# Cover versions that changed time signature? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 23, 2024, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082 "2024-08-23T03:34:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/1 "2024-08-23T03:34:16Z")
Continuing the discussion from [Billy Joel's Piano Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-joels-piano-man/7084/79): copying a relevant sentence as context for this thread here: _joe cocker’s “with a little help from my friends”, also comes to mind [being 3/4 time signature], as opposed to the beatle’s version which was 4/4_ are there other, well known covers in a different time signature you can think of? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/2 "2024-08-23T03:49:55Z")
Postmodern Jukebox often changes the time signature of the songs they cover. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/3 "2024-08-23T04:39:34Z")
I heard a “Take 4” variant on “Take 5” which was quite disconcerting. I wish I could recall who did it. Well, here’s [someone else](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tVhHDH4aDA) who had the same idea! (It was someone else though) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/4 "2024-08-23T10:59:14Z")
The theme from the _Mission: Impossible_ TV series was in 5/4, but they changed it to 4/4 for the movies. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/5 "2024-08-23T12:02:49Z")
There’s a version of _The Nutcracker_ called _The Hard Nut_ that does “The Walz of the Flowers” in 4/4 time ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/6 "2024-08-23T12:10:20Z")
“A Lover’s Concerto” uses the melody of Bach’s Minuet in G, but with the time signature changed from 3/4 to 4/4. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/7 "2024-08-23T12:35:00Z")
_Dreams That I’ll Never See_ The Allman Brothers’ version is a bluesy 6/8 time, and the Molly Hatchett version is a rockin’ 4/4. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/8 "2024-08-23T13:33:12Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > The theme from the _Mission: Impossible_ TV series was in 5/4, but they changed it to 4/4 for the movies. ?!?? The original was in 3/4 time. I never saw the movie but just went to YouTube for it and it’s 3/4 time for the movie version too. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/9 "2024-08-23T13:48:43Z")
I’ll defer to NPR on this one: > **[Playing Five Beats To The Measure](https://www.npr.org/2008/09/26/94723908/playing-five-beats-to-the-measure)** > > One of the appealing things about Lalo Schifrin's theme to Mission Impossible is that it's written in 5/4 time: five beats to the measure, instead of the more commonplace three or four. WNYC's Sara Fishko explores the atypical time signature's usage... > [Lalo Schifrin](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16038659)’s music for _Mission Impossible_ is among the most celebrated themes in TV history, and one of the most appealing things about it, whether you’re aware of it or not, is that it’s in 5/4 time. Written for that iconic television series in the 1960’s, the piece contains five beats to the measure, instead of the more typical three or four. (Count and you’ll see — 1-2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-4-5.) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/10 "2024-08-23T14:22:11Z")
I agree that it’s in 5/4 time, but the movie version (for the ones that I saw) were also in 5/4 from what I remember. Maybe they had a 4/4 version when using the theme outside of the beginning and end? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/11 "2024-08-23T14:27:19Z")
A friend and I used to play Take 5 mashed up with [Love is Blue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjsNNcsUNzE) and [These Eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJmYUmrnP0o) all in 5/4. Works surprisingly well. This claims to contain all Mission Impossible movie themes. All are in 5/4. I confess I only listened to the first few bars of each. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9cgH6X7FRB8/maxresdefault.jpg "All Mission: Impossible Movie Intros (1996-2023)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cgH6X7FRB8) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/12 "2024-08-23T15:08:09Z")
I’m wrong, you’re right. It’s actually a syncopated 10 — 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 … which you’d write as 5/4 time. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/13 "2024-08-23T15:29:49Z")
God knows what time sig John Williams was in for third season **Lost in Space** theme, but the movie version was straight four (at least the main melody line was). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Tp1bEpmmGMs/hqdefault.jpg "[Intro] Lost in Space - Season 3") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp1bEpmmGMs) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QBRtOpwaehM/hqdefault.jpg "Lost In Space - Apollo 440") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBRtOpwaehM) ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/14 "2024-08-23T15:32:30Z")
TV version is 4/4 as well. There are some upbeats that make it sound like an eighth note was added, then subtracted, evening out the whole passage. Musicians sometimes like to mess with people. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/15 "2024-08-23T15:35:10Z")
If you actually listened to the movie theme song, I apologize profusely — no one deserves that. 😉 🛸 ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/16 "2024-08-23T16:21:07Z")
I get the feeling you’re punishing yourself for liking _Lost in Space_. The movie score won’t win any Grammies, but it serves its purpose. It’s fun, schlocky, and engaging. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/17 "2024-08-23T16:28:25Z")
I might not understand time signatures. Does this fit? Original: > **[Ednaswap-Torn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWCOb0wxYCE%2F)** > > Track 10:TornAlbum:Wacko Magneto Cover: > **[Natalie Imbruglia - Torn (Official Video)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV1XWJN3nJo%2F)** > > Natalie Imbruglia - Torn (Official Video)Follow On Spotify - http://smarturl.it/NatalieISpotify?IQ...Listen On Apple Music - http://smarturl.it/NatalieIGlori... ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/18 "2024-08-23T16:35:38Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I’m wrong, you’re right. It’s actually a syncopated 10 — > > 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 > > … which you’d write as 5/4 time. Exactly right. This 5/4 pattern where the underlined notes are emphasized is sometimes called the 5/4 clave. It’s also used in Take 5 and a bunch of other things like the 5/4 songs in Jesus Christ Superstar. Hard for a lot of musicians to play in 5/4 without it. That’s how songs like Love is Blue or These Eyes are translated in to 5/4. Take the four beats of the 4/4 song and map 1 onto your underlined 1, map 2 onto your underlined 4 (or “and of 2” as I’d call it), map 3 onto 7 and map 4 onto 9. The 4 emphasized notes make it easy to count the 5/4 as four only the first two beats of each bar are longer than the second two. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/19 "2024-08-23T16:37:30Z")
They both sound like 4/4 to me. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2024, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082/20 "2024-08-23T17:25:24Z")
Like I said… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-that-changed-time-signature/1006082.md?page=2)