The Relationship Between the Melodic-Harmonic Divorce in Blues-Based Rock, the Structure of Blue Tonality, and the Blue Tonality Shift A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Fine Arts of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Music Zachary J. Quillen April 2021 © 2021 Zachary J. Quillen. All Rights Reserved. 2 This thesis titled The Relationship Between the Melodic-Harmonic Divorce in Blues-Based Rock, the Structure of Blue Tonality, and the Blue Tonality Shift by ZACHARY J. QUILLEN has been approved for the School of Music and the College of Fine Arts by Ciro Scotto Professor of Music Theory Matthew R. Shaftel Dean, College of Fine Arts 3 Abstract QUILLEN, ZACHARY J., M.M., April 2021, Music Theory The Relationship Between the Melodic-Harmonic Divorce, the Structure of Blue Tonality, and the Blue Tonality Shift Director of Thesis: Ciro Scotto This thesis proposes an alternative explanation for the melodic-harmonic divorce cited in the blues-based examples from David Temperley’s “The Melodic-Harmonic ‘Divorce’ in Rock” and Drew Nobile’s “Counterpoint in Rock Music: Unpacking the ‘Melodic-Harmonic Divorce.’” To support this argument, I will synthesize, adapt, and expand the work of Gerhard Kubik, Peter Van Der Merwe, Jeff Todd Titon, and Nicholas Stoia in order to define the basic tenets of blue tonality. I will then contrast those principles with those of Western common practice tonality (Bach to Brahms) in order to develop a system that demonstrates when a blue tonality shift becomes the more appropriate model for a musical passage rather than melodic-harmonic divorce. I will conclude by presenting analyses of the following blues-based songs using the blue tonality shift system: 1. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones 2. “Rockin’ Me Baby” by The Steve Miller Band 3. “Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman Turner Overdrive 4. “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge 5. “Rollin’ & Tumblin” by Muddy Waters 6. “Baby, You Can Drive My Car” by The Beatles 4 Dedication To the energy that connects us all, thank you for being the God of second chances. To my mother, Sue, thank you for teaching me to eat with a spoon. 5 Acknowledgments Dr. Reilly and Dr. Wetzel: Thank you for your patience. Dr. Scotto: Thank you for your time and counsel. 6 Table of Contents Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 5 List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... 8 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 1: A Review and Critique of Melodic-Harmonic Divorce .................................. 16 1.01 Winkler Observes a Shift in Harmonic Loyalty ................................................. 16 1.02 Allen Moore Introduces the Term, Divorce ........................................................ 18 1.03 Temperley Introduces “Melodic-Harmonic Divorce” and its Conditions .......... 19 1.04 Nobile Clarifies the Term, Melodic-Harmonic Divorce ..................................... 22 1.05 Nobile’s Three Types of Melodic-Harmonic Divorce ........................................ 22 1.06 A Quick Summary of the Concept ...................................................................... 30 1.07 The Problem with their Blues-Based Examples/Theoretical Discrepancies ....... 31 1.08 Historical Contextualization of Blues-Based Rock Bands ................................. 33 1.09 Some Real Cases and Some Debatable Cases of Melodic-Harmonic Divorce .. 36 1.10 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 2: The Structure of Blue Tonality and the 025 Middle-Tonic Ladder-of-Thirds Modal Frame ..................................................................................................................... 42 2.01 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 42 2.02 Blue Notes according to Van Der Merwe ........................................................... 42 2.03 Blue Notes vs Blue Harmony ............................................................................. 48 2.04 Blue Tonality ...................................................................................................... 49 2.05 Concepts of Blue Tonality Defined .................................................................... 50 2.06 How Blue Tonality Differs from Common Practice Tonality ............................ 59 2.07 My Synthetic Approach .................................................................................... 102 2.08 Structural Features that Indicate a Blue Tonality Shift ..................................... 108 Chapter 3: An Analysis of Temperley and Nobile’s Blues-Based Rock Examples Through the Lens of Blue Tonality ................................................................................. 110 3.01 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 110 3.02 Analysis of “Jumpin Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones ................................. 110 3.03 Analysis of “Rockin’ Me Baby” by The Steve Miller Band ............................ 114 7 3.04 Analysis of “Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman Turner Overdrive ........... 118 3.05 Analysis of “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge ......................... 121 3.06 Analysis of “Rollin’ & Tumblin’” by Muddy Waters ...................................... 123 3.07 Analysis of “Baby, You Can Drive My Car” by The Beatles .......................... 125 3.08 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 128 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 130 8 List of Figures Page Figure 1, Diagram illustrating harmonic stratification. .................................................... 17 Figure 2, “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, mm. 13-16 (Winkler’s reduction). ............. 17 Figure 3, “Roseland Shuffle” by Count Basie (Winkler’s reduction). ............................. 17 Figure 4, “Somebody Walkin’ in my House” by Howlin Wolf (Moore’s transcription). 18 Figure 5, “Goin’ Down Slow” by Howlin’ Wolf (Moore’s transcription). ...................... 18 Figure 6, Common types of non-chord tones.................................................................... 19 Figure 7, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones, verse (Temperley’s transcription). ........................................................................................................................................... 20 Figure 8, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones, chorus (Temperley’s transcription). .................................................................................................................... 21 Figure 9, “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple, verse (Temperley’s transcription). .... 21 Figure 10, “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple, chorus (Temperley’s transcription). 21 Figure 11, Common practice approach to melodic and harmonic embellishments (Nobile’s figure)................................................................................................................ 23 Figure 12, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones, verse (Nobile’s transcription). 24 Figure 13, “Rock’n’Me” by The Steve Miller Band, verse (Nobile’s transcription and reduction). ......................................................................................................................... 25 Figure 14, “Rock’n’Me” by The Steve Miller Band, chorus 1 & 2 (Nobile’s transcription). .................................................................................................................... 25 Figure 15, “Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction, verse (Nobile’s transcription). ................... 27 Figure 16, “Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction, bridge (Nobile’s transcription). ................. 27 Figure 17, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen, chorus with popular reharmonizations (Nobile’s transcription). .................................................................................................... 28 Figure 18, “Nowhere Man” by The Beatles, verse (Nobile’s transcription/reduction). ... 29 Figure 19, “You Learn” by Alanis Morissette, chorus (Nobile’s transcription/reduction). ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 20, “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5, chorus (Nobile’s transcription/reduction). 30 Figure 21, “Rock and Roll Music” by Chuck Berry, verse (Stephenson’s transcription). 33 Figure 22, “Funk #49” by The James Gang, chorus (Hal Leonard transcription) ............ 36 Figure 23, “Still Fighting It” by Ben Folds, verse (Nobile’s transcription). .................... 36 Figure 24, “Still Fighting it” by Ben Folds, verse (Nobile’s reduction). .......................... 37 Figure 25, “The Scientist” by Coldplay, verse (Nobile’s transcription/reduction)..........