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suraci

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Identify a popular seventies song ( since forgotten ) that is in a Major Key, yet NOT ONCE has a CHORD ON THE BASS NOTE of THE KEY it clearly delineates!! I always enjoyed this tune, and still do.

 

Key is Bb major. Singer? A Chicago "blues jazz "turned R&B, jingle and pop singer. Not once do you hear a Bb major or minor or Bb anything in this pop/jazzy tune.

 

This always blew my mind when I used to play it, the bridge is a iii7 vi7 ii7 V7 like Perdido and all those Rhythm tunes of the day.

 

It has a V, a IV7, a II7, a III7 , a VI7 etc but no ONE CHORD, amazes me.

The difference between what the most and the least learned people know is inexpressibly trivial in relation to that which is unknown
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There is no ambiguity about the key either, like Unforgetable ( which i cannot even spell let alone analyze ) or Stella.
The difference between what the most and the least learned people know is inexpressibly trivial in relation to that which is unknown
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Suraci, I already saw your answer but you edited it (I realize because you practically gave the answer). So I will not give the answer.

 

I don't know the chord changes to that tune so it would have been impossible to guess. So this is less of a theory question than a "know that tune" kind of question.

Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1

 

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What becomes of the Broken Hearted has a root position I in the verse. And it's from the 60's. And it changes keys between the verse and the chorus.

 

But it was my first guess too, LOL...

I played in an 8 piece horn band. We would often get bored. So...three words:

"Tower of Polka." - Calumet

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OOOHH child, things are gonna get easier...

 

that song doesn't hit the I chord until the very end and it's so damn nice when it does. It even changes keys back and forth without ambiguity. Check out the trey anastasio live version...

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Good call, Root, though Ooh Child has a I, it's just in first inversion. Also a key change between verse and chorus. So it fits the general description (I think) but misses a few details - unless suraci's wrong on them?

I played in an 8 piece horn band. We would often get bored. So...three words:

"Tower of Polka." - Calumet

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I guess there are a few. There is a Motownish song ( maybe Philadelphia sound ) that I believe has words " When ever you ??... I'll be around"

It goes back and forth between the IV and V, starting on IV for a bar then V. It ends on IV.

 

But the song I am teasing you with, goes All over the harmonic map. It uses the familiar harmony of the Bridge to Rhythm Changes, but manages to escape the I !!!!!!

A II, a !!! a IV etc, it never hits the one.

The difference between what the most and the least learned people know is inexpressibly trivial in relation to that which is unknown
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Originally posted by suraci:

I guess there are a few. There is a Motownish song ( maybe Philadelphia sound ) that I believe has words " When ever you ??... I'll be around"

It goes back and forth between the IV and V, starting on IV for a bar then V. It ends on IV.

The Spinners?
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Ok, time for the answer to this....lol

and...

Dafduc says

"What becomes of the Broken Hearted has a root position I in the verse"

 

And as for my guess, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted. The verse is in Bb and they never hit a Bb or (root I) during the bass. And when they change keys up to C, they never land on a C (root I) either.

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Originally posted by DafDuc:

Good call, Root, though Ooh Child has a I, it's just in first inversion. Also a key change between verse and chorus. So it fits the general description (I think) but misses a few details - unless suraci's wrong on them?

I think of that chord as the IIIm. If we're in C, I don't really hear the C note, I hear a B...

Actually I'm not listening to it, just going from memory, so maybe I'm off, but I'd definitely call it F Em Dm Gsus4

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