Don't Explain

Question 1

Structure?

Answer 1

• 32-bar song form.
• 4/4 time, it is a ballad with slow tempo and 8 bar verses.
• 3 8 bar verse and a contrasting 8 bar bridge between verses 2 and 3. AABA structure. Bridge and 3rd verse are repeated.

Question 2

Arrangement?

Answer 2

• Vocal supported by sustained sax chords, smooth answering phrases from the strings. Steady ground rhythm from bass.
• String orchestra.
• Muted trumpets.
• In bridge repeat a sax plays a countermelody to Holiday’s vocals.
• Outro is a rising and falling string phrase with muted trumpet.

Question 3

Vocal melody and rhythm?

Answer 3

• Unique, flexible, and expressive way of controlling rhythm and phrasing.
• Natural speech rhythms and altered phrasing emphasises the emotion, creates a conversational feel.
• Mainly narrow vocal range, mostly within a single octave. Tessitura is quite low (Bb- g below middle C)
• Long gaps between phrases and colours long notes with vibrato. A calm delivery allows the words to resonate.
• Some words almost spoken, with downwards pitch bends.

Question 4

Harmony and Tonality?

Answer 4

• Song in C minor, each verse ends in Eb major (relative major)
• Bridge is tonally fluid, using a circle of 5ths.
• Changes are mainly functional, using i, ii, iv, V, VI, and III.
• Typical jazz harmony, chords are extended to give chromatic colour.
• 6th chords, 7th chords, 13th chords and blue notes are common.

Question 5

Texture and instrumentation?

Answer 5

• String countermelodies are smooth and conjunct in contrast to Holiday’s broken up phrasing. Parallel 3rds are used. They cover a wide tessitura and are rhythmically varied.
• Trumpet interjections are simple.
• Saxophone countermelody in bridge repeat sounds improvised, with more complex melodic and rhythmic detail.
• Texture is melody-dominated homophony with sustained chords accompanying the vocal over a pizz. double bass providing rhythmic definition.