I listened to "Morning Train" by Sheena Easton 20 times....

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

…yesterday, and I’m somewhat concerned. I’ve never done that with a song before; it was always twice, maximum, and then on to the next merry track.

I suppose I’ve a slight obsession with it.

It’s not the lyrical content, mind, it’s the way the song is played. From the clever drum fill at the beginning (nice pitch decay on the toms) to the talented background vocalists trying something new and using the microphone(s) to their advantage, this songs construction, despite its simplicity, really speaks to me.

The piece starts out in a standard fashion: 8 bar intro, into verse 1. The background singers are, oddly enough, at full throttle even this early, competing with the dominant tenor saxophone, thus roping the listener deep within the orchestration. Throughout the first verse, the groove is set with a simple mid-tempo 4/4 shuffle, never meandering from its course even through the seamless slide into verse 2, when the drummer smoothly makes a transition into catchy “squeeze-box” syncopations on the hi-hat without disturbing the rock-solid groove.

We then segue into the first chorus in which the intent of the piece is defined not with the ill use of side effects like a train whistle, but by maintaining a constant excitement utilizing the unfailing rhythm section as well as the keyboardist who is now tastefully introduced with a well chosen sine-wave voice playing chords and a flute voice playing melody.

On to verse 3, where a couple of chosen background singers demonstrate taste as well as vocal prowness by executing a vocal glissando over a descending fifth. It’s a safe guess to assume that this embellishment serves to release the tension brought about by the exciting chorus.

The fourth verse is reached, and is pursued in much the same way as the second verse, save for a few timely keyboard fills. This leads to the second chorus being introduced by more of the same from the synthesizer.

After the necessary adherance to form during the second chorus, we reach the bridge that is trying mightily to instill yet more excitement to the listener. This is where Ms. Easton rises from her already keen vocal delivery to an even higher plane as she surprises the listener with her range, charting a high A, then following up throughout with similar notes not quite as peaking.

We then arrive to the final chorus, in which all the stops are appropriately pulled, even managing a slick transition to one key higher during which the background vocalists are given a solo of sorts alongside Ms. Easton’s vocal improvisations. We hear the sax again into the fade.
This song is so cleverly played, it’s a small wonder that it spent two straight weeks at the number one position on the Billboard pop chart in 1981. This, as well as other pieces, is testament to the vitality qualified musicians can bring to a song, no matter how shallow it may seem from a look at the lyric sheet.

I hope I’m not alone in seeing this much from a normal pop song. Has anyone else been similarly taken?

2

Boy, I don’t know what to say.

Maye I’ll pray for you. A thought I had just reading the thread title, even before reading the entire post.

3

Now go buy “Sugar Walls”–you’ll be amazed at Sheena’s transformation (courtesy of Prince). :wink:

4

Thank you. I will now have that !@ song in my head for the next week.

5

Deconstructing of a pop song is something my brother and I do occasionally. No matter how prosaic the subject matter, there’s usually a great deal of production expertise and musicality gone into it. I wouldn’t personally choose that particular song, nor perhaps go into such raptures, but I totally understand where you’re coming from.

The last time I analysed a song with anything approaching your enthusiasm was with Freak Like Me by the Sugababes (the production values in that are simply staggering).

6

Big deal. Once, in my younger, stupider days, I listened to Korn’s “Twist” 116 times in a row. Beat that!

7

In Playboy once they did a literary deconstruction of the theme song from “Baywatch.” Tongue in cheek, of course, but oh my it was funny.

8

I forgot to mention the simple but well-used percussion battery: the handclaps (I didn’t know mere handclaps could be this driving) and the tambourine, which is played using not a 2-and-4 motion but a shuffling triplet technique, fitting the groove perfectly and rarely heard since. A piano also seems to be used in keeping with the triplet rhythm, as well as a mean, funky bass guitar.
[SNL]

We need more cowbell!

[/SNL]

9

I thought this was going to be about Winamp’s shuffle feature…

10

This is a truly disturbing thread…

11

Listening to a song 20 times in a row is not the least bit crazy. I’ve done it with “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” and “Sympathy for the Devil,” for instance.

But Sheena Easton? That’s just plain nuts.

12

It’s the musicians I listen to; I’m trying to see where they were inspired to play such simple riffs so cleverly with the advanced training they invariably posess. Most of them are clever enough to lose yourself in without having to pick apart each lip slur, ratamacue, or finger-pick although I personally do it anyway.

I just have this mad obsession with many types of music. In trying to better myself as a player, I like to listen as closely as possible, to the point of guessing the musical influences of the studiohand clapping his or her hands into the microphone to emphasize the backbeat. One of my favorite instruments to analyse is the snare drum, which is also responsible for emphasizing the backbeat in certain styles of music.

It might also have something to do with having this particular song ground into my subconscious by one or both of my parents, who are avid listeners of popular music, most of which I disagree with.

13

A friend and I once listened to “Ripple” by the Grateful Dead over and over again. I am not sure exactly how many times. That was a very enjoyable experience.

On the other hand, listening to Sheena Easton even once is beyond what I can tolerate.

14

…and you’re still coherant?

15

I listened to Morning Train 20 times.

In 1981.

Then I reset the pushbutton on my radio.

And never listened to that station again.

16

I don’t know why I remember this, but my mom took an aerobics class back in the day. The instructor was a friend of hers, and for some reason I went with her one day. I think I was home sick from school.

This was one of the songs in the routine. And I swear, I remember the moves. They were sitting on the floor, knees bent, with arms doing kind of a chug chug train motion.

Why do I remember that?

17

The really disturbing thing is that someday you’re going to need to remember CPR or something similarly inportant and you won’t be able to because this stupid aerobics routine is taking up brainspace.I

've got the same problem remembering a disco routine we learned in P.E. in 7th grade. I can’t remember my husband’s SSN, but I can still remember the hairbrush arm move to “Tragedy.”

18

I’d like to make a slight correction to my OP…Upon further review of the piece, the saxophone mentioned could well be a baritone sax…or maybe still, a tenor playing very low…I don’t have a very good sax ear. :slight_smile: