# Songs That Change Time Signatures **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867 "2011-07-05T01:35:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/1 "2011-07-05T01:35:34Z")
Driving around this past weekend, Paul McCartney’s [“Another Day”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw_Jao8hMPA) came on the oldies station and I started wondering what other songs have time signature changes? “Another Day” goes from 4/4 in the verses to 3/4 in the bridges. Anyone have any other songs (pop or otherwise) that change time signatures? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/2 "2011-07-05T01:39:36Z")
Money by Pink Floyd comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/3 "2011-07-05T01:46:04Z")
“Blue Moon of Kentucky” was originally recorded as a 3/4 waltz by Bill Monroe, Elvis Presley recorded an uptempo 4/4 version of it as the B-side to his first single - Bill Monroe (and many others) subsequently recorded/performed it with a slow 3/4 intro leading into a faster 4/4 beat for the rest of the song. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/4 "2011-07-05T01:49:55Z")
“Dancing Fool” by Frank Zappa changed time (Zappa did this a lot), making it impossible to dance to. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/5 "2011-07-05T01:57:26Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > (Zappa did this a lot) That is the Zomby Troof… ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/6 "2011-07-05T01:58:01Z")
The Wiki article, [“songs with unusual time signatures”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_with_unusual_time_signatures) includes a [section](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_with_unusual_time_signatures#Unusual_time_signature_combinations) on songs with more than one time signature. Also, more than a few Rush songs. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/7 "2011-07-05T02:04:06Z")
Oh, there’s a bunch. Let’s see what I can think of off the top of my head. Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” has a section that dips into 7/8. The Beatles “Here Comes the Sun” has that part that goes 11/8 to 4/4 to 7/8 (“Sun, sun, sun, here it comes”). “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” goes from a lilting 3/4 in the verses to a more straight-ahead 4/4 in the chorus. The Pretenders have a few that go in and out of different time sigs. “Tattoed Love Boys,” for instance, is alternating 7/8 and 4/4 in the verses, before going to a straight 4/4 in what might be characterized as a chorus (or simply the B section.) Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” has sections in 7/8. Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” goes from 15/8 (or alternating 7/8 and 4/4) in the instrumental hook to 4/4 in the vocals. Etc. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/8 "2011-07-05T02:06:38Z")
“A Taste of Honey” (Lenny Welch/Beatles version). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/9 "2011-07-05T03:41:02Z")
The Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun.” At times, the drumming is in 4/4 time, and the guitars are in 3/4. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/10 "2011-07-05T04:12:37Z")
Instrumental, but **Blue Rondo ala Turk** switches from 9/8 to 4/4 and back. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/11 "2011-07-05T06:23:38Z")
“America” from _West Side Story_ mixes 3/4 and 6/8 throughout. ---
**Author:** ![Pitter\_Patter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Pitter\_Patter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitter_Patter)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/12 "2011-07-05T06:41:18Z")
I don’t remember the count, but the original “MacArthur Park”, by Richard Harris did it so many times, it was like audio “Twister”. Don’t even try to dance to it or you will end up on disability. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/13 "2011-07-05T07:01:32Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Instrumental, but **Blue Rondo ala Turk** switches from 9/8 to 4/4 and back. Anything off of “Time Out” or “Adventures In Time”… [Unsquare Dance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yExwkQYcp0&feature=player_embedded) [“Blue Rondo à la Turk”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc34Uj8wlmE) [Three to get ready](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVCx5AA_usQ) thanks chef!..Brubeck is timeless ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/14 "2011-07-05T09:57:26Z")
Another Beatles example: All You Need Is Love. The verse alternates between 3/4 and 4/4, while the chorus is 4/4 all the way through. Damn, those Beatles really loved themselves some weird time signatures… ---
**Author:** ![Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Biffer\_Spice\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffer_Spice_1)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/15 "2011-07-05T10:41:09Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > The Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun.” At times, the drumming is in 4/4 time, and the guitars are in 3/4. i wonder if that was deliberate, or if ringo just didn’t notice… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/16 "2011-07-05T13:54:13Z")
> [@ThisSpaceForRent](#): > > Anything off of “Time Out” or “Adventures In Time”… > > [Unsquare Dance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yExwkQYcp0&feature=player_embedded) > > [“Blue Rondo à la Turk”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc34Uj8wlmE) > > [Three to get ready](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVCx5AA_usQ) > > thanks chef!..Brubeck is timeless I don’t recall _Unsquare Dance_ changing tempo. It was 7/4 throughout, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/17 "2011-07-05T14:02:55Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > The Wiki article, [“songs with unusual time signatures”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_with_unusual_time_signatures) includes a [section](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_with_unusual_time_signatures#Unusual_time_signature_combinations) on songs with more than one time signature. > > Also, more than a few Rush songs. True dat. Opening up my Rush Complete songbook I see Overture from 2112 changes time signatures 12 times in the first two pages. Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen switches, too. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/18 "2011-07-05T14:06:44Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I don’t recall _Unsquare Dance_ changing tempo. It was 7/4 throughout, wasn’t it? I was wondering that, too. I don’t remember it changing time signature anywhere. (“Tempo” is not equivalent to time signature. Tempo can change without a time signature change and time sigs can change without the tempo changing. In fact, most of the songs here fall in the latter category–tempo remains the same, but the time signatures shift.) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/19 "2011-07-05T14:30:22Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Driving around this past weekend, Paul McCartney’s [“Another Day”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw_Jao8hMPA) came on the oldies station and I started wondering what other songs have time signature changes? “Another Day” goes from 4/4 in the verses to 3/4 in the bridges. Anyone have any other songs (pop or otherwise) that change time signatures? Paul himself pulled this trick back in 1965, with “We Can Work it Out” (4/4 except for the last part of the bridge – and outro – which is 3/4). This might have been John’s contribution to the song, though, since he was drawn to inserting slow triplets here and there in quite a few of his compositions. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867/20 "2011-07-05T15:18:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I was wondering that, too. I don’t remember it changing time signature anywhere. (“Tempo” is not equivalent to time signature. Tempo can change without a time signature change and time sigs can change without the tempo changing. In fact, most of the songs here fall in the latter category–tempo remains the same, but the time signatures shift.) _Unsquare Dance_ is completely in 7/4. Most of Brubeck’s works are in \*\*odd \*\*signatures, not **changing** ones. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-change-time-signatures/587867.md?page=2)