Formal structure of [50] "Yes It Is":
Intro (verse) 0:00-0:05 Verse 1 0:05-0:32 Verse 2 0:32-1:00 Middle 8 1:00-1:18 Verse 3 1:18-1:48 Middle 8 1:48-2:05 Verse 4 2:05-2:31 Coda (verse) 2:31-2:42* Comments: The coda features a fascinating chord progression that functions similarly to a deceptive cadence, but technically it isn't one: E G#7 A B7 E Yes it is, it's true. Yes it is, it's true. I III7 IV V7 I The G#7 on the word "true" is completely unexpected, having never been heard or even hinted at previously in this song, and it delays the final resolution to tonic, just like a textbook deceptive cadence does. That being said, it lacks the V to vi motion that defines a deceptive cadence, thus it cannot be called one.
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Formal structure of [49] "I Need You":
Intro (verse) 0:00-0:04 Verse 1 0:04-0:28* Verse 2 0:28-0:53 Middle 8 0:53-1:08 Verse 3 1:08-1:33 Middle 8 1:33-1:49 Verse 4 1:49-2:14 Coda (verse) 2:14-2:29 Comments: "I Need You" is another song in which the third quarter of each verse is slightly different from the other three quarters (a pattern found in [31] "A Hard Day's Night", [35] "Things We Said Today", [40] "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party", [42] "No Reply", and [43] "Eight Days a Week"). This one, however, is the first Harrison composition to employ this tactic. Here are the lyrics of the first verse divided into these four sections: You don't realize how much I need you Love you all the time, would never leave you Please come on back and see just what you mean to me I need you The chords of the first, second, and third divisions are nearly identical (A, D), while the chords of the third division are entirely different (F#m, C#m, Bm). The rhyming of the lyrics follow suit. Harrison has clearly learned this lesson from the Lennon/McCartney original [40] "I Don't Want To Spoil the Party", which is very, very similar. Formal structure of [48] "Another Girl":
Chorus 0:00-0:07* A Major Verse 1 0:07-0:22 A Major Chorus 0:22-0:28 A Major Verse 2 0:28-0:44 A Major Chorus 0:44-0:49 A Major Middle 8 0:49-1:00* C Major Verse 3 1:00-1:17 A Major Chorus 1:17-1:22 A Major Middle 8 1:22-1:33* C Major Verse 4 1:33-1:50 A Major Chorus 1:50-1:58 A Major Coda (ind) 1:58-2:05 A Major Comments: No intro, just launches right into the chorus (just like [12] "She Loves You", [14] "It Won't Be Long", [23] "Can't Buy Me Love", [34] "Any Time at All", and [36] "When I Get Home"). The transition from chorus to middle 8 is particularly interesting because of the modulation from A Major to C Major. [35] "Things We Said Today" flirts with this modulation, but never fully commits to it. "Another Girl" takes it a step further and commits to this new tonality, but only very briefly (each Middle 8 is just 11 seconds long). The relationship between A Major and C Major will culminate in the Abbey Road Medley, which makes extensive use of those two tonalities. The use of C Major in the Middle 8s, and A Major everywhere else in the song, "Another Girl" is the next step towards that ultimate destination. Formal structure of [47] "Ticket to Ride":
Intro (verse) 0:00-0:08* Verse 1 0:08-0:38 Verse 2 0:38-1:09 Middle 8 1:09-1:23 Transition 1:23-1:27 Verse 3 1:27-1:58 Middle 8 1:58-2:13 Transition 2:13-2:16 Verse 4 2:16-2:45 Coda (verse, ind.) 2:45-3:10* Comments: Another two-part intro (along with [6b] "A Taste Of Honey", [11] "Thank You Girl", [17] "Little Child", [14b] "Roll Over Beethoven", [24] "You Can't Do That", and [31b] "Matchbox", [37] "Baby's in Black", [38b] "Mr. Moonlight", [45] "I Feel Fine", and [46e] "Honey Don't"). The coda uses lyrics adapted from the conclusion of each verse ("but she don't care" turns into "My baby don't care"), but the music (the backing, which is abruptly twice as fast, the guitar riffs, and the vocals) is independent from the rest of the song. Formal structure of [46e] "Honey Don't":
Intro (coda) 0:00-0:07* Verse 1 0:07-0:22 Chorus 0:22-0:43 Verse 2 0:43-0:57 Chorus 0:57-1:18 Solo #1 1:18-1:47* Verse 3 1:47-2:02 Chorus 2:02-2:23 Solo #2 2:23-2:37* Chorus 2:37-2:50 Coda (intro) 2:50-2:57 Comments: Another two-part introduction (along with [6b] "A Taste Of Honey", [11] "Thank You Girl", [17] "Little Child", [14b] "Roll Over Beethoven", [24] "You Can't Do That", and [31b] "Matchbox", [37] "Baby's in Black", [38b] "Mr. Moonlight", and [45] "I Feel Fine"). The first solo section is also in two parts, though clearly the same solo (and not two separate solos back-to-back). Despite being identical to the first half of the first solo, the second solo section melds into the chorus for the second half. Formal structure of [46d] "Words of Love"
Intro (solo) 0:00-0:16 Verse 1 0:16-0:31 Verse 2 0:31-0:47 Solo 0:47-1:03, 1:03-1:18* Verse 3 1:18-1:34 Verse 4 1:34-1:50 Coda (verse) 1:50-2:03 Comments: One of the simplest formal plans of any Beatles song. No chorus, no middle 8, just 4 verses with a single solo (but in two distinct sections) in between verses 2 and 3, with an intro and coda tacked on. Formal structure of "Rock and Roll Music"
Intro (ind) 0:00-0:02 Chorus 0:02-0:22 Verse 1 0:22-0:34 Chorus 0:34-0:54 Verse 2 0:54-1:05 Chorus 1:05-1:25 Verse 3 1:25-1:36 Chorus 1:36-1:57 Verse 4 1:57-2:08 Chorus 2:08-2:27 Coda (ind) 2:27-2:28 Comments: One of the simplest and unambiguous structures of any Beatles recording: alternating verses and choruses (no bridges, no transitions, no solos, no middle 8), with the briefest of introductions and codas. Formal structure of [46b] "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby"
Verse 1 0:00-0:07 Chorus 0:07-0:19 Verse 2 0:19-0:24 Chorus 0:24-0:35 Solo #1 0:35-0:53 Verse 3 0:53-0:58 Chorus 0:58-1:09 Solo #2 1:09-1:43 Verse 4 1:43-1:49 Chorus 1:49-2:00 Verse 5 2:00-2:06 Chorus 2:06-2:14 Coda (solo) 2:14-2:25 Comments: no intro, two part coda (many feature two part intros, but few feature two-part codas), two solos (second twice as long). The verses and choruses combine to make a 12 bar blues progression. Partly for this reason, it would certainly be justifiable to combine each verse and chorus into a single section rather than split them into two, as I have done above. Formal structure in [46] "I'll Follow the Sun"
Intro (chorus) 0:00-0:04 Verse 1 0:04-0:11 Chorus 0:11-0:17 Verse 2 0:17-0:25 Chorus 0:25-0:32 Middle 8 0:32-0:46 Verse 3 0:46-0:54 Chorus 0:54-1:01 Solo 1:01-1:08 Chorus 1:08-1:15 Middle 8 1:15-1:30 Verse 1:30-1:37 Chorus 1:37-1:47 Comments: This was one of McCartney's earliest compositions that was revived for the album Beatles For Sale. Perhaps this is part of the reason why it is so simple structurally. Then again, such a beautifully simple tune doesn't need anything more complicated than this. Formal structure of [45] "I Feel Fine"
Intro (ind, verse) 0:00-0:16* Verse 1 0:16-0:24 Chorus 0:24-0:29 Verse 2 0:29-0:37 Chorus 0:37-0:43 Middle 8 0:43-0:53 Verse 3 0:53-1:02 Chorus 1:02-1:07 Solo 1:07-1:16 Transition 1:16-1:25 Verse 4 1:25-1:33 Chorus 1:33-1:39 Middle 8 1:39-1:50 Verse 5 1:50-1:58 Chorus 1:58-2:06* Coda (verse) 2:06-2:18 Comments: Another two-part intro (along with [6b] "A Taste Of Honey", [11] "Thank You Girl", [17] "Little Child", [14b] "Roll Over Beethoven", [24] "You Can't Do That", and [31b] "Matchbox", [37] "Baby's in Black", and [38b] "Mr. Moonlight"): first the famous first-ever deliberate recording of feedback to appear on an album; second the guitar riff featured in each verse. The last chorus before coda is extended (just like [12] "She Loves You", and [21] "I Want to Hold Your Hand"). |
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