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Theory

Popular songs featuring the Phrygian mode and Neapolitan chord

Western music theory describes seven diatonic scales that are the basis of corresponding musical modes, among which the major and minor still dominate due to the universality of their harmonic structure. Other seven-note scales such as Phrygian, Lydian, Dorian, and Mixolydian have the status of modal modes and used mainly to create a musical atmosphere specific to a particular geographical area, historical period, or to evoke associations with various folk cultures.   Of all the modal mo

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Adrian Belew's spellbinding guitar tricks saturate prog music with the sounds of space

American multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Adrian Belew managed to extract entirely extraordinary sounds from his guitar even before the invention of guitar synthesizers which would later become a trend not without his significant contribution. During his nearly 50-year long career, he generated an easily recognizable and stylistically unique soundscape, taking part in the most progressive projects of the century including Talking Heads, King Crimson, Nine Inch Nails and other ventures headed

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Why birds sing their songs: great maestros proving the musicality of nightingale, cuckoo, yellowhammer

It is no coincidence that the sounds emitted by birds are known in many languages as "songs", rather than simple animal noises, all due to their patterns being structurally similar to the forms of human music.   Many generations of researchers have been attempting to determine whether the driving mechanism behind bird songs is tied to some form of conscious musicality or if it simply fits within the concept of basic communication.    Recent studies delve deeper into this pheno

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Quadraphonic vinyl reveals new Atom Heart Mother details

In the late 1960s, after the stereo sound almost completely replaced the mono format in the recording industry, the attention of engineers was shifted to quadrophonic sound technology.   Unfortunately, at that time, quad-sound was not widespread due to equipment manufacturers failing to develop a common quad standard, releasing recordings and record players of various formats to the mass market which made it hard to find a match.   Nevertheless, quad recordings forced the sou

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The timeless tragedy of Molly Malone

Not many songs can boast international recognition of being so deeply and fondly Irish the way Molly Malone does. Also known as Cockles and Mussels or In Dublin's Fair City, the ballad—now the unofficial anthem of Dublin—tells the story of a fishmonger named Molly who dies of a fever, but her ghost still wheels the barrow with the wares through the streets.   There have been many attempts to prove that Molly was a genuine historical figure, but everything points to her being merely an

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Gondolier songs as the inspiration behind the romantic genre of Barcarolle

Originally a Venetian gondolier’s song, Barcarolle is characterized by gently rocking rhythms reminiscent of the boatman's stroke. The simplistic nature of the melody and the wistful triple meter add to the charming character of this timeless classic.   In the 18th and 19th centuries, the barcarolle inspired a considerable number of vocal and instrumental compositions, ranging from opera arias to character pieces for piano.    Frédéric Chopin’s Barcarolle is possibly the best

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CAN: the psychedelic days of future past

German band Can established themselves as pioneers of experimental avant-garde by seamlessly combining their influences, from the tape-splicing technique of electronic composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, the trance-like drone of The Velvet Underground, the minimalism of composer mavericks like Terry Riley as well as the jazz rhythms of James Brown.   When Can formed in Cologne in 1968, the members had little experience with rock. Two former students of avant-garde classical composer Karlhe

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The drama of The Chain kept alive on the big screen

The Chain, included on Fleetwood Mac’s classic 1977 Rumours album, has retained that particular brand of culturally iconic for decades, but even so, it is safe to say that the recent years pushed the song to a much more immediate pop culture awareness.   The credit mostly lies with Hollywood (though TV had its fun much earlier with Glee, The Americans, and even BBC’s Formula One coverage used the ending bass line bass line as a theme tune from 1978 till 1997) and its generous streak of

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Cream's biggest hit inspired by Hendrix's debut in England

Sunshine of Your Love by the British rock band Cream is perhaps their best known song that spawned numerous covers across genres over the years.  The song's origins lie with Cream bassist Jack Bruce and his distinctive bass riff which he developed after attending Jimi Hendrix's first London concert at the Saville Theatre on 29 January 1967. After the riff had taken roots, guitarist Eric Clapton and beat poet Pete Brown later contributed to the song.    Read more on MusicTales.club

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Who is the true architect behind The House of the Rising Sun?

The authorship of The House of the Rising Sun can not be accurately determined to this day, since the song is a folk ballad.   It is based on the tradition of the 16th century ballads, and the melody might be related to a 17th century folk song Matty Groves. Presumably, The Rising Sun was the name of some English pubs, and the location was changed from England to New Orleans by Southern singers. The first known version of the lyrics was printed in 1925.   Read more on MusicTa

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I Put a Spell on You: the wild roots of the song's blackout drunk recording

I Put a Spell on You is a 1956 song written by Screamin' Jay Hawkins that became an instant classic and remained his greatest commercial success.   Hawkins wrote this as a calm ballad lamenting the lost love of a woman he longed to get back. His first recording of the song in 1955 was not released, and was a lot more slower and tamer than the version everyone is familiar with.   A year later, at his second attempt at the song for Columbia Records, Hawkins and the studio music

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Prog rock version of Jerusalem was banned by BBC

Jerusalem is a British national song based on a poem by William Blake printed in 1808. At the heart of the poem is the contrast between the harmonious, peaceful society Blake aspired to and the crushing reality of the rapid industrial transformation of his natural world.   Blake was a radical poet and artist who lived most of his life in poverty and obscurity. Like most Romantics, he wrote and poems that celebrated energy, imagination and freedom, but what separated him from the rest w

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Easy Living owes Billie Holiday for giving it voice

A tender ballad Easy Living has forthright lyrics that declare just how wonderful life can be when living for someone you love.    The songwriting team of Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin wrote Easy Living in 1937 for the film of the same name which was well-reviewed and is best characterized as a screwball comedy classic. Their partnership was a productive one, producing a number of hits in the '30s, and lasted until Rainger’s tragic death in a plane crash in 1942.    Read more o

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Man of Constant Sorrow revived in the Coen brothers' classic

Man of Constant Sorrow is a traditional American folk song first published by Dick Burnett, a partially blind fiddler from Kentucky. The song was originally titled Farewell Song in a songbook published by Burnett around 1913. An early version was recorded by Emry Arthur in 1928 under the title Man of Constant Sorrow which eventually replaced the original name. That piece was popularized by The Stanley Brothers who recorded their version in the 1950s. Later variations came from many artists

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The Birth of 'Venus': from Stephen Foster, to The Big Three, and Shocking Blue

Stephen Foster (1826—1864) was an American composer whose vast contribution to popular song, specifically the ballad genre, earned him an honorary place in the hall of fame of American music history.   He had no choice but to get side-tracked from his main ambitions to compose music for the mainstream market, such as minstrel and sentimental pop ballads which were in high demand at the time.   It is estimated that Foster authored around 200 songs, holding the credits for both

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Placements of hit tracks on albums rooted in vinyl era

Establishing the track number for the album's title song might be one of he most vital things in production. Historically, sound engineers had two main reasons to put the main track in the middle of a record. First of all, the vinyl's edge was far too quick to get worn out, so putting the hit songs at the top of the tracklist was out of the question. Secondly, the vinyl's circular middle was known to have a poorer sound due to its perimeter.   What started as a practical solution has e

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Four continents come together for Manu Chao's 'Clandestino'

In Latin America and Europe, this guy is virtually an icon who seems to have taken the role of Bob Marley. Manu Chao is a wandering artist who for years never had his own place, staying forever on the move, as though addicted to the travel itself. He was born in Paris to Spanish parents, growing up to the sound bolero at home and rock'n'roll in the streets.   It is now two decades since Manu Chao released his higly popular 'Clandestino' album. At the cross-fade of the millennium, it so

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Seven Nation Army riff conquers sport and classical music

It seems that since the initial release of the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army in 2003, the crowds at sporting events all over the world have adopted it as their favorite chant.   One of the origin legends claims that the trend started at a Milan bar when the fans of the Belgian football club Club Brugge KV heard the original tune and started singing along. A few years later, Bruggefans cheered for their club in Rome with the song, and it began catching on in Italy.    AS Ro

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Bourrée: French folk dance from the Bach suite inspired prog-rock flute and the work of Sir Paul McCartney

Bourrée is a French folk dance typically danced with quick, skipping steps. The dancers sometimes wear wooden clogs to accentuate the sounds made by their feet. The bourrée was among the dances from which ballet derived its early movements.    Stylized bourrées have been composed as conceptual pieces since the 16th century. In suites of Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, the bourrée often appears as one of the optional movements.   Bourrée: French folk dance fr

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The Celtic Baroque roots of 'Stairway to Heaven'

Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) knew how to combine traditional Irish music with Italian Baroque that was the preferred choice of the high society at that time. The repetition of short motifs as well as the particular way of building tension reveal O'Carolan's knowledge of the leading styles in the Baroque era. His experiments with harp music influenced a whole new genre, as it were: the Celtic Classics.   The Celtic Baroque roots of 'Stairway to Heaven'    

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