Friday Music Day

FMD 8/21/2020 – Building Slowly

8 Comments

Not too long ago I was listening to the song "Coconut" by Harry Nilsson. Though I'm well familiar with the song I was struck at how well constructed it was, with just layer upon layer being added up to this much bigger cacophonous sound than it start as. Just really subtle building. Lots of songs will do a stripped down verse, add something obvious on the next one, and build in a way that just isn't quite so smooth.

So I'm curious about other songs that you think of as building slowly, or subtly, up to a much larger sound.

Also drop lists.

8 thoughts on “FMD 8/21/2020 – Building Slowly”

  2. The Wedding Present's Dalliance is a perfect example of this. Starts off pretty quiet but builds to the end where the singer's anger erupts. Good use of guitars to indicate the anger. I included this once ago when I was a guest DJ but I noticed the video link was broken so here's another one.

  3. Here's another one. I love this Matthew Sweet song. At first he’s kind of a wimp. “You don’t love me.... but I guess it’s alright, I guess it’s ok..”. Not fighting for her, resigned to his fate, basically saying whatever you want, who cares about me....

    But then that guitar solo! That’s his heart! Screaming out in pain and anger and vitriol. That’s how he really feels. At the end he’s not resignedly saying “I think it’s alright,” he’s just screaming out “you don’t love me” over and over He’s angry, he’s incredulous, he’s hurt and he’s confused. But most importantly he’s feeling something. Absolutely brilliant.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzs1yld-0os&feature=youtu.be

  4. Haven't done a list for a while, but it's the same stuff, for better or worse:

    1. Uncle John's Band--The Grateful Dead
    2. I'm Stone In Love With You--The Stylistics
    3. Sweet Talkin' Woman--ELO
    4. All Out of Love--Air Supply
    5. Here Comes the Sun--The Beatles
    6. The Boxer--Simon and Garfunkel
    7. Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters--Elton John
    8. You Make Me Feel Brand New--The Stylistics
    9. I Am, I Said--Neil Diamond
    10. Two Less Lonely People--Air Supply

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