Islands in the Stream time shift (Dolly Parton)

Subject: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST,JohnMc
Date: 05 Aug 14 - 09:27 AM

Was watching Dolly Parton at Glastonbury and, when this song came up, it reminded me that I can never count in to the chorus. Anyone know what is happening to the time signature ?

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: G-Force
Date: 05 Aug 14 - 11:01 AM

Nothing. It's just that the tune of the chorus is across the beat.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Aug 14 - 04:44 PM

I can sing along and get the timing right, but I don't know that I can explain it better than G-Force did. The chorus/refrain begins before the end of the last line of the stanza, or (in other words) it starts on the last line.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Aug 14 - 04:58 PM

Last line of stanza:

  Makin' love with each other, uh-huh       Islands in the stream
           1   2        3      4  1    2 3    4        1      2

(Just a start)

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST,#
Date: 05 Aug 14 - 05:52 PM

Count it out. The math is there.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST,JohnMc
Date: 05 Aug 14 - 07:04 PM

I made the count out to be as Jeri says. It is a relief to know I wasn't inventing the difficulty, but even with the count I usually get it wrong. And yet Dolly makes it look effortless. Another question is whether the whole thing adds anything to the song; would it be as good with a conventional count.
   I assume the other folks who commented don't find it hard, whether through a natural ear or a mathematical brain, but I suspect most do.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Aug 14 - 07:58 PM

I like it because it IS different. It's how the BeeGees wrote it, anyhow, and I'm not sure it would work without the crooked bits.

Quirky songs like this, I count out the beats for and figure out what beat the lyrics land on. It can take me a few times.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Aug 14 - 05:22 AM

Mystery solved.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: G-Force
Date: 06 Aug 14 - 05:41 AM

Another well known song with a similar difficulty is the Beatles 'Ob La Di, Ob La Da', where after a straightforward verse the chorus comes in so far ahead of the bar line that the first main beat is actually silent. Some people can get it right naturally, other don't seem to be able to.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST,#
Date: 07 Aug 14 - 05:52 AM

G-Force: I just encountered the following site. It's worth a gander.

http://www.hamienet.com/midi473_ObLaDi-ObLaDa.html

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST,JohnMc
Date: 07 Aug 14 - 09:01 AM

There's also the odd count for " sun sun sun" in "Here comes the Sun"; and in a slightly different vein, hitting the chorus of "Penny Lane" in the right key.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 08 Aug 14 - 11:01 AM

For me it's the song that finally killed old time Country music and brought us the sheer dross that now calls itself Countrym a truly awful song, BUT, a saviour has arrived in the shape of a 10yr old young girl, she's taking country music by storm, and made her Grand Ole Oprey debut this week. Look it up on You Tube EMI SUNSINE AT THE GRAND OLE OPREY

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 24 - 03:26 PM

It's as expected during the main part of the song but the repeats at the end all wait an extra bar before comng in which, you're quite right, is really odd!

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift (Dolly Parton)
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 28 Aug 24 - 04:57 AM

There are bits in the finales of Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Emperor Concerto where the melody deserts the beat and which I can't tap along to without going all at sea. I guess that's why I ended up playing the mouth organ instead of conducting symphony orchestras.

Subject: RE: Islands in the Stream time shift (Dolly Parton)
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 28 Aug 24 - 11:25 AM

If you want weird, try guessing where the bars come in the first half of the verses of the hymn "My Song Is Love Unknown".