# Music in triplet \*and\* "straight" time

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-in-triplet-and-straight-time/978602>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** music\
**Created:** [January 22, 2023, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-in-triplet-and-straight-time/978602 "2023-01-22T09:56:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-in-triplet-and-straight-time/978602/61 "2023-01-28T23:02:23Z")

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“Fool in the Rain” perhaps? Just heard it on the radio on the drive home. Most of the song is a famous half-time shuffle a la Bernard Purdie through the lens of John Bonham. The first Latin-y break is still kind of shuffly, but the Latin “breakdown” about halfway through is very much in 2 (note the 16-th note pattern on the snare).

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**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-in-triplet-and-straight-time/978602/62 "2023-01-29T07:25:36Z")

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> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> “Fool in the Rain” perhaps?

Definitely fits the bill!

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**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-in-triplet-and-straight-time/978602/63 "2023-01-30T11:02:35Z")

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Old blues, Delta in particular, is a rich source of the kinds of recordings we’re looking for. In “ **Devil Got My Woman** ,” **Skip James** plays a loping, triplet/swing/shuffle rhythm as a foundation into which he interjects a strumming pattern in straight sixteenths:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BtZ6DoeimP4/hqdefault.jpg "Skip James - Devil Got My Woman") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtZ6DoeimP4)

**Robert Johnson** ’s “ **Milkcow Calf Blues** ” alternates a very similar pattern:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-qPA2tZ2gk8/maxresdefault.jpg "Robert Johnson-Milkcow's Calf Blues (Take 1)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qPA2tZ2gk8)

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**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-in-triplet-and-straight-time/978602/64 "2023-01-30T16:11:47Z")

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Not a well-known song, but ELP’s “Tank” switches from straight time to swung time right after the drum solo (around 4:10). It’s the first song that popped into my head…

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bVsw9wJauAo/maxresdefault.jpg "Tank (2012 - Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVsw9wJauAo)

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**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-in-triplet-and-straight-time/978602/65 "2023-01-31T18:20:26Z")

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Good, clear example. Thanks for contributing!

ETA: The drum-bass part starting at 4:13 is also heard on ELP’s album Pictures at an Exhibition.

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