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.
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?
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.
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!
"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" is one of those titles that has made it's way into the subconscious lexicon of song titles, much like the opening line of Bobby Lewis's "Tossin' and Turnin'." Prior to this analysis, I was familiar with the name, but not with the tune, though my wife belted it out with surprising accuracy on a cold ask.
The early 60's were an interesting time in music where influences from the 40' and 50's were still relevant, but waning in the rock and roll assault that was underway. Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield's doo-wop number riffs on sounds of the past, pepped up with call and responses and longing pleas for reunited love. The poppy hit, released a few days before July 4th, 1962, gained quick traction and shot to no.1 about a month later. [1]
What's most impressive is this song's massive shelf life, thanks to a different version in 1975. The slower, jazzier reboot, with an alternate intro, reached no.8 on the Hot 100, a fairly unique accomplishment for any song. The charm of this 1962 version is undeniable though, and brings a few common threads of no.1 hits through the decades to light.
This is a great example of classic pop song form. If you exclude the intro and outro, we see AABABA, an extended version of a 32 bar form typical in jazz. The intro and outro bookend the form with a doo-wop treatment of the verse (A). Like many songs covered in this project, this form has a few twists, notably the extra measure at the end of the chorus (B) that leads back to the verses. The final verse goes the opposite way and cuts a measure off to lead into the outro. We get a full 8 bars of the outro before it quickly fades.
When labeling this tune, a few issues came to mind. I rehashed my inner struggle with "refrain," which is often used to describe a repeated section like the chorus, or a single line that reappears. The refrain here is certainly "breaking up is hard to do," as it pops up in each section. I also questioned the label of "chorus." Usually, the chorus is a repeated section that contains the hook of the song and ends with closed harmony, resolving to the tonic. The chorus here doesn't really feel like a chorus. It harmonically functions like a B section (with a key change), per the simple form. I ended up going with "chorus" only because it repeats the same lyrics and harmony each time.
I started to research the intricacies of form and came across this paper about song form that raised some interesting questions. Pages 3-6 offer explanations on basic terminologies with insights I haven't thought of. It's worth checking out the first few pages. [2]
Chord Progressions
Keeping in step with classic song form, we get a classic chord progression in the doo-wop style. Borrowed from jazz, this progression is found across multiple styles of music. The intro reveals this variation:
B G#min / E / -%2%- / -%2%- / B E / B I vi / IV / / / I IV / I
I expect to see the V chord leading back to I every time, but if you listen closely, it doesn't happen. The vocal melody undoubtedly moves there, but the rhythm section doesn't follow. I'm sure most people don't notice, but it is a cool auditory illusion, in a way.
The verse takes the above progression and varies it slightly:
B G#min / E / -%2%- / B F#/A# / G#min / C#7 F#7 / B
I vi / IV / / I V / vi /II (V/V) V / I
The above progression is even varied further in the first verse only, giving an entire measure to both C#7 and F#7 before getting back to B in verse two.
In a nutshell, I-vi-IV-V progressions are very common in popular music. "Breaking Up..." takes that and gives it a slight twist by not fully getting to the V chord and adding in the ii-V-I, going to V/V instead of ii for the strong pull to V and I.
The chorus section uses more familiar progressions, transposed across a few different keys. The 8 measure section plays out to be:
ii V / (of bVII) / I / (bVII of B) / ii V / (of bVI) / I (bVI of B) / V/B
He starts in Amaj with a series of ii-V's. Amaj changes to Amin to set up ii-V's in G. After getting to G, a half step resolution to F#7 brings us back home to B. This whole progression is pulled directly from countless jazz standards and works well as a contrast to the A section, venturing to new keys while maintaining a similar character.
During the chorus, an acoustic guitar provides some Jobim-esque arpeggios that give it a nostalgic feel and smooth character. The last two bars feature an ascending tremelo line from the string section. This is such a classic accompaniment I had to transcribe it:
Chorus - guitar and strings (last system)
Each time, the guitar arpeggios are slightly different, yet they maintain key intervals: minor 7 resolving to major 3rd. There is also the 16th note figure in measures 1 and 5, mixed way back but giving the slightest rhythmic bump. The tasteful string run at the end, moving stepwise through the changes, is the perfect punctuation to end the section.
Melody
The intro establishes the verse harmony without completely giving away the melody. What we get is a bouncy doo-wop figure in 3 part harmony. Neil provides the lower melody with female backup singers harmonizing above him.
Intro/outro
Looking at the lowest note, we see lots of roots and 3rds, as well as the hint to the F#7 chord in measures 2, 4 and 6. We also get a little taste of the refrain, "breaking up is hard to do," which also happens to be the hook. This refrain is actually presented several different ways throughout the tune. Here, Neil's melodic path goes: (5) ↑ 2 ↓ 2 ↑ 4 ↑ 2 ↓ 2 ↑ 2 ↓ 2. Keep this in mind as we encounter the same phrase in subsequent sections.
The first verse follows with a 3 beat pickup (shown below), which fits in the empty space in the last measure above. The harmony arrangement changes considerably with Neil providing two part harmony on the lead melody as well as his part from the intro, minus the ladies. His background vocal is the same up until measure 5, which is seen in the stem down notation:
Verse 1
The lower voice acts as the melody, blending seamlessly with the higher harmony. We see lots of chord tones that move up and down in steps, resolving down a minor 3rd, E to C# in the second and 4th bars, fueling the fire to the phantom F#7 chord. The descending line in measures 5 and 6 effectively shifts the melody from the lower line to the upper line. If you were to sing only one of the lines with a guitar or piano, you reach a point where the opposite line sounds like the proper melody.
In the first verse, the refrain moves (3) ↓ 2 ↓ 2 ↑ 3 ↓ 2, leaving off on C#, 5th of the F#7 chord (finally!). This is the only place in the tune we hear this arrangement as the chords move faster through the last two measures elsewhere.
The second verse is mostly the same as the first, changing rhythmically throughout the first 4 measures. This verse feels lighter, with more space between phrases:
Verse 2
At the end, the refrain is different yet again and reflects, in my opinion, the hookiest of the hooks, resolving on the root: (3) ↓ 2 ↓ 2 ↑ 2 ↓ 2. The lower harmony here is a little tricky, getting to the root an eighth note before the higher harmony. The last measure above contains a great drum fill to kick in the B section, or chorus.
When the chorus comes in the first time, we hear a single line, shifting the texture from the multilayered vocals of the verse.
Chorus 1
The section kicks in with a B minor scale up to the 5th before it moves in steps over the next three chords. Over the Amaj chord, we get a partial arpeggio (C# and E) before returning to the F# and E notes from before, now acting as 5th and 6th of the Amaj. In similar fashion, E and D move through the chords in the next two measures. Over the Gmaj7, we hear a B Phrygian scale (the third mode of Gmajor) that morphs to F mixolydian (B major) as the F#7 chord sounds. This modal interchange is very cool and works perfectly with the modulating theme of the section.
The second time the chorus happens, there is a call and response between the female singers and Neil. Melodically and harmonically it's mostly the same, varying some rhythm, like the first two verses did. I should also mention yet another variation on the refrain. From "breaking up is hard to do," in the key of A, we hear: (4) ↑ 2 ↑ 2 ↓ 2 ↑ 2 ↓ 2 ↑ 2 ↓ 2. This has a very similar intervallic structure to the proper hook, but feels considerably different thanks to the starting note and harmonic variation:
Chorus 2
Also of note is the added harmony in the penultimate measure, a repeated F#, root of the chord. It creates some close intervals, hearkening back to the opening of the verse.
Lyrics
It didn't occur to me, until I read this article, part of a great series by Tom Breihan at StereoGum (he's reviewing every no.1 song on the Hot 100 ever...he started in 2018 and is just now reaching the mid 80's! [3]), that this song about heartbreak and loss is pretty darn cheerful.
There are some emotional lines, that in a vacuum, seem like they would accompany some much darker music:
Don't take your love away from me Don't you leave my heart in misery
I beg of you don't say goodbye Can't we give our love another try?
All of this heavy emoting is somewhat negated by his worst-case scenario: feeling "blue." I suppose people had less to worry about in the 60's on a broad global scale? Feeling blue is the worst!
Every verse, and chorus, follows the rhyme scheme of AABB. Nothing tricky here, just straightforward rhyming in a cute little package.
Common Threads
What musical elements do no.1 songs across decades have in common? Over the course of these analyses, I have compiled a list of elements present in each, adding or subtracting elements as needed. Picking up from "Tossin' and Turnin' (1961)" let's see what musical elements have endured.
Repetitive Melody - The meat of the melody is very repetitive, built on repeated chord tones moving in steps.
Texture Changes - For sure. We see the intro texture of female singers with Neil. The verse has three versions of Neil. The chorus has one Neil and then Neil answering the background singers. Lots of texture changes afloat, and that's just with the vocals!
Strong motion of V- I - The elusive F#7 resolves to B, even when it doesn't get played!
Use of Vocal Harmony - Lots of stacked harmonies in this one with multiple groupings of singers.
- Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - This could be counted twice for the stepwise motion in the harmony part!
(hold overs: - new material at the end - this one repeats the intro at the end.)
Chord Count:12 - B, G#min7, F#/A#, E, F#7, C#7, Bmin7, E7, Amaj7, Amin7, D7, Gmaj7 - for such a poppy and "light" tune, there are a lot of chords! This is the most chords seen since I've been counting.
Final Takeaways
I really enjoyed this one. It has a fun vibe, despite the emotional subject matter. Doo-Wop is a style I'm not terribly familiar with or fond of. This one makes me curious about more doo-wop, which I bet I could enjoy in small doses.
I was particularly intrigued by the chorus section, both in function and form. The section would be called a B section if this were a jazz lead sheet. I have always been confused when non-jazzers try to pinpoint one part of jazz chart as "the chorus," mainly because the entire form, AABA, would be considered a chorus. In pop music though, these terms are common and this part is only the chorus because it repeats the same lyrics and harmony both times. And speaking of the harmony! A series of ii-V's moving down through foreign keys to come back to the home key is done tastefully. The guitar accompaniment is a highlight for me and is filled with little nuances that make it feel special.
I did briefly listen to Neil Sedaka's 1975 arrangement of this song. I was not hooked right away. It is also very jazzy and the hook brings with it some strong nostalgic value. Neil Sedaka is one of those names I have heard numerous times but probably couldn't name any of his songs.....I'm not sure I can name another one aside from "Breaking Up...." It was nice to put a sound to the name.
Up next time, continuing "on the 2's," we go back to 1972. July 29 - August 19, 1962...a 4 week run at no.1. "Alone Again (Naturally)" by Gilbert O'Sullivan. Whew....now we're venturing into completely uncharted territory, pardon the pun. The artist's name sounds somewhat familiar but I'm mostly clueless. You never know what you're gonna get in the 70's!
When I discovered I would be analyzing 1961's "Tossin' and Turnin'" by Bobby Lewis, I drew a blank. I searched up the YouTube video and listened to an unfamiliar rhythm and blues intro set the stage for what sounded like a classic 60's doowop concoction. Then an infamous line busts down the door of familiarity: "I couldn't sleep at all last night."
I had indeed heard this song before, and I'm willing to bet whomever reading this has as well. The catchy number appears in "Animal House (1978)" and "American Graffiti (1973)" and is the fourth longest running no.1 song from the entire 1960's. Bobby Lewis, unfortunately, died this past spring (April 2020) at the age of 95. [1]
As I dug into this one, I noticed the fine craftsmanship and noted it likely influence on many songs that followed. There is nothing harmonically groundbreaking, but you certainly find traces of core elements in other no.1 hit songs: predictable musical elements with a few twists and turns sprinkled with a personal touch of style. Finding similar musical attributes in songs decades apart is thought provoking and the main impetus for this project!
I love older songs because many have a form not too far removed from blues and jazz. We definitely find that here, but again, with a little twist. The intro is a free, rubato section that lasts 4 measures. Then, two additional measures act as pickups to the verse. Each verse is really just a 12 bar modified blues progression.
The first bridge is essentially an 8 bar section with, once again, an extra 2 bars that act as a pickup back into the verse. The second bridge is also an 8 bar section, but with different changes as the other vocal bridge. The outro section is a tag of the refrain, or repeated vocal line from each verse ("tossin and turnin', turnin' and tossin', a tossin' and turnin' all night").
The whole tune plays out in a predictable way, two similar sections (A), a different part (B), then a return to the first part (A). A bridge (C), in this case a horn soli, breaks up the return to the different part (B), followed by a repeat of the main part (A). The extra two measures that create space are those added wrinkles that elevate this one to a special place.
Chord Progressions
In sticking with a theme, "Tossin' and Turnin'" uses basic changes that contain a few wrinkles to make it stand out. The intro puts us in the key of C with a rubato like section. The last two measures of G set up the verse:
C / Amin / F / G / G / G I / vi / IV / V / V / V
The 12 bar verse is a blues variation:
C F7 / C / C F7 / C / G7 / G7 / C / F7 / C / F7 / C F7 / C I IV / I / I IV / I / V / V / I / IV / I / IV / I IV / I
While these chord qualities represent the basic gist, the guitar part adds some interesting color into the mix during the verse. Take a look at the verse changes between the guitar and bass:
Verse - guitar and bass
The guitar is adding a D# or Eb note, the #9 or minor 3rd, a common tension added to C7 in a blues setting. We get the same tension, briefly, on a G7 to create a G7b13 sound. Again, the chords are basically dominant 7 chords, and in many live versions, that's all you get. These little additions on the studio recording do stand out and give it a unique vibe.
The vocal bridge (B1) includes some unison hits from the band, creating a call and response between the vocals. The chords in this bridge play out to be:
F7 / F7 / C / C / F7 / F7 / D7 / G7 / G7 / G7
IV / IV / I / I / IV / IV / II / V / V / V
As in the intro, the last two bars of G bring us back to the verse. I do especially like the dominant II chord, or V/V to get to the G7 chord. The band plays a slick chromatic run to get there that adds just enough spice to keep this section from becoming too repetitious.
The second bridge contains a horn soli and another variation on the changes:
C / C / C / C / G7 / G7 / C F7 / C
I / I / I / I / V / V / I IV / C
The outro tags the second half of the verse changes to finish out the song with a fade. While these changes are simply and primarily built on 4 chords, they are mixed up in 4 different variations! We have seen many songs that use the same progression with no variation. This is a cool twist on basic changes.
Melody
Bobby Lewis is a great singer. This song presents a defined style that he showcases in the verses and bridges with nuanced variation, an observed quality in many songs that reach no.1. The intro starts freely, presenting us with some melodic patterns we will see later on - leaps of 3rds, repeated notes, phrases beginning on beat 2 and "simple" quarter-eighth note syncopation:
Intro
The verse plows in with a horn lick, followed by that familiar line. In a vacuum, the opening line here is somewhat deceptive, indicating C major over a G7 chord. When you're not expecting it, it somes off temporarily "wrong," until the rhythm section drops the C chord.
verse 1 - pickups and meas. 1-6
Bobby has a style where he slurs down or up to a chord tone in his delivery. It creates this smooth and slippery sound. The background singers add a whole other elements as they follow the chord tones and answer Mr. Lewis in contrasting timbre. Heading into the next 6 measures, we get the refrain, which repeats in each verse, as well as in the tagged outro.
Verse 1 - meas. 7-12
The interplay between Bobby Lewis and the background singers is rhythmically contrasting. The ladies keep their phrases straight, using mostly quarter and half notes. Bobby throws in some slight syncopation over the top to create a cool overlapping texture. Once again we hear slides up and down to chord tones.
Moving to verse 2, there are few variations to the melody. The background singers repeat verbatim, but Bobby changes a few things up to keep it interesting:
Verse 2
Once again, we hear a pickup that repeats a C note, this time sounding much more natural, now that we know where it's headed. In the fourth measure, above, he repeats a high C, a different choice from that same spot in the first verse (low C arpeggio). In the refrain, he switches around his melody, going higher to E on "turnin' and tossin'" as opposed to "tossin' and turnin'" in the first verse..... He will continue to add in little nuances in the third verses as well.
So far, the verse melody has been constructed with mostly repeated chord tones. The ends of phrases usually resolve stepwise to chord tones, but there are many leaps of thirds throughout this melody, a departure from all the 2nds we have seen so far in this round.
Instead of call and response with the background singers, the first bridge features a call and response between the band and Bobby Lewis. The rhythm section kicks things off with a new syncopation and a series of diatonic ascending lines through the changes.
Bridge 1 - pickup and meas. 1-6
Melodically, we get more repeated chord tones with lots of leaps from C-A and even the odd leap from A - D in measures 1 and 5 over the F chord (3rd - 6th). This continues in the last 4 measures of the 10 measure bridge. Again, we get more repeated chord tones on the shared D. The rhythm section takes the spotlight in the 9th measure, leading to the familiar pickup into verse 3, just like the intro:
Bridge 1 - meas.7-10 leading to verse 3
The second bridge features a horn soli, in octaves between saxophone and trumpet. They play with 16th note triplet ornaments approaching Bb, a definitive shift to a C7 sound during this section:
Bridge 2 - Horn Soli
This part combines a few elements we have see already in the tune. There are chord arpeggios, as heard in the verse pickup measures. We hear repetition of 3 notes, a developed variation on the repeated notes from the verse. We also hear ascending lines to the chords, influenced from the first bridge. This part does its job and breaks up the vocal sections of the tune, giving the listener a breather as we go into the final stretch.
Lyrics
The lyrical sensibility of the 60's is very different from today. Though the lyrics are simple and straightforward, they have a certain charm. Perhaps it's because they come from a genuine place and haven't been rehashed 100 times to make them feel cheesy or redundant.
He sets up the tune perfectly with the premise: "I couldn't sleep at all last night, just a-thinking of you." Moving on, he gets the most mileage out of the title, twisting it all around, lyrically tossing and turning with the words.
In verse 2, he paints the picture a little clearer, struggling with his pillow and blankets. In the bridge, he finally breaks and gets out of bed, a scenario we can all relate with. Here, he cycles through getting out of bed, turning on the light and going to the kitchen for a bite. He then goes back to bed and turns off the light, reminding us "it was the middle of the night." There is also a whole sequence with pulling down the shade...I'm not sure why you would pull down the shade in the middle of the night and then pull it up when you returned to bed in the middle of the night....
The third verse is a window into the past. Still unable to sleep, he hears the clock strike four (am) as well as the milkman at the door. How many people have a grandmother who still gets milk delivered? What a cool detail that hearkens back to olden times.
Common Threads
What musical elements do no.1 songs across decades have in common? So far in this round, "on the 1's," I have analyzed the no.1 song during the first week of August from 2011, 2001, 1991, 1981 and 1971. Over the course of these analyses, I have compiled a list of elements present in each, adding or subtracting elements as needed. Picking up from the Bee Gee's 1971 contribution "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart," let's see how "Tossin' and Turnin'" stacks up.
Repetitive Melody - absolutely. Repeated chord tones, vocal slurs to chord tones, similar syncopation and call and response between two groups dominate every vocal section of the tune.
Texture Changes - There are a few. The element of the background singers in the verse creates a unique texture. The rhythm section part in the bridge also create another feel. The horn soli in the second bridge sounds completely different than anything else in the tune.
Hook that Uses Title of the Song - Check. It is possible to consider "I couldn't sleep at all last night" as a sort of hook, as it is famously associated with the song. It only happens once though.....The proper refrain happens four times.
Strong motion of V- I - Every G7 resolves to C
Use of Vocal Harmony - background singers enjoy belting this one out!
- Stepwise Motion Common in Melody - as mentioned, this song uses a lot of 3rds, 4ths and 5ths. There are certainly 2nds present, but not as prevalent as thirds. Off the top of my head, this has to be one of the only songs that does not rely on stepwise motion to fill out the melody.....
(- new material at the end)
Chord Count - 5 - C, F7, G7, D7, Amin - I will count all the C variations as one chord, considering they all serve the same function and have basically the same feel. At 5 chords, this is only two more than 2011's "Party Rock Anthem," really only one more, considering the Amin only happens in the intro. I think the inclination is to think songs get more simple as you get more modern, but that is not really the case. This 1961 classic is pretty simple.
Final Takeaways
This one pleasantly surprised me. It has lots of elements I like hearing in a song: a hook that repeats often and is easy to sing along with, a fun vocal delivery, background vocals you can shout along with, an instrumental solo and a slightly quirky form. Way to be Bobby Lewis.
It's not hard to see why this song was so popular in the 60's. It's catchy and fun. The lyrics are clever and relatable. The instrumentation and general presentation are in line with pop music of the day, ideal for dancing. The melody is nothing groundbreaking but effectively gets the point across in an approachable way. This one is a classic in every sense of the word.
When I first heard the famous opening line, I immediately knew I knew the tune. This is one of those songs that has permeated the collective conscious of people within a certain age range. I'm sure I only knew it from "Animal House," but I would be willing to bet it has appeared in other movies and TV shows. There are several cover versions, another hallmark of a fine song. Songwriters Richie Adams and Malou Rene sure struck gold with this hit.
What do you think of "Tossin' and Turnin'?" Do you recognize it past the famous opening line, "I couldn't sleep at all last night?" How do you think it stacks up to more modern no.1 hits? Leave me a comment!
Up next time: I am foregoing a round 4 recap due to the small number of data points, only 6 songs. Instead, I will roll right into round 5, "on the 2's." Starting with 1962 we will work our way up through the decades to 2012. That will leave us with another classic....a title recognize, belonging to a song I couldn't hum a bar to....
August 11-18, 1962, a two week run at no.1: "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" by Neil Sedaka....stay tuned!
