Rhythm and Time
There are so many different sections to this song, therefore it is difficult to analyse it thoroughly as aspects are always changing. These aspects include free time, rebarto, stolen time and so on throughout the song. See Appendix Three where the lyrics arer laid out and I have noted where I feel the beats fall in the song. In some places 4/4 is appropriate but the rhythm is cutting across the 4 beats of each part. It also seems it would be rebarto of 3/3 + 2 in the slow section (Chorus). It is very difficult to determine beats per bar in this song and it also seems there is no beat per bar in the Chorus, Please See Appendix Two. There is a clear connection with the lyrics / melody / voice / rhythm. Depending what mood he is singing about he reflects this in theseaspects.
Orchestration
The song uses such instruments as voice, guitar, piano, drums and a synthesiser. The most significant to me apart from the voice is the guitar sections. Below I have tried to analyse them by breaking down each section. I have used letters to define different parts and the same letters are used throughout to see if any parts are repeated.
Guitar section One
A B A B A A A B A B A A A B A B A A C
A B A B A A A B A B A A A B A B A A D
A A A A A A A A
Guitar Section Two Guitar Section Two
E A B A B A A A B A B A A A B A B A A C
A B A B A A A B A B A A A B A B A A D
A A A A A A A A
Guitar Section Three
- Part D is much louder than in section two. The Bold D is where something slightly different happens to the un-bold D.
- The Bold F is where something slightly different happens to the un-bold F.
- Letters highlighted in yellow is where they are played at the same time.
- - - Means it is prolonged that length
- H is prolonged and goes up in chords to a higher pitch, they last approximately three seconds each.
E D D D D D D D D
F F
F F F F F F F F F F
D-- D-- D-- D--
A B A B A A A B A B A A A B A B A A C
A B A B A A A B A B A A A B A B A A D
A A A A A A A A
G G G G
H H H H H H H H H H H
The drums can not always be heard clearly when playing with the guitar but have there own act at the begging at the song with several sustained notes layering each other, the symbols also sound electric and mimic the piano in the verses.
The piano is straightforward in this song consisting of it mimicking the voice in the verses and also being the opposite in the Chorus, doing its own act.
A synthesiser is also used in the chorus at the end of the song making that part standout stronger than the rest. It is high in pitch and is also prolonged.
Melody / Harmony / Pitch
This song is in a minor key, it has a contrast at times of being draining but then picking up to a happier note where the melody kicks in. There are many harmonic changes throughout the song, and there is no constant components throughout the song. The voice is the most constant component but is always changing in melody, harmony and pitch. The song has been layered out like this on purpose as it is all to do with moods and no one mood is the same. His pitch ranges from high and low, when moving onto different sections he changes in pitch and melody, and sings the same sections often in the same pitch and melody, for example he sings the chorus the same with sometimes a slight difference, but it is easily recognised what that section is meant to be.
Technology
Technology in this song is used quite a lot, it has a very clean crisp and clear sound. Which would not normally happen if it was recorded live or without being revamped. The volume has been altered in parts of the song in order for it to sound better. For example the introduction; going from very quiet sustained notes into a blast of guitar. The voice is clear on the guitar section so both voice and the guitar must have been altered so it can be heard correctly. The sound balance is equally used with the left and right speaker being level. There does not seem to be much technology used on the microphone, he makes his own prolonged sounds. Although when he is shouting there doesn’t seem to be any breathiness being projected.
Detailed song analysis
There seems to be Five different types of voice that Grech uses in this song. These are Shouting, Singing, Prolonged Singing, Screaming and Short Singing. There are many lines which to some would class as a negative singing when he doesn’t use such things as melody, timing, harmony and rhythm. The song starts off with him saying “I’m the coil unfolding screwed back up” where he is shouting the lyrics over the noise of the guitar, still in tune and with a clear melody. The piano then kicks in, in the third line of lyrics and starts to sing softer and quieter as he does not have to compete with the guitar, with a clear melody and his voice mimicking the piano. He then goes on to the chorus with his voice prolonging the words and his voice drops in pitch. Although the chorus is only two lines and they are not repeated it does not seem too short because he stretches the length of the lines, he is singing very freely here as the song is all based on moods, the piano is playing chords quick and rapid. He then suddenly goes back to shouting trying to compete with the guitar, singing the lines “Revolt, revolt” and carries on shouting into the verse. Still in the verse the guitar then changes to the piano and he starts to sing again softer, quieter and in tune to the piano. The Chorus then kicks in with the dragging out of notes and with the piano and voice both doing different things, with the voice singing in melody and the piano playing different chords. However in this chorus his voice is higher in pitch in the second line unlike the last one. This may be in preparation for the next verse where rhythm and time break down and he sings a constant beat per bar, however at the end of each line there is a clear melody in finishing off the last word. He then goes back into the chorus singing “I am chromosome” this time with no piano but a synth sound also prolonging as the words do. Although only two instruments are used here it is a very significant part in the song and stands out to the rest. The mood then changes and he starts shouting “Revolt” repeatedly. Singing it twice with a break then a further ten times with the last one a hint of screaming. He sounds quite breathless when shouting like he is putting in a lot of energy. He then goes into screaming the last few lines which are:
“I am chromosome
If I could
Go away go away from here
Right Now
Go away, go away from here
Now”
He sings the first line screaming and prolongs the word “chromosome”. The second line he uses a very high pitch which is not heard in the song before, it is also difficult to hear what he is singing here because he is also singing it quietly. In the third and fourth line he screams in a very high pitched voice and prolongs the “Now”. He then starts to repeat his words in Fifth line still screaming and ends with the “Now” where the song abruptly finishes
Appendix
Appendix One
I’m the coil unfolding screwed back up
I’m the flower unfurling, buttercup
Fill it up to a bursting
Fill it up
I’m the bridge that is breaking under foot
Bring the meat to the boil
Serve it up
Leave the body to spoil
Let it rot
Stick a head on a plate
Frenzy food
Take a knife to the limb
Six-foot cook
All my dreams are nightmares
Foolish baby boy
Revolt, revolt
I remember the moment I wake up
What the reason I torture myself was
I've been chosen to carry this burden
Scratch my tissue with finger, nails and thumbs
Pull a blade from a swarm
Sharp and cold
Pull a bone from the arm of your son
How you disappoint me
You'll be forgotten
I live in a fantasy
Where I am dead and worshipped
People adore and love me
Poor boy what pain you felt
My body floats like dead wood
Replace my limbs with branches
I am chromosome
I am chromosome
Revolt, revolt
Revolt, revolt
Revolt, revolt
Revolt, revolt
Revolt, revolt
Revolt, revolt
I am chromosome
If I could
Go away go away from here
Right Now
Go away, go away from here
Now
Appendix Two
Appendix Three
word count: 2537