Tuesday, December 29, 2020

"Set You Free This Time"

In the lines "I have never been so far out in front / That I could ever ask for what I want / And have it any time" in "Set You Free This Time," "any time" is sung with melismas (A F# A | F# E), musically illustrating something of the breadth of possibility.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

"Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)"

This has probably been mentioned enough that I don't need to note it here, but I will anyway:  the lyrics of "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" are adapted from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

"She Has a Way"

I noticed a slew of significant melismas in "She Has a Way" (originally an unissued song but included as a bonus track on Mr. Tambourine Man):  "really" in the line "I was really good to her" (A B A) for a sense of degree, "heart" in the line "But how she broke my heart"(D B in the lead vocals, I think) for a sense of brokenness, "around" in the line "That makes her run around" (D B D B, I think) for a sense of breadth or movement, "long" in the line "I didn't think that I would wait for her very long" (although I'm unsure of the notes) for a sense of duration, and "down" in the line "She might keep puttin' 'em down" (D B) for a sense of the word's meaning.

Additionally, "strong" in the line "But I didn't realize my love for her was so strong" is sung for almost two full measures, giving a sense of degree (for "so"), and the line "Wanna settle down" descends (A B A G G), giving a musical sense of that "settl[ing] down."

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

"Chimes of Freedom"

In "Chimes of Freedom," the repeated internal rhyme in "the countless confused, accused, misused" gives a sense of amount.

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

"It's No Use"

In "It's No Use," "more" in "you only hurt me more" is sung with a melisma (in one voice, at least:  F# E# D# C#), giving a sense of amount.