B'way songs in unusual time signatures- Page 3

[roseaddams]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 1:14pm

And "Next" from Pacific Overtures alternates between 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4. Except I'm not quite sure if it really is 5/4 or just a compound of 2/4 and 3/4 in the chorus.

[jv92]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 6:33pm

"Jerry Likes My Corn" is in 7/4 mostly, with some switches to 5/4 and some rather normal meters.
"The Revolutionary Costume" is in cut, but then switches to 3/2 and 5/4.
"Daddy's Girl" switches from 6/4 to 5/4.

There's some very exciting stuff in Grey Gardens for us meter freaks. There didn't seem to be so many shifts in meter in Happiness, which was upsetting for me. Oh well.

[boyfromoz2]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 7:50pm

Re "Thank Goodness" from Wicked - it is written in mostly 5/8, 2/4 and 6/8 with a few random 4/4 bars thrown in for fun.

The "oh what a celebration we'll have today ..." section is all in 5/8 - nice and simple. Its the "we couldn't be happier" bit that Stephen Schwartz starts to be clever.

we | 5/8 could-n't be hap-pi- | er ... | 2/4 Right, dear? |
5/8 Could-n't be hap-pi- | er ... | 2/4 Right here, |
6/8 look what we've got: A | fair-y-tale plot, our | ver-y own hap- | py end-ing, | 4/4 ... Where we |
5/8 could-n't be hap-pi- | er ... | 2/4 True, dear? |
5/8 Could-n't be hap-pi- | er ... | 2/4 And we're |
6/8 hap-py to share our | end-ing vi-car-i-ous- | ly with all of | you ... He |
5/8 could-n't look hand-som- | er ... I | could-n't look hum-bl- | er ... We | could-n't be hap-pi- | er ... |
2/4 Be-cause | 6/8 hap-py is what | hap-pens when | all your | dreams come | 5/8 true!

Does that make sense? Its hard to explain without seeing the sheet music.

Updated On: 5/10/09 at 07:50 PM

[heo1128]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 9:08pm

That actually does make sense! The second measure of 5 is super awkward...

I believe Memory from Cats is in a few weird meters, I think it switches from like 12/8 to 10/8
Updated On: 5/10/09 at 09:08 PM

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 9:56pm

Oh, God, "Ballad of Booth" changes literally every measure at one point.

"Would You?" from ANNA KARENINA is in 7/4 and switches a bunch.