics

The musical simplicity of this track accommodates the depth of the lyrics. 

Rihanna's choruses tell the tale of someone willingly entering a scenario which they will be hurt.  This can be viewed as a cautionary tale or resonate as familiar.  She uses the rhyme scheme AABB, with a tag on the B.

The verses are filled with vivid descriptions of love, hate, dependence and violence.  Eminem is known for over the top lyrics and he delivers here (from verse 2):

Now you're getting fucking sick, of looking at 'em

You swore you've never hit 'em, never do nothing to hurt 'em

Now you're in each other's face

Spewing venom in your words, when you spit 'em
You push, pull each other's hair, scratch, claw, bit 'em
Throw 'em down, pin 'em, so lost in the moments, when you're in 'em

Looking at the above excerpt, you can get a sense of Eminem's complex rhyming ability.  The first line end with the syllable "em," which is used two more times in the next line.  The following line strays before bringing back "em" 5 more times! 

Choose any set of lines in the song and you will find similar craftsmanship....(from verse 3)

Same routine, but your temper's just as bad, as mine is
You're the same as me, when it comes to love, you're just as blinded

When I first absorbed these lyrics, with the help of the video, I got the main gist.  A girl and a guy are in a doomed relationship but keep it going, even when it gets violent.  There are many interpretations of how this can be viewed.  In the end, listeners can make their own conclusions. [3]  Obviously, the ensuing debate worked in Eminem's favor, gaining him more publicity, both positive and negative.

Common Threads

This is the 6th analysis "on the 0's."  For each song, I have compiled a list of common musical elements.  Picking up from the last analysis, Sisqó's "Incomplete" from 2000, let's see how "Love The Way You Lie" fits into the musical puzzle, 10 years later. 

• Repeated melodic motifs - I would say this one qualifies.  Though Eminem's verses are not structured like a traditional melody, he uses rhythmic themes quite effectively within each verse.  The chorus is also built on two repeated phrases.  
• Strong harmonic motion from V to I  - The progression does not include a V chord in the key, though the bVII is a common substitution.  
• Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture - There are background singers, but I'm not sure they contribute a ton to melodic and harmonic structure.  
• Modulation -  
• New material presented at the end 
• Hook that uses the title of the song
• Contains a lyrical refrain - 

 Only 2 1/2 out of 7 musical elements are shared between "Love The Way You Lie" and the other songs "on the 0's."  Looking back at previous round's common threads, two not mentioned here are "repeated chord progressions" and "music evolves throughout."  

"Love The Way You Lie" definitely checks the box on repeated chord progressions, a common element seen in many tunes "on the 8's" ("Poor Little Fool," "Hello, I Love You," "Roll With It," "The Boy Is Mine," "I Kissed A Girl," and "In My Feelings").  

In terms of musical evolution, it's still iffy.  Musical evolution refers to a song's nuanced changes and variations that result in hearing the same thing without hearing exactly the same thing.  As mentioned, there are several production elements that pop up throughout the song resulting in slight evolution.  At the end of the day though, the carbon copy choruses don't quite get there, in my opinion.

Final Takeaways

This is the first analysis I have done where the song's lyrical impact grossly outweighs the musical composition.  "In the Year 2525" (1969) came very close, but that song had a ton of musical stuff going for it, including evolving instrument parts, two modulations and significant texture changes.  Regardless, I like this song.

Eminem's vocal delivery and lyrical flow are truly admirable.  They way he relays a story or a point with the ferocity and pace that he does is dizzying.  As I transcribed parts of this song, I attempted to perform with him, checking for accuracy.  It was not easy.  His ability to flawlessly work through verses is amazing.  I already had respect for Eminem and it has significantly grown after this analysis.  I know his lyrics turn many people off, but I think I understand his hyperbole in an effort to make a point.

What do you think of "Love The Way You Lie?"  Did I miss any musical elements in "common threads?"  Leave me a comment!   

Up next time, I am in line to analyze the no.1 song in the first week of August for 2020, however, it's not August yet!  So let's take a detour and analyze the song that "Love the Way You Lie" beat out for the no.1 spot in July 2010....

June 19th - July 24th, 2010....a 6 week run at no.1, "California Gurls" by Katy Perry, featuring Snoop Dogg.   

This is a very interesting selection indeed.  Another song featuring a prominent male and female personality, one of which has undeniable credibility in the rap world.  I'm wondering if we will see any overlap of common musical threads between "California Gurls" and "Love The Way You Lie."  THis should make for an interesting detour!

[1]https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/music/love-the-way-you-lie/meaning
[2]https://www.rapanalysis.com/2014/04/why-eminem-is-rap-jimi-hendrix-rap/
[3]https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2010/08/love-the-way-you-lie-what-s-eminem-trying-to-say/344563/

"Incomplete" - Sisqó, 2000

Sisqó is not a name I'm very familiar with.  A little digging into this mysterious figure's past will yield a few recognizable gems such as the group he founded, Dru Hill, and the infamous"Thong Song."  In fairness, I wasn't very familiar with these either, but I had vague recollection of them.  He made some headlines in 2000 and then dropped out of the public eye.

There seems to be a lot of baggage around the life and career of Sisqó which has kept him off of the charts since 2000 [1].  It's a shame, because it seems as though he is all about quality music and not interested in political aspects of the business.  If you are familiar with his no.3 charting song "The Thong Song," don't expect any of those shenanigans in today's analysis.  "Incomplete" shows shades of an insightful R&B singer, that with the right production team behind him, could be confined by no limits.

August 12th - 19th, 2000: "Incomplete" by Sisqó takes the no.1 position for 2 weeks!

A few things stick out when looking at this data.  First, the tempo.  "Incomplete" is slow R&B ballad.  Second, there's some heavy instrumentation/production.  These heavier elements are balanced by a straightforward form.

The form is textbook, containing two rounds of verse and chorus, a bridge and a double chorus to end the tune.  We also get a modulation up a 1/2 step into the last double chorus and tag.

The first choruses are an unusual 9 measures.  The extra measure comes after a deceptive cadence leads to a partial tag of the hook, "cause without you girl...."  In the final repeats of the chorus section, this is omitted and we get the 8 measure version twice before an official tag in the outro.  This little twist is an example of the fine craftsmanship put into this song.

"Incomplete" was actually written by Montell Jordan.  While the record company originally intended it for another artist, Montell had Michael Jackson in mind when he wrote it.  In the end, Sisqó's take goes the distance. [2]

Chord Progressions 

"Incomplete" is not incomplete in its inclusion of chord extensions and tone colors.  Generally when a song includes simple triads, a 7 chord sounds lush and full.  This tune has an opposite effect.  There are so many packed chords that when you get a simple triad, or even an octave, it sounds exotic and fresh.

The tune begins with this piano intro, giving a tease of the chorus changes to come, as well as the intricate web of counterpoint between instruments.

piano intro

   The song is in the key of B major, or maybe the relative minor, G# minor.  Harmonically, there is a dance between major and minor, illustrated here.  The E major to F#/G# leads the ear to move toward IV - V in the key of B.  The G#7 is indicative of V/ii, which would normally set up a ii-V to the home key B.  We get the ii (C#min9), but instead of going to F#, we get the tonal center of G#min, a tonality that is prevalent for most of the tune.

The last change leads into the verse, ushered in with the 16th note figure built around B pentatonic.  The verse uses  C#min9 - G#min7 change, iv - i in G#min, or ii - vi in B (the same change in "The Boy Is Mine" (1998) by Brandy & Monica, which is most certainly in C#min).

After 5 bars, we get a surprise D#min7 chord for 2 beats before hastily resolving back to G#min7.  It then returns to the familiar C#min7 only to be surprised again with a non-diatonic F#min7 (ii/E - where we get to in the chorus).  In the key of B major, the last 4 bars play out as: ii / iii vi / ii / v - a common progression that wants to lead to I (B).

verse 1 - selected rhythm

In the above example, I included the bass and the moving melodic parts of the piano and/or strings.  As is, there is a lot going on.  What I did not include was the electric piano slamming chords, the string pads, the echoing and ripping acoustic guitar and all the programmed percussion elements.  You get a tease of the guitar in the last bar as it ascends a F# Dorian scale (ii of E), followed by the triplet drum fill to lead into the chorus.

The 16th note piano lick ties it all together.  Heard in the intro, this repeated pattern changes with the chords and then devolves into syncopation in the last 3 bars.  The bass leaves plenty of space, playing mostly the same rhythmic figure, occasionally adding in some moving lines.

The chorus features more deceptive cadences and key confusion.  The 9 bar version in B major looks like:

Emaj9 / D#min  / Emaj9  / G#min7 / Emaj9  / D#min7 G#min7/ C#min7 C#min/F#/ G#min7 C#9 / C#min7  C#min/F# 
 IV      /  iii        /  IV         / vi         / IV        /      iii         vi     /      ii            V          /      vi       V/V/       ii             V

The tonal center feels like G# minor, but the progression wants to lead to B, which we never get.

After the modulation, we get this entire progression in the last chorus, in the key of C.  The deceptive cadence theme continues through the outro, where we FINALLY here the I chord (C), the last chord of the tune.  Just for fun, I included the harmonic function in C major as well as A minor.

last chorus and outro changes

Looking at either side of the harmonic fence, we see familiar structures.  On the minor side, bVI leading to I is a common sound.  There are v-i changes to keep the ear in minor.  On the major side, there are plenty of iii-vi-ii-V progressions to go around.  It is very satisfying to get the definitive C major at the end, accentuated with many arpeggiated flourishes to hammer the point home.

The above also provides the context of the harmonic rhythm.  The first 4 bars have one change per measure.  Heading into the last 4 bars, the pace quickens and is furthered by syncopation on beat (2)+. 

Just before the modulation to C major comes the bridge.  We are technically still in the key of B, but harmonically, there is a modulation to D.  Leading from the 2nd chorus into the bridge, we get a B minor chord, functioning as V/ii in D major.  This leads to the 4 bar bridge, which eventually gets us to C:

Emin7    A7   / Dmaj7   /  Emin7   /E/F#    F/G
ii            V     /    I          /    ii          / V/B      V/C

The departure to the new key is a breath of fresh air and the continued use of deceptive cadences keeps the momentum moving forward in the ballad tempo.

The rhythm section evolves through the tune, playing a little busier by the climax in the key change.  There are plenty of chord syncopations and subtle nuances in each individual part, far too many to document for the purposes of this analysis.  A drawback of the thick instrumentation, however, is that many of those nuances go unnoticed.  There is so much going on at all times that when something actually changes, it continues to blend in with the rest of the arrangement.

Melody

Sisqó is a singing machine!  He sings in the forceful upper range of his chest voice, producing a rich tone in an R&B style.  His style reminds me of Mariah Carey, as well as Brandy & Monica, in the way he flows through melismas and adds call and response vocals.  He also delivers melodic variation between the verses, also like his diva predecessors.

If you look at the verse 1 melody, it's clearly in B major.  While the tonal center of the harmony lives in G#minor, the melodic tonal center is B.  The B is a shared tone of the C#min (-7) and G#min (-3), and it continues to confuse the true key of the song.  (Much like "In My Feelings" by Drake, the insinuated key is not where the harmony goes.  Try playing a B major chord and singing the melody, it works and gives the song a much different flavor!)

verse 1

The melodic rhythm is fast paced and highly syncopated.  Many of his phrases line up with the piano lines.  The quick melodic rhythm helps keep the song moving, despite the slow tempo. 

He keeps up this pace for the chorus, getting away from the two note pattern and expanding into a 4 note descending pattern from F# to C#, which resolves to B.  This little line works as a secondary hook, seriously burrowing deep into my ear. 

chorus 1

We get the proper hook one and a half times: "without you girl, my life is incomplete."   Both times, it's laden with melisma and delivered expertly.  Sisqó is also very good at using articulation to enhance his singing.  When he sings "...I have everything," the "I" is staccato, creating a launching pad for the end of the phrase.  He also uses spoken guttural sounds that we see more towards the end.

The bridge melody focuses on the pitches G and F#, chord tones of this modulated section.  The melodic rhythm comes in hot and slows down a bit, but not much.

bridge

Aside from the harmonic shift, the bridge is relatively faceless and feels like the verse and chorus.  The end of the bridge though, is the climax of the tune.  As he leads into the modulation and repeated choruses, he holds out a high G and melismas all the way down to the C, a staple pitch of the chorus melody.  When the last chorus kicks in, female background singers cover the main melody and Sisqó contributes these responses.

chorus 3 responses

His responses are unique in their rhythm and feature the highest pitches in the song, right at the top of his range.  This type of singing continues in the next chorus and outro.  It's melisma city and Sisqó is the interim mayor.

Musical Sticking Points  

There is a lot happening in "Incomplete," almost too much.  If you strip this down to just piano and vocal, it's a lovely song.  In navigating my way through these changes, I tried to learn the piano part (I am not a pianist).  Check out this video to get a taste of the essential elements in the tune.  (Thanks houseofjaz!)

The production in the tune is over the top.  The percussion alone is multi-layered and would probably carry the piano and vocal well enough on its own.  Add in the electric keyboard, the string synths and the guitar and it's a crowded house.  Oh yeah, then add Sisqó belting out notes over the top.

Compared with "The Thong Song," this one is on a different planet.  It's deep yet approachable.  It reached no.1, which means people "got it."  The harmony is rooted in jazz and gives off a couple of different vibes (major and minor).  Perhaps the trademark R&B vocal stylings are what caught people's attention?  From my own analysis experience, I hear a lot of Mariah, Brandy, Monica, Christina, and even a little Lionel.  The delivery is convincing and what you would expect to hear in an R&B ballad. 

Lyrics

The lyrical premise of the song is pretty simple:  A guy who literally has everything is unhappy because he doesn't have the girl he is after.  "

Even though it seems I have everything

I don't wanna be a lonely fool...

The verse flows with the rhyme scheme AABB, which include a few near rhymes ("find" with "time"; "love" with "was").

The chorus rhyme scheme is a little more elaborate: ABCBADD

Lyrically, this song is fairly braggadocious, not an uncommon characteristic of the genre.  I do like that he is not just bragging for the sake of bragging.  His message is "this girl is worth more to him that all of the other material possessions and status perks" and not "look how awesome I am."  As seen with many other songs, it's a simple message that we can relate with, the sentiment anyway.

Common Threads

So far in this round of analyses, I have looked at "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" (1960), "(They Long To Be) Close To You" (1970), "Magic" (1980) and "Vision Of Love" (1990).  Each of those songs shared many musical elements that likely contribute to their musical (not cultural) success.  Here is that list and how "Incomplete" figures in.

• Repeated melodic motifs - "Incomplete" is way ahead of the curve on this one.  Each section features phrases dominated by 16th note syncopation.  There is also the heavy use of the tonic pitch and each phrase is centered around its use.    
• Strong harmonic motion from V to I  - This is a tough one.  There are a lot of ii-V's that want to lead to I very badly.  Most of the time, they resolve to the relative minor.  The framework is there, but it doesn't deliver until the very end.  
• Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture - We don't hear them until the last choruses, but once they come in, the background singers provide support for Sisqó's vocal exhibition.
• Modulation - A familiar 1/2 step modulation that we saw in 1/2 of the songs this round, so far. 
• New material presented at the end - The ending of the tune introduces two small new changes we hadn't seen yet, as well as the last chord finally resolving to I.
• Hook that uses the title of the song
• Contains a lyrical refrain - "Without you girl..." could potentially be considered a refrain, as it appears multiple times in each chorus and is tagged at the end.  It's not a refrain like we have seen in previous songs, but it is worth mentioning.  

5/7 shared elements is a pretty good track record for "Incomplete."  I look forward to the Round 3 warp up to see how this stacks up to the songs through the decades, "on the 0's."  

Final Takeaways

I like this song more than I thought I would.  A few of the lines ("all of the women, all the expensive cars") continue to get stuck in my head, maybe more so than the formal hook.  Sisqó is a great singer, albeit with a questionable hairstyle.  After working my way through Mariah, I feel like I understood what he was aiming for and could wrap my head around what he was doing relatively quickly.

The harmony in this tune is great.  I was taken back to my jazz theory days in music school, identifying sus and slash chords, trying to make sense of the different extensions I was hearing.  As mentioned, the production is a little too thick to really accentuate nuances.  Those pretty extensions get lost in the see of keyboards and rippin' guitar solos.  

There a couple of stripped down covers on YouTube worth looking into if you enjoy this song.  I'm sure Sisqó would rock an acoustic rendition!

What do you think of "Incomplete?"  How does it hold up to other R&B classics?  Leave me a comment!

Next time: July 31st - September 11th, 2010 - "Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rihanna goes on a 7 week run at no.1.  Another song that I can't pick out of a police lineup.  I am predicting that all the 16th note runs in this song were just a warmup for what Eminem may have in store!

  

[1]https://medium.com/@SermonsDomain/sisqo-could-ve-been-one-of-the-greatest-r-b-artists-89c26838f7f9
[2]https://youknowigotsoul.com/sisqo-incomplete-was-originally-meant-for-another-artist

"Vision Of Love" - Mariah Carey, 1990

Few artists carry a reputation like Mariah Carey.  Even as an (former) opponent of pop music, her name still garnered feelings of legitimacy and respect in my personal musical circles.  Mariah is always toted as an unbelievable singer.  After analyzing her 1990 debut hit, I back that statement 100%. 

Mariah's rise to stardom is straight out of a movie.  She slips her demo to a producer, who searches for her after listening to it.  She has gone on to collect Grammy Awards, 19 no.1 hits and countless other accolades.  She continues to write music and blaze new paths. [1] In fact, she is second place for most no.1 hits ever, just behind the Beatles (20).  It's safe to say Mariah Carey is a musical legend who will, no doubt, be revered for generations to come.

August 4th - 25th, 1990: "Vision Of Love," debut single by Mariah Carey, hit no.1 for 4 weeks!

This epic vocal showcase begins with an intro reminiscent of a movie soundtrack.  We hear ethereal synths and some ominous low tunes with no definite tempo.  Then, we get a small tease of what's to come:

intro melisma

Shortly after this vocal tease, the tune kicks in with a bluesy/gospel 12/8 groove, a first for meter in this project!  Once the tempo is established, the form is pretty close to what most consider standard song structure.  We get verse-chorus twice followed by a bridge (middle 8), ending with another verse and chorus.

There is some great variation in the final verse and chorus statements.  The third verse features INCREDIBLE vocals and represents one of the most difficult transcriptions I have tackled.  The final double chorus also features variation, a theme of each section in the song.  That's right, no two parts in "Vision Of Love" are exactly alike. 

The ending section, though short, features new harmonic and melodic content.  This classic coda, complete with a ritard, closes the song in grand fashion.  I have a fondness for new material at the end of a song.  It always makes me want to go back and see if I missed something earlier.  This tune is no exception. 

Chord Progressions

The verse harmony is comprised of two 4 bar sequences:

C    / Gmin   /  F   /  E+   E7
I    /   v         / IV   /  III

The E+ to E7 resolution, heading back to C, is an interesting change.  In fast, the Commodores used a similar resolution in "Three Times A Lady" back in 1978.  Both time we hear the Gmin, it features an inversion in the bass - Gmin/C the first time and Gmin/Bb the second time. 

The chorus is much different, built on a repeated two bar sequence with faster harmonic rhythm:

Eb6  D7    / F  F/G
bIII   V/V / IV  V

The shift to the Eb6 chord instantly makes this section stand out.  Even though the song is in C major, the melody dances around a minor tonality with bluesy lick.  When we finally get the Eb chord, it sounds different, but not completely surprising.  Then, it resolves down a half step to D7, the V of V, getting us closer to C.  It ends with a familiar IV - V back to the C chord in the verse. 

The bridge, like the chorus, ventures to new harmonic territory.  Here, a two bar sequence repeats three times and ends with a ii-V back to C:

Bb     /  C  Amin7  /   -2%- /   -2%- / Dmin  /  F/G
bVII /   I     vi       /             /            / ii        /  V

The bass line throughout the song is solid and standard fare for a 12/8 R&B tune.  In the bridge, it throws in a few spicy licks. (I also included the keyboard line, stems up over the Amin7 chord)

Bass Bridge

Note the 5th bar.  The higher lick over the Bb chord ends with a G, giving the chord a G minor feel, breaking up the harmonic repetition.  In the 7th bar, the bass gets down to the low D before walking up to G (V), building up to a stop to get back into the verse.

The outro section features one additional set of changes to support the stellar vocal work.  Here, we get:

C  C+  /  C C+  /  C  Bb  /  C
I    I+  /   I   I+  /  I  bVII/  I 

The repeated C chord, with alteration, gives the song a sense of finality, yet leaves a few lingering questions (did she really just sing that note?).  The final cadence of bVII - I, taken from the bridge, also leaves that bluesy taste in our mouths. 

Melody

When Mariah burst onto the scene in 1990, her vocal style was unique.  She had purity and strength in her voice, as well as an INSANE range.  Throughout the song, she uses a vocal technique called "melisma," or stretching out one syllable over a series of notes.  In modern pop music, this style is the norm for "great singers."  If you have ever watched "American Idol" or "The Voice," you are probably all too familiar with this sound.

"Vision Of Love" set a new bar for pop/R&B female vocalists.  It could be considered the "Magna Carta of melisma." [2]  Compare this vocal from 1990 to other singers who followed her, specifically my analyses of "The Boy Is Mine" from 1998 and "Genie In A Bottle" from 1999, and you will find amazing similarities. 

She starts the verse off slow, finding chord roots in pentatonic riffs for the first 2 chords.  Each of these phrases is built around C minor pentatonic, which continues to use over the F and E chords.  As you can tell from all the slur markings, she uses melisma in every phrase.   

Verse 1

Rhythmically, the first half of the verse starts on the 3 eighth notes beats preceding the chord change.  As the verse progresses, she begins the phrases on the fourth 8th note beat after the chord change.  This subtle shift keeps the repeated pitches from becoming redundant.

Melodic evolution is a theme through the entire song.  Nothing ever stays exactly the same.  Each verse and chorus is different from one another.  The first chorus features only one set of phrases.  When she reaches the second chorus, the phrases are repeated twice.

Chorus 2

Like the verse, the melody uses C minor pentatonic for phrases over the Eb and D7 chords and then shifts to C major of the F and F/G.  Rhythmically, the phrases start on the fourth 8th note beat, much like the second half of the verse. 

This chorus leads directly to the bridge.  Here, a similar rhythmic and intervalic structure starts things off before veering into new territory.  She descends the Bb major scale over Bb and descended from A to C, through the minor 3rd, on the C Amin7 measures.  She sings repeated notes over the turnaround, grounding the tonality to return to the verse. 

Bridge

Directly out of the bridge, the third verse is the most varied.  It features call and response provided by Mariah herself.  The third verse also takes the melismatic melody to a new level, reaching the highest pitches in the song, up to this point.

verse 3

There is so much happening in this verse.  The notes are generally higher that previous verses and the melismas are longer, still revolving around the C/Cminor pentatonic scale.  Some of the original melody is intact, but her delivery is more intense, building serious drama.  These vocal gymnastics are just a warmup for the final chorus though. 

Chorus 3 and outro

Note the range of the 2nd bar.  Here, Carey uses her "whistle register," going all the way up to high C.  She also sings the 3rd phrase up an octave, showcasing the "lower" end of her range.  The second half of the double chorus features a sustained C that rings out over an entire measure before we get the granddaddy of all melismas.  The rhythm section drops out and she takes her time before bringing us back to tempo with the pickups the outro (last 4 bars). 

In the outro, she's not done, sustaining another C, longer than the first time!  She ends with two more massive melismas, the first of which has so many micro tones it made my head spin.  I challenge anyone reading to listen to the video on YouTube at 50% playback speed.  Listen to the slight nuance and hear how her voice wobbles between G and F.  If you have any doubt Mariah Carey is a legendary singer, spend 5 minutes with this tune and you will be convinced otherwise.

Musical Sticking Points

The allure of this song is all in the vocal delivery.  Sure, the rhythm section is tight and grooves hard in the 12/8 feel.  The bass line is solid, yet filled with melodic licks that enhance the tune.  The drums are tight and in the pocket, ushering in the sections with appropriate fills.  The keyboard parts are perfect for the style, supporting both the melody and harmony and adding melodic spurts at just the right time.   The real story, however, is Mariah.

Her performance in the song is outstanding.  She set the bar for pop music of the 90's and beyond.  As previously mentioned, this type of singing is standard in today's singer-centric pop music landscape.  There were singers before her performing in this style (Whitney Houston comes to mind), but Mariah's approach is different.  After 30 years, I would say it still hold up as exciting and impressive. 

"Vision of Love" is a shining example of how a song can evolve.  In my first round of analyses, all 7 songs evolved throughout the arrangement, meaning something changed even though some elements were repeated.  Mariah does not repeat any verse verbatim.  She sings passages in higher octaves, makes alternate melodic choices and adds call and response.  I can't say the same for other songs in this round of analyses (maybe "Magic"....the last chorus features some melodic variation).   

Lyrics

Lyrically, this song is a straightforward love song.  The premise in the beginning leads us to believe this person is searching for love.  In the second verse they are really desperate to find their love, holding on with hope.  Then, in the bridge, they have seem to find their love, changing the connotation of the repeated first verse, finally rejoicing in the glory of love.

The verses follow a rhyme scheme of ABCB.  The bridge follows an ABABCC pattern, with the last C being a near rhyme with A. 

The lyrics are simple and relatable.  This quality helps to not distract from the great vocal performance. 

Common Threads

No.1 hits, through the decades, share a surprising amount of musical elements.  So far in this round I have analyzed hits from 1960, 1970 and 1980.  Recapping the common threads from those analyses, let's see where "Vision Of Love" stands.

• Repeated melodic motifs - This qualifies on a few levels.  Rhythmically, many phrases begin on beat 4 of 12.  There are also many phrases utilizing 3 eighth notes in the 12/8 feel.  Despite the chord at the moment, there is reliance on a C minor pentatonic (blues) throughout the melody in multiple sections.  This his been a significant theme of songs in this round.    
• Strong harmonic motion from V to I  - The chorus and bridge sections build up the V chord (F/G) to lead back to the verse I chord.  
• Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture - in this case, the background singers are Mariah herself.  Regardless, the call and answers as well as sustained notes are integral to the song.
• Modulation - There is no modulation here, though there is a shifting focus from C major to minor throughout. 
• New material presented at the end - This common thread returns for "Vision of Love," as the last four measures introduce a brand new chord progression.  3/4 songs this round, so far, share this element.  
• Hook that uses the title of the song
• Contains a lyrical refrain - The first song this round without a repeated lyrical refrain.

"Vision Of Love" checks the boxes on 5/7 common musical elements found in songs this round.  

Final Takeaways

I love this song.  Before this analysis, I was not at all familiar with it.  I gave it an initial listen and was underwhelmed.  I remembered my experience with "Magic," however, and did not form any preconceptions.  In the next listens, I was blown away at the power of Mariah's voice, so much in fact, I was moved to literal tears as she belted out the high notes.  Her display of vocal talent is just so awe inspiring to me not only as a musician, but as a human as well.

In my first listen, the hook seemed forgettable.  After repeated listening, I grew to appreciate it for its simplicity and ingenuity, happening over a non-diatonic chord change.  The constant variation in the song increases its replayability.  "Vision Of Love" is a prime example of pop songwriting and vocal performance.  These two elements combined into one attractive package result in a no.1 hit, not surprisingly.  

What are your thoughts about "Vision Of Love?"  Does Mariah's prowess move you tears, or at least a strong reaction?  Leave me a comment!

Up next time, we have made it back to 2000!    August 12 - 19, 2000 - a two week run at no.1 - "Incomplete" by Sisqo.  Here we are faced with another theme of this round of analyses: I am completely unfamiliar with this song!  I am curious to see how it compares to the other no.1 hits!

 


[1]https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2020/06/30-years-ago-mariah-carey-brought-us-a-vision-of-love/
[2]https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/04/03/on-top