Three Most Famous Rock Songs in Uncommon Time Signatures
…Of the Sixties (plus some jazz)
The three common time signatures in popular music in the west are 3/4, like waltzes, 12/8, the blues, and 4/4, practically everything else. Traditional music in the rest of the world (such as India, Africa, China, Japan, and South America) employs more complex rhythms and timing in their music, which is one reason why many western musicians travel the world to expand their musical horizons. In the rest of this article, we will consider only western popular music.
The most famous use of an uncommon time signature is the jazz standard Take Five, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet in 1959. As indicated by the title, it uses 5/4 time: A syncopated 3 quarter notes followed by 2 quarter notes make up a bar. Paul Desmond wrote the piece and plays the hauntingly beautiful alto sax lead. It is worth reading the Wikipedia article about Take Five.
Don Ellis and his modern jazz big bands were famous for exploiting uncommon time signatures in the sixties and seventies.
Popular rock and roll has always been dominated by a straight 4/4 time with a heavy beat. Likewise, the blues are usually in 12/8. 3/4 time is pretty common also. But there have been a few monster hits in less common time signatures. Here are the three most famous examples.
This article is about the rhythm, but I’ll include the lyrics anyway because just reading the lyrics will probably play the song in your head.
Whipping Post, Allman Brothers Band, 11/8 time, chorus in 12/8 (1969)
I’ve been run down and I’ve been lied to.
And I don’t know why, I let that mean woman make me a fool.
She took all my money, wrecks my new car.
Now she’s with one of my good time buddies,
They’re drinkin’ in some cross-town bar.
Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I’ve been tied to the whippin’ post.
Tied to the whippin’ post, tied to the whippin’ post.
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’.
My friends tell me, that I’ve been such a fool.
But I had to stand by and take it baby, all for lovin’ you.
Drown myself in sorrow as I look at what you’ve done.
But nothing seemed to change, the bad times stayed the same,
And I can’t run.
Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I’ve been tied to the whippin’ post.
Tied to the whippin’ post, tied to the whippin’ post.
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’.
Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I’ve been tied to the whippin’ post.
Tied to the whippin’ post, tied to the whippin’ post.
Good Lord, I feel like I’m dyin’.
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Gregg L. Allman
Whipping Post lyrics © Elijah Blue, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc
Everything’s Alright, from Jesus Christ Superstar, 5/4 time (1970)
Try not to get worried
Try not to turn on to problems that upset you
Don’t you know everything’s alright?
Yes, everything’s fine
And we want you to sleep well tonight
Let the world turn without you tonight
If we try, we’ll get by
So forget all about us tonight (everything’s alright)
(Yes, everything’s alright, yes)
Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you, and anoint you
Myrrh for your hot forehead
Then you’ll feel everything’s alright, yes, everything’s fine
And it’s cool, and the ointment’s sweet
For the fire in your head and feet
Close your eyes, close your eyes and relax
Think of nothing tonight (everything’s all right, yes)
(Everything’s alright, yes)
Hey, woman, your fine ointment, brand-new and expensive
Should have been saved for the poor
Why has it been wasted?
We could’ve raised, maybe, three hundred silver pieces or more
People who are hungry, people who are starving
They matter more than your feet and hair
Try not to get worried
Try not to turn on to problems that upset you
Don’t you know everything’s alright?
Yes, everything alright, yes
Surely, you’re not saying we have the resources
To save the poor from their lot
There will be poor always pathetically struggling
Look at the good things you’ve got
Think while you still have me
Move while you still see me
You’ll be lost, an’ you’ll be sorry when I’m gone
Sleep and I shall soothe you, calm you and anoint you
Myrrh for your hot forehead
Then you’ll feel everything’s alright, yes, everything’s fine
And it’s cool and the ointment’s sweet
For the fire in your head and feet
Close your eyes, close your eyes and relax
Think of nothing tonight (close your eyes, close your eyes and relax)
Close your eyes, close your eyes (everything’s alright, yes)
And relax (everything’s alright, yes)
Close your eyes, close your eyes (everything’s alright, yes)
And relax (everything’s alright, yes)
Close your eyes, close your eyes (everything’s alright, yes)
And relax (everything’s alright, yes)
Close your eyes, close your eyes (everything’s alright, yes)
And relax (everything’s alright, yes)
Close your eyes, close your eyes (everything’s alright, yes)
And relax (everything’s alright, yes)
Close your eyes…
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Tim Rice / Andrew Lloyd Webber
Everything’s Alright lyrics © Universal/mca Music Ltd.
All You Need Is Love, The Beatles, mixed time signatures: 7/4, 4/4, 2/4 (1967)
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
Love, love, love
There’s nothin’ you can do that can’t be done
Nothin’ you can sing that can’t be sung
Nothin’ you can say, but you can learn how to play the game
It’s easy
Nothin’ you can make that can’t be made
No one you can save that can’t be saved
Nothin’ you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time
It’s easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
There’s nothin’ you can know that isn’t known
Nothin’ you can see that isn’t shown
There’s nowhere you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be
It’s easy
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
Yee-hay (love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
Yesterday
(Love is all you need)
Oh
Love is all you need
Love is all you need (oh yeah)
Love is all you need
(She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
(Love is all you need)
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney
All You Need Is Love lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
