Topic: "What's Goin' On" & "Mercy Mercy Me"

[snyprrr]

Does anyone know what's happening in the modulations in these songs? I don't have a stereo that I can hear the bass on. Otherwise I'll have to do it the old fashioned way.

I know that in one, I think it's MMM, they modulate 'up' one semitone for the sax lead,... I think they go back down later,.... but, both songs have this hazy harmonic thing happening at the ends. No tab sites have this detail. Anyone?

[snyprrr]

ok, I think I got WGO,... I watched a bunch of YouTubes (wow, what a motley crew!),...

so, what I see and hear is that it goes from the Emaj7/ C#min7 vamping, to an Amin7. Then it just modulates between these two keys (C#min7 to Amin7).

MMM, though it is an easier song, has that convoluted ending with the strings that I haven't gotten to the bottom of. Obviously, it appears that the exact same modulating principle is involved,... just haven't gotten through the bass-less computer speakers yet.

Onward forward.

[Grazioso]

ok, I think I got WGO,... I watched a bunch of YouTubes (wow, what a motley crew!),...

so, what I see and hear is that it goes from the Emaj7/ C#min7 vamping, to an Amin7. Then it just modulates between these two keys (C#min7 to Amin7).

MMM, though it is an easier song, has that convoluted ending with the strings that I haven't gotten to the bottom of. Obviously, it appears that the exact same modulating principle is involved,... just haven't gotten through the bass-less computer speakers yet.

Onward forward.

For WGO, what I can make out so far is IMaj7 vim7 iim7 V7 IMaj7 etc., a typical jazz-style progression

so:

EMaj7 C#m7
EMaj7 C#m7
f#m7 B7 (B7sus4?)
EMaj7 C#m7
etc.

bridge and outro roughly Am7 to EMaj7--still working on that

[snyprrr]

For WGO, what I can make out so far is IMaj7 vim7 iim7 V7 IMaj7 etc., a typical jazz-style progression

so:

EMaj7 C#m7
EMaj7 C#m7
f#m7 B7 (B7sus4?)
EMaj7 C#m7
etc.

bridge and outro roughly Am7 to EMaj7--still working on that

You know, that Am7 to C#m7 (or, EMaj7, as you say) vamp is a great opportunity to invent some new bepop solo technique. Few pop songs have ANY cool changes, so, this really represents a gift to the simpleton, like me, who really needs to be dragged kicking and screaming beyond a nice minor key wanking, haha!!


Please do check that ending on Mercy Mercy Me also (the song proper uses the same chords as the previous song). It's similar, but a little more involved, with strings. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to get to work on that. I really love that very ending with that minor scale with the voices.

Also, I got a really cool 70's Funk setting on the GT-6 guitar box,... this setting should satisfy both the guitar and organ/string 'atmosphere' of the song. I am currently totally obsessed with 70's funky guitar effects settings.

I really love that standard EMaj7 soul atmosphere,... ahhhh,...

[Grazioso]

You know, that Am7 to C#m7 (or, EMaj7, as you say) vamp is a great opportunity to invent some new bepop solo technique. Few pop songs have ANY cool changes, so, this really represents a gift to the simpleton, like me, who really needs to be dragged kicking and screaming beyond a nice minor key wanking, haha!!

Minor key wanking, the bane of Guitar Centers everywhere 

If you check out some other pop/soul/funk songs from the 60's and 70's, you'll find a bunch have more interesting chords and progressions than a lot of later stuff. I guess it was an echo of the earlier Great American Songbook pop classics, Sinatra tunes, etc. that were more complex and sophisticated than a lot of what came later.

How many wildly popular pop bands today would write something like the bridge of this classic?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L--cqAI3IUI&feature=related

And I'm betting none of them could manage the ultra-tight vocal harmonies.