Notes on "You're Going To Lose That Girl" (YGTLTG.1)
KEY E Major
METER 4/4
FORM Intro -> Verse -> Verse' -> Bridge ->
Verse' -> Bridge -> Verse' -> Outro (w/complete ending)
GENERAL POINTS OF INTEREST
Style and Form
- "You're Going To Lose That Girl" (YGTLTG) and
"Help!" make for an
an interesting pair of compositional siblings to the extent to that
both songs similarly exploit (not just "utilize") the flat-VII
chord, and share a similar approach to their backing vocals.
- But YGTLTG also does some funky formalistic things of its own which
belie our seemingly straightforward categorization of it as being
in the standard "double bridge" model with single verse (that happens to
incorporate a guitar solo) intervening. To wit:
- The same title-based hook phrase is used to both open the song as
well as end each verse with a kind of mini-refrain.
- The bridge is foreshortened by a single measure shy of what would have
been a more expectable length of eight measures.
- The transition into the bridge involves both an extension of the
verse's length and an harmonic sleight of hand. The transition
back from the bridge involves both a different harmonic sleight of
hand and that forehshortening of the bridge's length.
- More on all of these techniques below. Keep in mind, for now, that
details such are these are among the tangible, susbstantive musical
elements that "define" the Beatles style and sound. It matters not
that such tricks are neither unique to this song nor were neccessarily
invented by the Beatles themselves. Rather it is the freedom and liberality
with which such tricks are deployed throughout the Beatles songbook that
stands out dramaticfally against the backdrop of standard/average
(read: ordinary/mediocre) pop music of the period from which the Beatles
emerged.
- The lyrics all three verses are based on the computer programmer's
conditional "if/then" clause, with the third verse being a literal
repeat of the first. The two bridges feature identical lyrics that
are contrastingly couched in a consequentially assertive tone of voice.
Melody and Harmony
- The introductory hook phrase is notable for its pentatonic flavor and
broad arch shape marked by long jumps. The rest of the melodic material
is less sharply characterized and placed in a generally lower range.
- The tune of the intro begins with a "pickup" that precedes the first
downbeat of the song. The verse and bridge, by contrast, begin
"after" the downbeat of their respective sections. Compare this with
the other songs we've looked at thus far in this series, and be prepared
to track this parameter as we move forward in the series:
WCWIO has a verse that starts after the downbeat, but both its hook
phrase and bridge start "on" the downbeat.
AILH is a song in which the verse and bridge are "after;" the hook
phrase actually "precedes" (aka "is a pickup to") the downbeat.
DT has a verse and bridge that is on the downbeat and a hook phrase
that precedes.
SLY conspicuously precedes the downbeat in every section, in many
cases just with a single syllable.
H! is a bit harder to parse because of the countrapuntal vocal
arrangement. Strictly following the lead line gives us an Intro
and Verse that follow the downbeat and a refrain that is emphatically
right on it.
- A relatively large number of chords are used, along with a change of key
for the bridge section that's a real test of our skills for dealing with
so-called pivot modulations. The harmonic rhythm is fast throughout, with
a chord change on almost every measure except, interestingly, in the bridge.
- For the verse the standard, indigenous choices of I, ii, V, and vi are
supplemented by V-of-vi (in place of iii) and flat-VII. The bridge
supplements its use of I and IV with its own flat-VII.
- The home key of the song is E Major but its bridge is clearly in the
remote key of G Major. There's no flirtation or fake pass here; it's
a fullblown interlude in that second key. I call it "remote" because there
is no G chord (either Major or minor) that's native to the key of E;
remember, there are four sharps in the key signature, the third of which
is G#. In fact, there are NO indigenous chords common between the two keys.
- The only "rationalizable" relationship between E Major and G Major is
to say that G is the relative Major of our parallel minor key. Think
it over; it may sound convoluted but it's not double talk!
- Given the lack of naturally occuring common chords, the pivot modulation
is cleverly made by exploiting the flat-VII chord, treating it, double
entendre style as the V of the key of flat III; this is gramatically
legitimate though still a surprise. When we looked at
Help! last time,
we saw there a different, but equally creative and unusual application of
the flat VII chord. It's tempting to suggest that the fact that
H! and
YGTLTG were composed in close proximity to each other implies more than
mere coincidence.
- The modulation to flat III which we have here is the more audacious because
there is an easier/textbook alternate way to make this key change -- i.e.,
switch from Major to parallel minor (e.g.,
"I'll Be Back"), and then it's a
short hop to the relative Major (e.g.,
AILH). Off the top of my head I can't
think of a song that combines both these techniques but it's not unheard of;
trust me!
- Going to a remote key is one thing, but getting back to the original one
can be even more challenging; like rescuing a cat from a treetop. In this
case, the Beatles use a pivot chord we haven't seen yet; treating the
F Major chord as both the flat-VII of G and the flat-II of the original
home key.
- Flat-II is sometimes called the "Neapolitan chord". It's actually
not all that exotic a chord, at least not in the classical world;
a lot of Baroque music employs this chord in final cadences such as
flat II->V-I with the flat II in its first inversion. Usage of the flat II
chord in YGTLTG is unusual in that appears in root position and without a
V chord between it and the I. This is not the first time the Beatles used
this device; it is used with similarly audacious effect in "
Things We Said Today" to slide back to the home key
from the bridge.
Arrangement
- The backing track is relatively homogeneous with the standard combo
backed up by a bottom-heavy piano part, and of course, those bongos.
They're unessential but delightful; a sort of squiggly pencil border drawn
around a colorful drawing. For a really good time (just when you think
you've had your fill of this song) give it a listen, preferably with
earphones, and try and hear the bongo part in the foreground with the
rest of the music as "accompaniment." Who said Ringo couldn't do anything
intricate?
- John sings lead, heavily echoed and double-tracked throughout, with
repeated recourse to falsetto for the notes from high G# and upward
that occur at the end of each verses.
- The Greek Chorus backing vocals of Paul and John bear some contrast
with the ones in
"Help!" despite their similarities. Since the backers in
this song consistently *trail* the lead, their overall melodic impact
is more in the way of antiphonal obligatto, in spite of their frequent
overlap with the lead part.
- In this connection I'm reminded of a Playboy cartoon of the same period
in which a FAB look alike is harranguing his girl friend, in bed with
someone else, while his mates standing right behind him, periphrastically
reinforce his message. Don't ask me how I snuck that issue of the magazine
into the house :-)
SECTION-BY-SECTION WALKTHROUGH
Intro
- The intro is four measures long and has an open harmonic shape, moving
from I to V, and nicely motivating the verse which follows. Label this
Phrase "A" for now and make note of it:
|E |c# |f#9 |B |
E: I vi ii V
- We have another "in medias res" opening: no intro, not even a single chord
from which the singers can find their opening notes -- a miracle of
the recording studio :-).
Verse
- The verse is 12 measures in length, built out of three even phrases
in a 3 * 4, "BBA" pattern. The final phrase is the one we've already
heard for the intro. The overall section's like a 12-bar blues frame
with very different harmony; here all three phrases open out from I to V:
Phrase "B"
------------------------------ 2X -------------------------------
|E |G# |f# |B |
I V-of-vi ii V
|E |c# |f#9 |B |
I vi ii V
- Label the repeating first phrase of the verse as "Phrase B" and observe
how the phrasing pattern running from the start of the song through the
second verse is a symmetrical pallindrome of A-BB-A-BB-A. For all its
symmetry, though, this passage keeps us a great deal more off balance
than the more typical four-=sqaure design for a couple of reasons beyond the
obvious uneven nature of a grouping of seven:
- There is an almost hypnotic effect created by the fact that both
phrases A and B end with a ii->V chord progression. If it wasn't
for the delightful "9" chord in phrase A (with the falsetto G#
in the voices) we'd have a potential problem with monotony.
- From a casual listen, we're not sure how the seven phrases are meant to be
parsed; is it two verses of ABB-ABB with a concluding repeat of A or is it
two verses of BB surrounded on each side with a refrain of A ? But my
question is a bit of a strawman.
- In the final result, I think it's the delayed entrance of the drums until
the first B phrase that help's clarify the situation, with its hint that
the opening A phrase was "probably" an introduction, from which point the
rest of the analysis falls in place with relative ease. The reappearance
of the BBA pattern after each bridge really nails it.
Verse'
- All verses that are not immediately followed by another verse (which
means all the verses in the song except the first one) are extended
to an unusual 14 measure length by the following half phrase which
effects the modulation to G in the bridge by pivoting on the D Major
chord:
|f# |D |
E: ii flat-VII
G: V
- The middle verse features a lead guitar solo for the two "BB" phrases,
with the backing vocals still hanging on, and the complete vocal chorus
(including lead) resuming in the final "A" phrase.
Bridge
- The bridge cruises along nicely in G and then, just as deftly
as it shifted there from E, it shifts back as follows to E for the
next verse:
|G |C |G |- |
G: I IV I
|G |C |F E
I IV flat VII
E:V-of-flat II flat II I
- The section is an uneven 7 measures long, and built out of two parallel
but unequal phrases in a 4 + 3, AA' pattern. The foreshortening of the
second phrase subtly draws your attention all the more closely to the
harmonic gambit played at its end. As an experiment, repeat the F
chord for an additional measure before dropping to E and you'll see
that it's more satisfactorially four-square in one respect but less,
for lack of a better word, "fun."
Outro
- The outro develops out of the final verse at just the point where
it sounds like an impossible third bridge might be forthcoming. Instead,
that flat-VII, D Major chord is used as the start of a surprise concluding
"double Plagal" cadence, the only place in the entire song where the
harmonic rhythm exceeds one chord per measure:
|f# |D A |E |- |
ii flat-VII IV I
(IV-of-IV?)
- It's ironic that a song with so much harmonic movement from I to V should
choose to end with this heavily Plagal formula.
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
- In the "Help!" film the Beatles appear as though performing this song
live in the studio. The scene, for all its absurd, staged surreality --
(Paul alternately playing bass guitar and sitting a grand piano, and
Ringo alternately behind the drum kit or sitting on the floor with
the bongos) -- it provides a delightful fantasy of what the real recording
sessions might have been like.
- The tobacco companies must have also like this scene. Ringo
is shown drumming with a cigarette precariously clenched in his
teeth. And we get a long close-up of Paul and George facing each
other, hunched on opposite sides of a single microphone in order to
tightly execute the backing vocals. The scene is filmed with back
lighting such that you can see the rhythmic thrust of their sung
syllables punctuate like skywriting the generally smokey haze that
builds up as the scene progresses.
- It's the kind of thing that looks cool enough to persuade a person
of a certain mindset to want to start smoking as soon as possible,
even if the thought has never before occured to that person. So much
for not particularly subliminal persuasion.
Regards,
Alan (awp@world.std.com)
---
"Well look after him. I don't want to find you've
lost him." 051900#7.1
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Revision History
071989 7.0 Original release
051900 7.1 Revise, expand and adapt to series template
Copyright (c) 2000 by Alan W. Pollack
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