Put a descending chromatic counter melody within your chord progression, starting from the root note of the chord. This works with major or minor chords.
MAJOR AND MINOR
1966 Walk Away Renee – The Left Banke (0:07 and 1:23)
1967 Walk Away Renee – The Four Tops (0:07 and 1:23)
1969 My Way – Frank Sinatra (0:07 and 0:18)
1969 Something – The Beatles (0:05 and 0:27)
1971 If – Bread (0:01 and 1:00)
2015 The Architects Of Our Unhappiness - Matt Blick (0:03 and 0:09)
MAJOR
1954 My Funny Valentine – Frank Sinatra (0:02)
1964 (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me – Sandie Shaw (0:10)
1965 Stop! In The Name Of Love – The Supremes (0:18)
1967 Strawberry Fields Forever – The Beatles (0:00)
1967 Fixing A Hole – The Beatles (0:06)
1969 Sun King – The Beatles (0:58)
1969 Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head – B.J. Thomas (0:05)
1971 Life On Mars? – David Bowie (0:00)
1973 The Rain Song – Led Zeppelin (0:00)
1975 Simple Twist Of Fate - Bob Dylan (0:29)
1979 (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding - Elvis Costello And The Attractions (0:41)
1979 Women In Love... - Van Halen (0:00)
1981 I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) - Hall And Oates (1:14)
1982 She's Right On Time – Billy Joel (0:06)
2003 De-Evolving – Jonathan Coulton (2:18)
2006 Code Monkey – Jonathan Coulton (1:48)
2006 Curl – Jonathan Coulton (0:00)
2013 Let's Build An Airport – Matt Blick (0:00)
MINOR
1939 All Or Nothing At All – Harry James And His Orchestra (0:09)
1941 God Bless The Child – Billie Holiday (1:14)
1947 No Moon At All – Mary Osborne (0:07)
1958 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee (0:41)
1962 A Taste Of Honey – Lenny Welch (0:14)
1962 Life Savers Girl (Theme From Mondo Cane) – Riz Ortolani and Nino Oliviero (0:38)
1963 A Taste Of Honey – The Beatles (0:15)
1964 You Know What To Do – The Beatles (0:43)
1964 I’ll Be Back – The Beatles (1:03)
1964 More (Theme From Mondo Cane) – Frank Sinatra (0:45)
1965 Michelle – The Beatles (0:00)
1965 Set Me Free – Kinks (0:08)
1966 Got To Get You Into My Life – The Beatles (0:21)
1966 And Your Bird Can Sing – The Beatles (0:36)
1967 Waterloo Sunset – Kinks (0:36)
1968 Cry Baby Cry – The Beatles (0:11)
1968 Blackberry Way – The Move (0:31)
1969 I Me Mine – The Beatles (0:31)
1970 A Song For You – Leon Russell (0:14)
1971 Try Some Buy Some – Ronnie Spector (0:00 and 0:13)
1971 Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin (0:01)
1973 Try Some Buy Some – George Harrison (0:00 and 0:13)
1974 Feelings – Morris Albert (0:08)
1975 Super Heroes – Rocky Horror Picture Show OST (0:00)
1975 The Sweeney Theme – Harry South (0:00 and 0:19)
1980 Lately – Stevie Wonder (0:25)
1985 Rain Dogs – Tom Waits (0:54 and 1:00)
1991 Blind Willie McTell – Bob Dylan (0:31)
1998 Black Dog On My Shoulder – Manic Street Preachers (0:33 and 0:38)
1999 Writing To Reach You – Travis (1:00)
2002 The Part You Throw Away – Tom Waits (1:29)
2002 James Dean (I Wanna Know) – Daniel Bedingfield (1:06)
2006 Chiron Beta Prime – Jonathan Coulton (0:27)
2013 Snap Out Of It – Arctic Monkeys (0:18)
2014 Something From Nothing – Foo Fighters (0:10)
Did I miss an example? Leave a comment below!
Songs are laid out in chronological order to better understand the influence of ideas on, or by, the Beatles.
Songs written or performed by the Beatles are in bold.
Songs covered by the Beatles or to known to have had an influence on them are in italics.
Songs written by Matt Blick can be found at www.mattblick.com/songs
Thanks to Nancy Rost, Phil Grafton, Martin Quibell for suggestions.
See also
Ticket 31: Chromatic Descent Starting From The b7th
Ticket 32: Chromatic Ascent Starting From The 5th
See the full list of songwriting tips here - Tickets To Write
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Dazed and Confused from Led Zeppelin is another song that uses the chromatic descent starting on power chords.
ReplyDeleteDazed And Confused descends chromatically but the line doesn't start from the root it's minor 3rd down to root (G Gb F E) and then b7 down to 5th (D Db C B)
DeleteThe Pillows did this trick in a few songs ones that come to me are: Crazy Sunshine (Chorus: A AM7 A7 D), Fun Fun Fun OK! (Intro: D DM7 D7 G)
ReplyDeleteCool! thanks for the examples Curtis
DeleteSorry for not giving you the time signatures and year:
ReplyDeleteCrazy Sunshine 0:51 (1999)
Fun Fun Fun OK! 0:00 (2001)
I actually wanted to make a correction to the chords for Fun Fun Fun OK! It's actually D DM7 D7 D6 G
DeleteI want to know if you're going to do this "time signature and year" thing for all tickets or just this one.
ReplyDeleteYes - I think it's going to be a feature of the book I'm writing so I'm starting to gather the information here on the website as appropriate.
DeleteFor the minor section:
ReplyDelete1968 Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell - You're all I need to get by (0:02)
Other entries for the Major section:
ReplyDelete1997 Sixpence None the Richer - Kiss Me
goes D DM7 D7 DM7 (0:00)
1997 the pillows[sic] - Kanojo wa Kyou (4:54) is very similar, D-C#-C-C# with the A note being strum in-between the notes.
I also would like to include the indie UK band, "Who Moved the Ground?" - Boredom 1995 (0:08). You can find the song in the compilation album in iTunes, "The Best of Farnborough Groove, Vol. 1-10"
ReplyDeleteAlso Major and Minor:
ReplyDelete1967 Frankie Valli - Can't take my eyes off you (0:17)
Minor:
ReplyDelete1965 Bob Dylan - The Ballad of a Thin Man (0:14)
Thanks for all these examples Curtis - I'm noting them down for when I update the post.
DeleteMinor:
ReplyDeletethe pillows - Swinger's Nightclub (verse)
Nine Miles - Cause Of Joy (pre-chorus)
Minor:
ReplyDelete1969 Gotta Find A New World - Al Green (0:01)
Thanks to Nathan (A user/contributor from whosampled.com)