SONG ANALYSIS CHECKLIST Name: Andrew Kennedy
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SONG ANALYSIS CHECKLIST Name: Andrew Kennedy PLEASE NOTE: the numbers #1 and #2 have been used in list form to differentiate the two versions of the song in this analysis. CONTEXT • What is the name of the song and artist? 1. Teardrop by Massive Attack 2. Teardrop by Jose Gonzalez • What year was the song released? 1. Massive attack version 1998 2. Jose Gonzalez version 2007 • What is the Genre? 1. Trip Hop 2. Indie Folk • Are there any features that we would expect to see in this genre? 1. Trip Hop is usually slow tempo, electronic, experimental music containinG influences of soul, funk or jazz. 2. Indie Folk is basically the same as folk music but with a stronGer artistic aesthetic and a “cooler” mainstream imaGe. • What other music was around at the time? How does this song fit in? 1. Trip Hop oriGinated in the 90’s influenced by downtempo electronic music such as post-acid-house. 2. Indie folk is a branch of the “Indie-Tree” that grew in the 90’s. Indie short for Independent music which souGht to free itself from mainstream formulas without influence from record companies. In the 2000’s, indie folk itself has become somewhat mainstream but still identifies with it’s roots. • What is the artist’s background? Did their influences affect the sound? 1. Massive attack are a duo who usually use Guest vocalists and instrumentalists. Generally, their music is experimental and artistic rather than seekinG mainstream attention. While teardrop was one of their most commercially successful tracks, it arGuably became more successful in hindsiGht having only reached #10 on the UK singles chart when it was released. 2. While his version of Teardrop is quite different from Massive Attack’s, it is not that different from the rest of his music. This sonG appeared on his 2007 album In our nature which was partially influenced by atheism and several books Jose Gonzalez had been reading including The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and Practical Ethics by Peter SinGer. This is also reflected in the music video for the sonG. • What else do you know about the context of the song? 1. Teardrop has been covered by numerous artists and is often used on TV shows including the opening credits of House. STRUCTURE • What is the basic structure of the song? (eg: Intro, Verse, Chorus etc..) 1. Intro, Piano instrumental, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Break 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Break 2, Verse 3, Chorus 3, TaG, Break 3, EndinG 2. Intro, Verse 1, Instrumental, Verse 2, Instrumental, Verse 3, Instrumental, EndinG • What is the advanced structure of the song? (How many bars exactly for each section?) TEARDROP – Massive Attack Intro Sound effects |Drums |Drums |Drums |Drums | |Asus (pedal) | | | | Piano instrumental |A |Gadd9 |Dadd9 | |A |Gadd9 |Dadd9 | Verse 1 |A |Gadd9 |Dadd9 |A | |A |Gadd9 |Dadd9 |A | Chorus 1 |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 |A |A | Break 1 |Asus (pedal) | | | Verse 2 |A |Gadd9 |Dadd9 |A | Chorus 2 |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 |A |Fmaj7 | |Dm9 |Gadd9 |A |A | Break 2 |Asus (pedal) | | | | | | | | | Verse 3 |A |Gadd9 |Dadd9 |A | |A |Gadd9 |Dadd9 |A | Chorus 3 |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 |A | |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 |Fmaj7 | |A |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 | |A |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 | TaG |A (stumbling) |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 | |A (stumbling) |A | Break 3 |Drums (NC) | | | | Ending |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 | | | |Fmaj7 |Gadd9 | | | |Fmaj7 | TEARDROP - JOSE GONZALEZ Intro |D5 |D5 |D5 |D5 | Verse 1 |D5 |D5 |D5/G |D5 | |D5 |D5 |D5/G |D5 | Chorus 1 |D5/F |D5/G |D |D | Break 1 |D5 |D7(no 3rd) |D7sus4 |D7sus4 | Verse 2 |D5 |D5 |D5/G |D5 | |D5 |D5 |D5/G |D5 | Chorus 2 |D5/F |D5/G |D5 |D5 | Break 2 |D5 |D7(no 3rd) |D7sus4 | Verse 3 |D5 |D5 |D5/G |D5 | |D5 |D5 |D5/G |D5 | Chorus 3 |D5/F |D5/F |D5 | |D5/F |D5/G |D5/F | Break 3 |D5 |D7(no 3rd) |Dsus4 |D5 | Ending |D5/Bb |D5/C |D5/Bb |D5/C | |D5add9 | • Are all the instruments playing at once or do they come in at different times? 1. Each instrument is introduced one at a time in a staGGered entry. Drums, then harpsichord pedal, Piano and vocals. Some instruments drop out durinG the Break sections. There are also some extra instruments audible in the backGround such as sustained synth notes but these are not prominent parts. 2. This version is primarily just acoustic Guitar and vocals. The guitar is constant while the vocal drops in and out as one would expect. • Can you hear repetition, variety, contrast or development of ideas within the structure? 1. Trip hop is Generally very repetitive, however, there are numerous subtle touches that have been used to create variety within the arrangement. Probably the most repetitive element is the drums and harpsichord pedal. However, the harpsichord pedal stops in Break 3. Another interestinG touch that wasn’t immediately apparent was that some sections have uneven numbers of bars such as the Piano Instrumental and Chorus 3. 2. Jose Gonzalez version also features sections with uneven bars such as Break 2 and Chorus 3. • Is this structure typical for the genre? 1. I don’t think uneven numbers of bars are typical in Trip Hop or electronic music, no. 2. Uneven numbers of bars aren’t common in Indie folk but not really a surprise either. • Does the structure fit into a known category? (binary, 12 bar blues, through composed) 1. Verse/Chorus structure 2. Verse/Chorus structure • Have you notice anything else about the structure? No, not really. HARMONY • What is the key? 1. The key would “appear” to be D major apart from the Fmaj7 chord. However, I think it’s really in A mixolydian based on the melody notes and the constant resolution to A major chords. 2. For the same reasons, I would say this sonG is in the key of D mixolydian. • List all the chords used in the song? (Or even write a chart) See charts above. • Is this key typical of certain instruments? Both A mixolydian and D mixolydian would suit a wide variety of instruments • Has the composer used basic chords (triads) or advanced chords? (7ths, 9ths, 11ths 13ths) 1. The chords in this sonG are a little difficult to define. No one instrument seems to be playinG proper chords, the “chord sound” comes from the combined sound of all the instruments and melody. The piano is playing root notes which defines the chord names. The harpsichord pedal contains the notes A, D and E which combine in different ways with the bass notes. For instance, when these notes are combined with an A root note, they form an Asus4 chord. However, I’ve chosen to simply notate this chord as A major because the suspended effect is not prominent. When combined with a G root note, the effect is G6/9 with no third, however I’ve chosen to notate it as Gadd9 as the 6th sound is not prominent to my ears and the 3rd is contained within the melody notes. When combined with the D root note the effect is Dadd9 with no third. However, Dadd9 is sufficient, the third is contained in the melody notes. When combined with an F root note, the effect is Fmaj7add6, but as the 6th sound is not prominent, Fmaj7 is sufficient. However, this analysis is based only on the combination of bass notes, melody notes, and harpsichord notes. There “are” other notes present in the arranGements in synth parts, but these are too subtle to really be referenced in the chord chart. They are more colour sounds to my ears. 2. The predominant sound in Jose Gonzalez version of Teardrop is that of a perfect 5th drone. With his Guitar tuned DADABE we here two D’s and two A’s most of the time but with no third to imply either major or minor tonality. The major third “is”, however, present in the vocal melody so that is where the ear is eventually pulled. I chose to notate all the chords as D5 with various bass notes beneath because I think this is the best way to understand and hear them. I also think that’s probably how the composer thouGht of them. Each time a new bass note combines with the D5 chord it creates a different effect. For instance, D5/G creates a Gadd9 effect, D5/F creates a Dm/F effect (because F is the b3rd of Dm), D5/Bb creates a Bbmaj7 effect, and as D5/C contains no third it creates either a dominant soundinG D7/C effect or a minor soundinG Dm7/C effect dependinG on how you hear it. There are some more colourful chords in the breaks, mostly based around suspended and dominant sounds in order to build tension. • Do all these chords belong in the one key (diatonic) or are there unexpected ones too (non-diatonic)? 1. At first Glance, it would seem that most of the chords belonG in the key of D major. However, “D” doesn’t feel like home, “A” does. This is also reinforced in the melody which resolves to A most often. Therefore I’d say this sonG is in the key of A mixolydian. There are two unexpected chords: Fmaj7 and Dm which occur mainly in the choruses. 2. As there are less chords in Jose Gonzalez version, there’s less evidence to point towards D mixolydian. However, as the melody is comprised mainly of notes from the D mixolydian scale, it’s a Good assumption that it’s in the key of D mixolydian. If that’s true, then the chords D/F, D/Bb and D/C don’t really fit.