Friday, 11 December 2009

Festive Gearchange (3)

Perry Como's "Silver Bells" really pushes the envelope. The entire first half of the song is just two bars A/two bars D/two bars E/two bars A again (with the odd extra two bars of A thrown in for good measure). At 1 minute 21 seconds they shift it up a semi-tone, and entire second half is two bars A#/two bars D#/2 bars F/two bars A# again. Repeat to fade. Genius.

6 comments:

ScotsToryB said...

What exactly is your point?

The reasons to make a hit record?
Money. Money. Money.

How to make a hit record? Change key somewhere around the...

And collect the Money. Money. Money.

Has this ever been done before?
Yes.
And for what reason?
Money. Money. Money.

Is this formulaic? Yes.
Run it by me again: how does it work?

See what I should have named point number 1.

STB.

ScotsToryB said...

That sounds as harsh as I meant it to be but...

It is nice to take the piss out of peeps who can do it and (strawman warning) those who wish it to be, but I remember asking people who had written pop songs that worked, why it had worked and they always said because they write what is needed at the time regardless of the key. In other words, it works.
If you or I could do it, we would and the last thing we would worry about is; does the key change make us sound like assholes?

Give it up.
You are good at accountancy...

STB.

Mark Wadsworth said...

I used to write songs when I was young, it's just routine and practice. I can proudly say that other local bands did covers of my songs, they were that good. But I never, ever, did a gear change, 'cos it's cheating.

TheFatBigot said...

The singing barber seems to have turned into Simon & Garthingy ... the sound of silence.

JuliaM said...

Video removed... :(

Oh, well, there's always the Terry Wogan/Aled Jones charity version instead! :)

Mark Wadsworth said...

TFB, JM, I have now put in a different video.