I always have to stop myself when I say I like “all kinds of music”. Because, honestly, that just isn’t true, there is really only one kind of music I like. No, not [just] Black Metal, I’m talking about music in a minor key. I mean, I’m a pretty happy guy, but there is something about sad, sad songs that just does it for me. I don’t dislike Vivaldi’s “Spring” and “Fall”, but I far prefer “Summer” and “Winter” (guess which seasons he writes in a minor key). “Satisfaction” is a fine song, but I’d rather listen to “Paint it Black” any day…you get the idea. Basically, it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that sting [of soul crushing sorrow and sadness].
So I’ve decided to make the third Monday of every month “Minor Key Monday” and discuss some of my favorite songs in a minor key. I’m no music expert, but who wouldn’t want to create an outlet where they can inflict their favorite songs on the world at large? And to prove that Minor Key Monday will not be “all Black Metal, all the time”, I won’t start today with Darkthrone’s Hank Amarillo, but rather with Hank Williams Sr. and my all time favorite country song “Ramblin’ Man”:
Hank played a specific subgenre of Country Music known as “Honkytonk”, a style that was raw, stripped down and pretty closely related to blues. Honkytonk wasn’t always sad (in fact, I haven’t listened to a lot of it, but it seems like it usually wasn’t) but Ramblin’ Man is more sad than a dungeon master with no dice. Ramblin’ Man is a simple song, only two chords and three verses sung on a few notes, but it is a powerful one. Hank’s plaintiff wail cuts through the simple chord progression, resonating with sorrow as he sings/yodels each poignant word. I don’t plan on making lyrics a primary focus of Minor Key Monday, since, while most sad sounding songs are in a minor key, not all sad sounding songs have sad lyrics (and, in the case of most metal songs, they usually also have stupid and/or indecipherable lyrics). Still, the lyrics of Ramblin’ Man are a nice compliment to the feel of the song, so check em out:
I can settle down and be doin’ just fine
Til I hear an old train rollin’ down the line
Then I hurry straight home and pack
And if I didn’t go, I believe I’d blow my stack
I love you baby, but you gotta understand
When the Lord made me, He made a Ramblin’ Man.
Some folks might say that I’m no good
That I wouldn’t settle down if I could
But when that open road starts to callin’ me
There’s somethin’ o’er the hill that I gotta see
Sometimes it’s hard but you gotta understand
When the Lord made me, He made a Ramblin’ Man.
I love to see the tow-owns a-passin’ by
And to ride these rails ‘neath God’s blue sky
Let me travel this la-and from the mountains to the sea
‘Cause that’s the life I believe He meant for me
And when I’m go-one and at my grave you stand
Just say God called home your Ra-amblin’ Man.
But again, the lyrics could be about gumdrops, rainbows and puppy hugs and the song would still drip mournful sadness. Since the vocals aren’t specifically minor, the song derives much of its “minor key” sadness from the minor chord that alternately plays in the background and the blue notes Hank is so adept at hitting (not to mention the steel guitar and fiddle accompaniment). Of course, what would the inaugural post of Minor Key Monday be without a nice clear cut minor third to look at? Well
3 Comments
I LOVE songs in minor keys, though there are some major works I adore as well. The best are those that change it up: the brightness of the major is contrasted with the longing of the minor. This is why I like Lucky from Radiohead – the fact the song is punctuated with major chords really does it for me. Winter and Summer are totally the best, I agree, though instead of “sadness” I think the minor denotes laziness, a feeling of anticipation or waiting, rather than action.
Of course, lately, I’ve been noticing not minor-keyed songs, but pop songs that are really just Pachelbel’s Canon. Fuck you, Green Day. http://www.listology.com/lukeprog/list/songs-based-pachelbels-canon
I’m with you. “If it ain’t got that sting.” What is amazing and mysterious to me is the dominance of major key in world music. Mozart wrote 28 piano concertos, two in minor key. Hank William wrote hundreds of songs, two in minor key, the one you mention and “Kawliga.” What is also interesting about minor key to me is the way transposing major key songs into minor key makes them sound “Russian”–dark, sad, aching, longing and yearning much as in “Ramblin Man” and “Kawliga.” Is there a relationship between minor key music and minor key themes in lyrics?
I’d guess the music/lyric relationship is probably usually true. Though I remember at ren fest one year I requested a “sad song” from the harp player and she played a major key song with sad lyrics. Also, most of the Jesusy christmas songs (see: https://www.isleyunruh.com/?p=2036) tend to be in minor keys (or maybe just the ones I like).
I’ve also noticed more minor keys in recent pop music, maybe people are finally seeing the light (or should I say dark?)