7 thoughts on “The Rhythm Changes and The Death of American Vitality and Loveliness

  1. For clarification: You’re not using the most common notation, which would have minor chords represented in lower case. So, for example, Sherry Baby would be I – vi – ii – V. Furthermore, in I’ve Got Rhythm, it looks like you put the second chord as a fourth instead of a sixth.Report

  2. Thanks, Barney. Your examples are so good that without much grasp of music theory I understand your point. And as always I enjoy the broader perspective that your “behind the music” adds to the story of, in this case, The Four Seasons.Report

  3. This is less about the music itself than about the music biz.

    Vee Jay Records, a very minor label, got the early American right to the Beatles when Capitol Records initially passed on them. This didn’t last, since Capitol figured out pretty quickly what there were missing, so Vee Jay wound up with only the right to the first album, Please Please Me. Vee Jay, also got the early rights to The Four Seasons, but lost them through non-payment of royalties, so again they were left in control of one album’s worth of material.

    They kept repackaging both furiously to keep product moving. And eventually came up with the genius move of combing them into a double album, The Beatles Vs The Four Seasons.Report

  4. Really enjoyed this post by the limo driver from Spinal Tap.

    I kid, I kid.

    I do think this is an overly harsh assessment of contemporary music, but it’s hard to argue against conservatism of any sort, so I won’t try. I’ll just say that, man, are there some good jazz tunes built on the rhythm changes.Report

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