Topic: Favorite songs in 5/4. (Read 14175 times)

greenMonkey · « **on:** 14 Feb 2006, 17:38 »

Mine would have to be

5-4=Unity - Pavement

Take Five - The Dave Brubeck Quartet

and

The Uruk-Hai - Howard Shore; London Philharmonic Orchestra

So. In order to make this a true topic, what are your favorite songs in 5/4?

Kai · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Feb 2006, 18:09 »

I don't really pay attention enough/know enough to distinguish time signatures much. As in "At all, unless it's really weird*"

*See Zappa's The Black Page.

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Feb 2006, 19:04 »

-Stravinsky's Rite of Spring is in 5/4, occasionally, and it's awesome.
-Chris Potter's Megalopolis off of his Traveling Mercies CD is bad ass. It's in phrases of four bars, and after three phrases, it has a bar of 9/4 for the A theme. The bridge is just in 4/4. It's hot. Potter is my favorite sax player ever and Scofield can play the guitar like a motherfucker.
-I know some people who play Charles Mingus' "Nostalgia in Times Square" in 5, and it's awesome. I'm more partial to 7/4 myself, but that's because I'm more comfortable soloing in that signature.

PhunkieBehaveYer · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Feb 2006, 22:03 »

A lot of Sufjan songs fit this category. "All Good Naysayers . . ." "Come on feel the Illinoise" "They Also Mourn Who Do Not Wear Black". Parts of "The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders" are in 5, though the main groove is in "5+6" or 11, whichever way you prefer to think about it . . .

neighborhood socialist · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 Feb 2006, 22:05 »

i don't actually pay attention to time signatures. maybe i should. i'll post back here when i finally find one. or not.

Shaft · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 06:29 »

www.myspace.com/fivelessonslearned

Five Thousand Four Hundred And Sixty Eight by Me!

Go me!

Thrillho · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 08:06 »

Gorillaz - 5/4

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 08:18 »

Quote from: Shaft

www.myspace.com/fivelessonslearned

Five Thousand Four Hundred And Sixty Eight by Me!

Go me!

Recording quality and song writing is pretty good. Can't stand the vocals, though. Sorry. It's pretty idiomiomatic, too, which is why I just can't stand that style of music. I mean, they're on pitch and everything (or at least close to it), but the tone is horrid, and I just can't get past that.

If we're linking to songs in 5/4, click the link on my sig and check out our version of "Take 5." It's pretty cool. We got this awesome sax player to record with us.

the W'rkncacnter · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 10:34 »

It's not 5/4, but the Stranglers have a song called "Golden Brown" that changes time signatures during every chorus. It has 3 measures of 3/4 followed by one in 4/4. It's a pretty neat effect. I'll have to check out those Sufjan songs though, if anything just for the novelty of 5/4 time. The only song I've ever head that I knew was in 5/4 was a jazz song and I thought it was really cool.

ozphactor · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 12:52 »

For the time-signature-challenged among us: List of works in irregular time signatures.

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 14:29 »

Huh. That's one big freaking list. Of course it's not going to be comprehensive at all (there are an unbelievable amount of pieces in odd times these days). However, I do know that one bit of information on there is inaccurate, or at least not entirely accurate. It lists "Take Five" as being by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, whereas other Brubeck tunes are listed as being by Brubeck himself. The thing is, Paul Desmond was the writer of "Take Five."

est · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 14:51 »

"March of the Pigs" by Nine Inch Nails - 7/8 + 7/8 + 7/8 + 4/4

this song is hells of fun to play.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 15:48 »

YYZ, Veil of Maya, Erotomania, and Discipline.

Kid Modernist · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 16:25 »

Quote from: the W'rkncacnter

It's not 5/4, but the Stranglers have a song called "Golden Brown" that changes time signatures during every chorus. It has 3 measures of 3/4 followed by one in 4/4. It's a pretty neat effect. I'll have to check out those Sufjan songs though, if anything just for the novelty of 5/4 time. The only song I've ever head that I knew was in 5/4 was a jazz song and I thought it was really cool.

You can hear that song at http://www.hobomagazine.com

It reminds me of Donovan with a bit of The Doors. Too bad their other stuff is generic.

the W'rkncacnter · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 20:23 »

I wouldn't really say they're generic. I have a bunch of their stuff on vinyl, and a lot of it is really good. The album that "Golden Brown" appears on, La Folie, is one of my favorites, as well as Live Xcert.

Ficus · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 20:43 »

The bridge in the Red Hot Chili Peppers "Righteous and the Wicked"

I Am Not Amused · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 22:35 »

Radiohead's "Let Down" main guitar part is in 5/4. So I'll say that.

Praeserpium Machinarum · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 02:36 »

From a look at that list, I'd say Nick Drake - River Man is pretty decent song in 5/4

Rubby · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 11:47 »

It's not 5/4, but check out the timing on Ok Go's "Let it Rain". Even if your not a fan of the band you have to admit that it's pretty impressive.

Shaft · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 12:35 »

Quote from: Bastardous Bassist

Quote from: Shaft
www.myspace.com/fivelessonslearned

Five Thousand Four Hundred And Sixty Eight by Me!

Go me!

You are rubbish. I, on the other hand, am awesome.

I apologise for not being a Jazz Master supreme-o. Can you forgive me?

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #20 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 12:50 »

Quote from: Shaft

Quote from: Bastardous Bassist
You are rubbish. I, on the other hand, am awesome.

I apologise for not being a Jazz Master supreme-o. Can you forgive me?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I didn't just say that I really liked your song except for one part, and I couldn't possibly just want people to check out my band to see if other people like it (I personally hate the recordings, but that's only because I just hate the way the bass player plays). There's absolutely no way that your recording made me realize that my group had a recording of a song in 5/4 up.

In all seriousness, even if I discount the bass playing, your song is far, far better-performed and recorded. So next time you'll know that I mean exactly what I say, no more and no less. I'm not one of those people who strongly implies and hints at things.

Thrillho · « **Reply #21 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 13:10 »

Isn't the Mission Impossible theme in 5/4?

There's Poor Places by Wilco, the bridge of which has a few bars of 4/4 and then one in 3/4 I think.

Sigur Ros have a song that goes 6/8-6/8-6/8-3/4 I believe.

And then there's a song called Cowboys by Emmerhoff And The Melancholy Babies, which is in both 6/8 and 4/4 at the same time.

Rubby · « **Reply #22 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 15:08 »

Quote from: DynamiteKid

Isn't the Mission Impossible theme in 5/4?

Yeah, I had to play that song in High School Band class. It was actually pretty fun.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #23 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 19:54 »

The issue I have with irregular time signatures is that too many people refer to certain bands (Tool, Dillinger Escape Plan) as 'progressive' because they can dick around with time signatures. OK, you can play shit in twenty-four eighths time. What the fuck do you want, a medal?

La Creme · « **Reply #24 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 20:02 »

Poor Places has some interesting timing changes. Basically it has every thing a rock song should.

A couple of my faves:

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - Sleep Is Wrong
3 bars of 15/4, many many of 15/8, several in 3/8, back to more bars of 15/4 for a bit (with a really awesome break near the end of one of the bars), 15/8 again for a time, vamps on 5/4 until the end.

John McLaughlin - Arjen's Bag
Perfect 11/8 for the entire song.

The Bad Plus - The Empire Strikes Backwards
4 bars of 11/8, 4 bars of 23/16, that's as much as I've ever bothered to analyze. These guys are mad.

Mephiskapheles - Break Your Ankle Punk
The main theme goes 4/4 - 3/4 - 3/4 - 3/4. There is part of the solo section that jumps away from the regular 4/4 and plays two bars of 9/8, then a bar of 7/4, then returns to normal.

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #25 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 21:13 »

Quote from: Storm Rider

The issue I have with irregular time signatures is that too many people refer to certain bands (Tool, Dillinger Escape Plan) as 'progressive' because they can dick around with time signatures. OK, you can play shit in twenty-four eighths time. What the fuck do you want, a medal?

The best part about the music that is called "progressive" is that it sounds exactly the same as ELP, Yes and Pink Floyd back in the day when it actually was progressive. This so-called progressive music actually isn't progressing at all, it's just new ways to play the same old type of stuff.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #26 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 23:08 »

See, now it depends on the band. I know several prog bands that are VERY different from Yes and Pink Floyd. In fact, I think the current generation of prog was more influenced by Rush than anyone else.

But I'm a prog nerd, so I'm naturally going to defend the subject.

Bunnyman · « **Reply #27 on:** 17 Feb 2006, 02:12 »

Ah, but that's the brilliance of it! Much like 'indie,' the word no longer means what one would expect it to; it instead becomes a descriptor for a certain sound.

Therefore, Progressive cannot possibly be Progressive, but instead a certain (if not extreme) conservatism.

Thrillho · « **Reply #28 on:** 17 Feb 2006, 08:49 »

Quote from: Storm Rider

See, now it depends on the band. I know several prog bands that are VERY different from Yes and Pink Floyd. In fact, I think the current generation of prog was more influenced by Rush than anyone else.

But I'm a prog nerd, so I'm naturally going to defend the subject.

Quite apart from the fact that Pink Floyd only ever played in three time signatures in their whole career - 4/4, 6/8 and 7/4 - and were, as far as the theory side of it and knowing they're playing in crazy time signatures or whatever, didn't know shit all about what they were doing, unlike many of the bands people associate with prog. A lot of people, when they think prog, think amazing musicians who wank about for the sake of it, which is totally untrue - especially in the Floyd's case. Hell, about half of their material is in G major and uses the same chords.

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #29 on:** 17 Feb 2006, 08:55 »

Quote from: Storm Rider

But I'm a prog nerd, so I'm naturally going to defend the subject.

As am I. I love prog, but I think it's funny how it's not actually progressing any. I guess looking at it after experiencing 20th (and 21st) century concert music, I expect a little too much from rock bands, who used to be on the cutting edge, back in the 60s.

Storm Rider · « **Reply #30 on:** 17 Feb 2006, 22:55 »

Quote from: DynamiteKid

A lot of people, when they think prog, think amazing musicians who wank about for the sake of it, which is totally untrue - especially in the Floyd's case.

For a second, I thought you were denouncing prog as wankery, which is totally untrue.

And I would argue that progressive is indeed progressing from its influences, albiet more slowly than before. It's gradually incorporating more genres into its sound, such as jazz fusion and of course metal. Progressive, as I see it, is more a term to refer to music that emphasizes instrumental proficiency and complex song structure rather than to describe as something radically different from everything else. It's a very blanket term: the Flower Kings are totally different from Threshold or Evergrey, just as King Crimson was little like Yes.

KharBevNor · « **Reply #31 on:** 18 Feb 2006, 12:25 »

I'm obviously not going to win many friends here but why the fuck would you care?

I don't really pay attention, and I'm not good at that sort of thing anyway (I can't stand theory). Putting some slight thought to it, I think Swords of a Thousand Men by Tenpole Tudor is 5/4. Can't really think of anything immediately apart from that.

But again, who cares?

Der Golem · « **Reply #32 on:** 18 Feb 2006, 13:04 »

I'm gonna agree with Khar on this one. 5/4 is relatively normal sounding so I most often don't even notice it. That being said, I love wacky time signiatures as long as they aren't just there for their own sake.

Thrillho · « **Reply #33 on:** 18 Feb 2006, 14:14 »

Quote from: KharBevNor

I'm obviously not going to win many friends here but why the fuck would you care?

I don't really pay attention, and I'm not good at that sort of thing anyway (I can't stand theory). Putting some slight thought to it, I think Swords of a Thousand Men by Tenpole Tudor is 5/4. Can't really think of anything immediately apart from that.

But again, who cares?

*shrug* The same thing could be said for just about everything on this forum.

I don't think 'cares' is the word for it anyway. I think 'lack of something better to do'...

Bastardous Bassist · « **Reply #34 on:** 19 Feb 2006, 13:26 »

Quote from: Der Golem

I'm gonna agree with Khar on this one. 5/4 is relatively normal sounding so I most often don't even notice it. That being said, I love wacky time signiatures as long as they aren't just there for their own sake.

If they're well-done it's not easily noticable. The only reason I know most of the tunes that I mentioned are in 5/4 is because I've either played the tunes before (it's pretty easy to notice what time signature a tune is in when it's written right in front of you), or someone told me. I do, however, count through a lot of tunes, to practice. Even if it's in 4/4/, I'll count while listening to it, and try to keep the form. The more practice I get at counting, the less likely I am to lose the form while actually playing, and losing the form on a gig will get you fired, really quickly.

Patrick · « **Reply #35 on:** 19 Feb 2006, 14:14 »

"Mars" from "The Planets" by Gustav Hölst.

And also the "Mission Impossible" theme.

Rubby · « **Reply #36 on:** 19 Feb 2006, 14:29 »

Quote from: Storm Rider

The issue I have with irregular time signatures is that too many people refer to certain bands (Tool, Dillinger Escape Plan) as 'progressive' because they can dick around with time signatures. OK, you can play shit in twenty-four eighths time. What the fuck do you want, a medal?

I'm gonna go with the "who cares" statment again. It might be prog, it might not be prog. Now, dont think I'm defending these bands; I'm not the hugest Tool fan and I've only ever heard that DEP ep with Patton singing, but it almost sounds like you're criticizing bands who play anything but 4/4 or 3/4 without standing behind the "progressive" moniker. I dont think these people are writing songs while thinking "is this prog enough" at all times.

SpacemanSpiff · « **Reply #37 on:** 24 Feb 2006, 04:01 »

Whoever mentioned Take Five by Dave Brubeck - I love you.

Also: Drive Like Jehu - Here Come The Rome Plows is 5/4 I think.
And of course Anisette and Information & Belief by June of 44.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Favorite songs in 5/4. (Read 14175 times)

PhunkieBehaveYer

neighborhood socialist

the W'rkncacnter

Kid Modernist

the W'rkncacnter

Ficus

Praeserpium Machinarum

La Creme

Bunnyman

SpacemanSpiff