Monday, January 01, 2007

I Don't Believe, Structure




First-Time Visitors

If you don't know Paul Simon's Surprise, listen to Outrageous before proceeding.

You have to read this blog as it was posted, earliest first. Start with "Cracked 2 More" (lower right) and then work your way up the list. The fully cracked explanations are in the comments, not in the blogs (for those who want to do their own cracking).


I Don't Believe, Structure

Though this be madness
Yet there be method in't.
(Polonius, Hamlet Act II, Scene 2)

I've just finished the annotation of "I Don't Believe." Wow! This is a meticulously organized structure!

instrumental intro

1a) "Acts of kindness, ... " Music simple, tonic/dominant alternation.
1b) "But I don't believe ... " Same music, but add minor chords.

2) "The earth was born ... " prehistory in Cm11.

3) "I got a call from my broker ..." also in Cm11.

Now each musical section repeats.

4a) "Oh, guardian angel...." repeats 1a
4b) "I don't believe a heart can be filled ..." repeats 1b

5) "Maybe the heart is part of the mist...." repeats 2

6) "I got a call ... " repeats 3

Ends with reprise of 1.

7a) "Acts of kindness, ... " repeats 1a
7b) "I don't believe ... " repeats 1b

instrumental coda

At CrackingTheSimonCode.org I've put up a page of reviews. For example, at EW.com, Chris Williams wrote, "'I Don't Believe' is practically an album unto itself: ... Most artists spend entire careers covering less territory."

The color bands in the annotations were one of the rare ideas I've had that actually worked as planned. 1a and 1b are in blue, 1b slightly darker than 1a. 2 is green, 3 is red. Then the colors repeat as the music repeats. It really shows the structure well. This one's at www.CrackingTheSimonCode.org/lyrics/i3.html . Couldn't have written this blog without it.

I'm not about to post the cracking as I've still not understood two bits. Can anyone help with "To pantomime prayers with the hands of the clock"? I think that you would pantomime prayer by pressing palms together in front of chest, fingers pointing up, head bowed. But "with the hands of a clock"?

1 comment:

Martin Rinehart said...

I said "two bits." Went to the store in a dense fog. Make that just one bit now. Still the "hands of a clock."