Formal structure of [115] "Your Mother Should Know":
Intro (verse) 0:00-0:04 Verse 1 0:04-0:27 Verse 2 0:27-0:47 Break 0:47-1:30 Verse 3 (ext.) 1:03-1:31* Break 1:31-1:46 Verse 4 (dbl ext.) 1:46-2:28* Comments: With no middle 8, the break instead serves as a contrast to the verses. The chord progressions of the verses and the breaks are similar (which is one reason why I opted not to call the break a middle 8), but different enough to serve as a mild contrast. Verse 3 features an extension, consisting of a repeat of the last four bars of the verse. Verse 4 goes one further, adding a second extension by repeating those last four bars of the verse twice. This double extension serves as a makeshift coda, as the song otherwise lacks one. Lastly, verses 1 and 2 are contiguous (as was the case previously with [1] "Love Me Do", [7] "Do You Want to Know a Secret", [8] "Misery", [9b] "Anna (Go To Him)", [9c] "Boys", [9d] "Chains", [9f] Twist and Shout, [10] "From Me To You", [13e] "Till There Was You", [17] "Little Child", [19] "Not a Second Time", [23] "Can't Buy Me Love", [25] "And I Love Her", [26] "I Should Have Known Better", [28] "If I Fell'', [29] "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You", [31] "A Hard Day's Night", [31b] "Matchbox", [32] "I'll Cry Instead", [35] "Things We Said Today", [40] "I Don't Want To Spoil the Party", [41] "What You're Doing", [42] "No Reply", [43] "Eight Days a Week", [44] "She's a Woman", [44b] "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey", [46d] "Words of Love", [47] "Ticket to Ride", [49] "I Need You", [50] "Yes It Is", [51] "The Night Before", [52] "You Like Me Too Much", [54] "Tell Me What You See", 56b] "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", [56c] "Bad Boy", [57] "I've Just Seen a Face", [59] "Yesterday", [66] "If I Needed Someone", [68] "We Can Work it Out", [71] "Michelle", [77] "Tomorrow Never Knows", [80] "Paperback Writer", [82] "Doctor Robert", [84] "Taxman", [88] "Yellow Submarine", [89] "I Want To Tell You", [92] "She Said She Said", [95] "Penny Lane", [96] "A Day in the Life", [99] "Fixing a Hole", [100] "Only a Northern Song", [101] "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite", [105] "Within You Without You", [111] "All Together Now", and [114] "All You Need Is Love").
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Formal structure of [114] "All You Need Is Love": Introduction 0:00-0:26 La Marseillaise (ind) 0:00-0:08 backing track (verse) 0:08-0:26 Verse 1 0:26-0:44 Verse 2 0:44-1:01 Chorus 1:01-1:19 Solo (verse) 1:19-1:36 Chorus 1:36-1:53 Verse 3 1:53-2:10 Chorus 2:10-2:27 Chorus 2:27-2:43 Coda (chorus) 2:43-3:51 Comments: Not only does "All You Need Is Love" uses contiguous verses (as did [1] "Love Me Do", [7] "Do You Want to Know a Secret", [8] "Misery", [9b] "Anna (Go To Him)", [9c] "Boys", [9d] "Chains", [9f] Twist and Shout, [10] "From Me To You", [13e] "Till There Was You", [17] "Little Child", [19] "Not a Second Time", [23] "Can't Buy Me Love", [25] "And I Love Her", [26] "I Should Have Known Better", [28] "If I Fell'', [29] "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You", [31] "A Hard Day's Night", [31b] "Matchbox", [32] "I'll Cry Instead", [35] "Things We Said Today", [40] "I Don't Want To Spoil the Party", [41] "What You're Doing", [42] "No Reply", [43] "Eight Days a Week", [44] "She's a Woman", [44b] "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey", [46d] "Words of Love", [47] "Ticket to Ride", [49] "I Need You", [50] "Yes It Is", [51] "The Night Before", [52] "You Like Me Too Much", [54] "Tell Me What You See", 56b] "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", [56c] "Bad Boy", [57] "I've Just Seen a Face", [59] "Yesterday", [66] "If I Needed Someone", [68] "We Can Work it Out", [71] "Michelle", [77] "Tomorrow Never Knows", [80] "Paperback Writer", [82] "Doctor Robert", [84] "Taxman", [88] "Yellow Submarine", [89] "I Want To Tell You", [92] "She Said She Said", [95] "Penny Lane", [96] "A Day in the Life", [99] "Fixing a Hole", [100] "Only a Northern Song", [101] "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite", [105] "Within You Without You", and [111] "All Together Now"), it also uses much less common contiguous chorus (as did [44b] "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey", [58] "I'm Down", [73] "Think For Yourself", [90] "Good Day Sunshine", and [113] "It's All Too Much"). This use of contiguous verses at the beginning and contiguous choruses at the end help establish an inverse palindromic structure (as did [57] "I've Just Seen a Face", and [97] "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"). A palindrome is something that is the same forwards as it is backwards. An inverse palindrome, then, is something that is completely opposite (not the same) in reverse. In this instance, every verse has a corresponding chorus located the same distance from the end of the song as the verse was from the beginning. Or, to put it another way, every chorus has a corresponding verse located the same distance from the end of the song as the chorus was from the beginning. To illustrate, here's a graphic (click to enlarge): Lastly, "All You Need is Love" is yet another Beatles song to use a multi-part intro (as did [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", [46e] "Honey Don't", [47] "Ticket to Ride", [62] "Run For Your Life", [63] "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", [66] "If I Needed Someone", [77] "Tomorrow Never Knows", [79] "Love You To", [81] "Paperback Writer", [82] "Rain, [84] "Taxman", [89] "I Want to Tell You", [92] "She Said She Said", [97] "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", [98] "Good Morning Good Morning", [102] "Lovely Rita", [104] "Getting Better", [105] "Within You Without You", [110] "Baby, You're a Rich Man", and [113] "It's All Too Much"), with the first part quoting the French National Anthem La Marseillaise, and the second part consisting of the backing track to the verses.
Formal structure of "It's All Too Much":
Intro (ind, chorus) 0:00-1:03* speaking, feedback 0:00-0:16 organ 0:16-0:27 backing track 0:27-0:44 0:27-0:35 0:35-0:44 + vocals 0:44-1:03 0:44-0:53 0:53-1:03 Verse 1 1:03-1:20 Chorus 1:20-1:39 Verse 2 1:39-1:57 Chorus 1:57-2:14 Break (chorus) 2:14-2:50 guitar 2:14-2:31 trumpet 2:31-2:50 Verse 3 2:50-3:07 Chorus 3:07-3:24 Chorus 3:24-3:40 Coda (chorus) 3:40-6:24 Comments: The intro can be divided into four sub-sections. In fact, the last two subsections of the intro can be further broken down further into halves, in which each sub-sub-section is four measures long and use the exact same chord progressions, with the very last such sub-sub-section being extended a single measure. Many Beatles songs to date have used a two-part introduction ([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", [46e] "Honey Don't", [47] "Ticket to Ride", [62] "Run For Your Life", [63] "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", [66] "If I Needed Someone", [77] "Tomorrow Never Knows", [79] "Love You To", [81] "Paperback Writer", [82] "Rain, [84] "Taxman", [89] "I Want to Tell You", [92] "She Said She Said", [97] "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", [98] "Good Morning Good Morning", [102] "Lovely Rita", [104] "Getting Better", [105] "Within You Without You", and [110] "Baby, You're a Rich Man"), but only one other used a four-part intro ([65] "Day Tripper"). Similarly the break can be broken down further into two sub-sections: first a guitar solo, then a trumpet solo. "It's All Too Much" is the fifth Beatles songs to date to use contiguous choruses (the four precedents being [44b] "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey", [58] "I'm Down", [73] "Think For Yourself", and [90] "Good Day Sunshine"), concluding with two such choruses, plus the coda is based on the chorus, which, at 1:44 in duration, it's coda is the second longest of any Beatles recording to date, behind only [137] “Hey Jude”, whose coda was 3:59. (The next longest, at 67 seconds, is [93] "Strawberry Fields Forever"). I am beginning to notice problems, as I review my previous formal analyses, with structural labeling. In analyzing song structure, I am seeking to find patterns, which are more easily recognizable when categorical labels are applied to sections of a song. That way I can browse past analyses and compare how any given section is used between any number of different songs. But this labeling is a facet of analytical nomenclature and not necessarily reflective of the song itself. In other words, what you call something has no effect on what that something actually is. As William Shakespeare so eloquently put it, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." And sure enough, my labeling a section as being a verse, middle 8, bridge, chorus, et cetera does not change the music in any way shape or form. What I am discovering, then, is that in applying labels to these sections, I am guilty to a certain extent of pigeonholing and abstracting the music to a degree that doesn't necessarily reflect the music itself. Of course this is inevitable - all analysis of this type must necessarily abstract generalities, otherwise no conclusions could ever be drawn - but at some point it becomes too abstracted to be helpful, and that is precisely the concern I am currently facing.
So, with all of that in mind, my formal analyses from now on will include a hierarchical outlining of formal structure in which the largest formal delineations will be the least indented (further to the left as you read it), and successively smaller formal articulations will be progressively further indented (further to the right as you read it). This won't solve the problem entirely, of course, but it will help illustrate the hierarchy of formal design, and I hope will assuage the problem of abstraction through labeling. Formal structure of "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)": Section A 0:00-0:46 intro 0:00-0:16 verse 0:16-0:35 chorus 0:35-0:46 Section B 0:46-2:19 intro 0:46-1:03 verse 1:03-1:17 chorus 1:17-1:25 verse 1:25-1:39 chorus 1:39-1:47 verse 1:47-2:01 chorus 2:01-2:09 coda/trans. 2:09-2:19 Section C 2:19-3:02 verse 2:19-2:42 chorus (ext) 2:42-3:02* Section D 3:02-4:19 chorus 3:06-3:15 verse 3:15-3:29 chorus 3:29-3:37 verse 3:37-3:51 chorus (ext) 3:51-4:19* Comments: "You Know My Name" is similar structurally to "Happiness is a Warm Gun" (although I won't get to that one for another few weeks) in that they are both songs that adopt a four part macro-scale formal structure in which each section is characteristically independent of the other three. Each of those four can then be further broken down into subsections. The subdivisions within each quarter use identical or nearly identical chord progressions to those subdivisions of the same name of the other quarters (i.e. all the verses listed above share a common progression, as do all the choruses). In other words, the music is the same from quarter to quarter, but the style and character of that music is completely different. Notice that both sections C and D extend the final chorus (in fact, both use identical chord progressions in those extensions). [77] "Tomorrow Never Knows" "Tomorrow Never Knows" is the 22nd Beatles original not to use a middle 8. [78] "Got To Get You Into My Life" "Got To Get You Into My Life" is the 23rd Beatles original not to use a middle 8. Instead, the bridge and chorus function as a contrast to the verses. [79] "Love You To" The middle 8 is used 4 times, lasting 6 measures and 11 seconds the first and third times, and 4 measures and 7 seconds the second and fourth times (where they meld seamlessly into sitar solos, accounting for their abbreviated length), all of which totals 20.0% (36/180) of the song's duration. [80] "Paperback Writer" "Paperback Writer" is the 24th Beatles original not to use a middle 8. Instead, the break functions as a contrast to the verses. [81] "Rain" The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 12 measures and averaging 27.5 seconds, totaling 30.6% (55/180) of the song's duration. [82] "Doctor Robert" The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 8 measures and 12 seconds each time, totaling 17.9% (24/134) of the song's duration. [83] "And Your Bird Can Sing" The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 8 measures and 15 seconds each time, totaling 25.0% (30/120) of the song's duration. [84] "Taxman" The middle 8 is use once, lasting 9 measures and 16 seconds, totaling 10.1% (16/158) of the song's duration. [85] "I'm Only Sleeping" The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 8 measures and 9 seconds each time, totaling 10.0% (18/179) of the song's duration. [86] "Eleanor Rigby" "Eleanor Rigby" is the 25th Beatles original not to use a middle 8. Instead, a bridge and chorus functions as a contrast to the verses. [87] "For No One" The middle 8 is used three times, lasting 5 measures and 15 seconds the first two times, and 5 measures and 19 seconds the third time (because it also functions as a coda), totaling 41.2% (49/119) of the song's duration. [88] "Yellow Submarine" "Yellow Submarine" is the 26th Beatles original not to use a middle 8. Instead, the breaks and choruses function as a contrast to the verses. [89] "I Want to Tell You" The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 8 measures and 15 seconds each time, totaling 20.4% (30/147) of the song's duration. [90] "Good Day Sunshine" "Good Day Sunshine" is the 27th Beatles original not to use a middle 8. Instead, the choruses function as a contrast to the verses. [91] "Here There and Everywhere" The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 4 measures and 12 second each time, totaling 16.7% (24/144) of the song's duration. This middle 8 modulates from G major to B-flat major, the same tonal relationship (Tonic to flat submediant and back) that was used in [48] "Another Girl" and [55] "You're Going to Lose That Girl") [92] "She Said She Said" The middle 8 is used twice, lasting 11 measures and averaging 20 seconds each time, totaling 25.6% (40/156) of the song's duration. This middle 8 employs two sub-sections, changes time signature from quadruple to triple, and tonicizes (but NOT modulates to!) E-flat. As with the previous chapters of this study, I am including a chart that summarizes all my findings to this point: ![]()
Formal structure of "All Together Now":
Intro (verse) 0:00-0:10 Verse 1 0:10-0:20 Verse 2 0:20-0:31 Middle 8 0:31-0:4 Chorus 0:43-0:53 Verse 3 0:53-1:03 Chorus 1:03-1:23 Middle 8 1:23-1:34 Chorus 1:34-1:53 Coda (chorus) 1:53-2:11 Comments: This one's about as straight-forward as I've seen. There seems to be no large-scale pattern to the formal structure. Unlike several recent analyses which show three-part macro-scale layouts, there is no such pattern in "All Together Now". This lack of predictability gives a strong sense of improvisation that starkly contrasts the clearly well-thought-out structures of other songs from this same time period. Verses 1 and 2 are contiguous (as they were in [1] "Love Me Do", [7] "Do You Want to Know a Secret", [8] "Misery", [9b] "Anna (Go To Him)", [9c] "Boys", [9d] "Chains", [9f] Twist and Shout, [10] "From Me To You", [13e] "Till There Was You", [17] "Little Child", [19] "Not a Second Time", [23] "Can't Buy Me Love", [25] "And I Love Her", [26] "I Should Have Known Better", [28] "If I Fell'', [29] "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You", [31] "A Hard Day's Night", [31b] "Matchbox", [32] "I'll Cry Instead", [35] "Things We Said Today", [40] "I Don't Want To Spoil the Party", [41] "What You're Doing", [42] "No Reply", [43] "Eight Days a Week", [44] "She's a Woman", [44b] "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey", [46d] "Words of Love", [47] "Ticket to Ride", [49] "I Need You", [50] "Yes It Is", [51] "The Night Before", [52] "You Like Me Too Much", [54] "Tell Me What You See", 56b] "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", [56c] "Bad Boy", [57] "I've Just Seen a Face", [59] "Yesterday", [66] "If I Needed Someone", [68] "We Can Work it Out", [71] "Michelle", [77] "Tomorrow Never Knows", [80] "Paperback Writer", [82] "Doctor Robert", [84] "Taxman", [88] "Yellow Submarine", [89] "I Want To Tell You", [92] "She Said She Said", [95] "Penny Lane", [96] "A Day in the Life", [99] "Fixing a Hole", [100] "Only a Northern Song", [101] "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite", and [105] "Within You Without You"). Formal structure of "Magical Mystery Tour": Intro (chorus) 0:00-0:09 E major Verse 1 0:09-0:32 E major backing only 0:09-0:21 with lead 0:21-0:32 Chorus 0:33-0:41 D major Verse 2 0:41-1:04 E major backing only 0:41-0:53 with lead 0:53-1:04 Chorus 1:04-1:13 D major Break 1:13-1:27 ambiguous (B major? E major?) Verse 3 1:27-1:57 E major backing only 1:27-1:42 with lead 1:42-1:57 Chorus 1:57-2:20 D major Coda 2:20-2:50 D major, D minor Comments: This is yet another McCartney song that features a macro-scale formal layout of three iterations of a particular combination of sections - in this case a verse (each consisting of two subsections) followed by a chorus. In between the second and third such iterations is a break, with the total product bookended by an intro and coda.
Of course, all songs need variety. In fact, you might say that the fundamental challenge of musical composition is how to (a) continue in a way that is complementary to what preceded it (meaning it contributes to what was heard earlier rather than being completely unrelated), while simultaneously (b) varying the material enough to avoid monotony.
In "Magical Mystery Tour", Paul achieves this balance between same and different in three ways: 1. By making each macro-scale section consist of a verse (in two parts) in E major and chorus in D major. This builds a certain degree of tonal contrast into each macro section. 2. By adding an instrumental break in between the verse 2/chorus and verse 3/chorus. As the section name implies, this offers a break to the vocalists - both background and lead. Moreover, the chords used in this break are chords not found anywhere else in the song. In that sense, the break functions rather like a middle 8 in that it provides harmonic contrast to the verses and choruses. Had this break included a melody and/or lyrics, I probably would have labeled it a middle 8. But without a melody or lyrics, it is quite clearly a break. 3. By changing musical parameters for the final verse/chorus. Where the tempo from the beginning until the final verse/chorus is q=168, the tempo abruptly slows by about 20% to q=136. A listener will clearly hear this sudden tempo shift as something new (not heard previously in this song), while simultaneously hearing that the chord progression and backing vocals are identical (just slower) to those heard previously. In short, it's both the same and different. Additionally, when McCartney's lead vocals are heard again, he's singing the same pitches, but has jumped one octave higher. This helps give the final verse/chorus energy. In general, fast tempos have more energy (think of your heartbeat - faster heart beats almost always mean more energy or exertion). In this case, however, the opposite is true: The slower tempo actually has more energy, and McCartney's higher vocals help give it that boost in energy despite the decrease in tempo. Furthermore, the final chorus takes the additional step of changing time signature in addition to the tempo. Where the first two iterations of the chorus were in duple meter (beats divisible by two), the third and final chorus is in triple meter (beats divisible by three). This contributes to the increase in energy and ultimately leads to the climax of the song at the point where the chorus concludes and the coda begins. The function of the coda, then, is to provide a respite from the continually increasing energy of the verse/chorus immediately prior. The coda maintains the triple meter of the final chorus, but without the vocals or any significant melody, the energy steadily decreases. A fade out aids in this decrease in energy. Formal Structure in Beatles Music: [108] "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reprise)"7/22/2013 Formal structure of "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"
trans/intro 0:00-0:20 F major Chorus 0:20-0:44 F major Chorus 0:44-1:01 G major Coda/trans 1:07-1:19 G major Comments: The reprise of the title track to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band employs only the chorus from the original - neither verse, nor the break/middle 8 appear in this version. Conversely, the chorus (used exclusively in the reprise) was only heard once in the original. The key change from F major to G major is worth a brief note because it helps delineate the structure. In this abbreviated reprise, with just two choruses plus transitional material on either side, the modulation serves as the halfway point, separating the two choruses. This modulation is something I will look at in more detail when I do a harmonic analysis of this track. Formal structure of "With a Little Help From My Friends"
Trans./intro 0:00-0:09 Verse 1 0:09-0:26 Chorus 0:26-0:43 Verse 2 0:43-1:00 Chorus 1:00-1:13 Middle 8 1:13-1:30 Verse 3 1:30-1:48 Chorus 1:48-2:00 Middle 8 2:00-2:17 Chorus 2:17-2:30 Coda (Chorus) 2:30-2:44 Comments: This is the most clear formal design of any recent Beatles song I've analyzed. No ambiguity. I got nuthin more to say... Formal structure of "She's Leaving Home" Intro (ind) 0:00-0:05 Verse 1 0:05-0:50* a 0:05-0:28 b 0:28-0:50 Chorus 0:50-1:17 Verse 2 1:17-2:04 a 1:17-1:40 b 1:40-2:04 Chorus 2:04-2:31 Verse 3a 2:31-2:54* Chorus 2:54-3:21 Coda (chorus) 3:21-3:39 Comments: The verses can be divided into two parts, labeled a and b above. The initial two verses use both halves, but the third and final verse only uses the first half. It seems to be a trademark of McCartney's 1966-67 songs that they fit quite nicely into three iterations of a combination verse & chorus (or verse & middle 8). In this case, it's three iterations of a verse & chorus, with the final repeat halving the verse, but extended the chorus an extra measure.
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