Pop - Beatles - I Want to Tell You - MELODY/HARMONY

Question 1

What is significant about the melody of I Want to Tell You?

Answer 1

It is built on a limited amount of material:

• It fades in with a guitar riff with a prominent flattened 7th

Question 2

In I Want to Tell You, how is the desperation of the lyrics underlined by the melody?

Answer 2

• Fragmentary nature of the melody underlines the desperation of the lyrics
• Dislocated phrases of varying lengths, some 1-bar, THEN 3.5 bars at the end of each verse

Question 3

What is the range of the lead vocal?

Answer 3

major 7th (E to D#)

Question 4

What is significant about the range of the vocal in the bridge passages?

Answer 4

The range of the vocal line is even more limited:

• moves from persistent monotone B (“but if seem to act unkind”) down to F# (“my mind”) THEN closes on A

Question 5

What is signficant about the melody in the coda of I Want to Tell You?

Answer 5

The use of melisma (“Ah…..”)

Question 6

How does the harmony of I Want to Tell You hint at the difficulty of transmitting thoughts?

Answer 6

• use of a limited number of chords: A, B7, E7 and A
• Dissonant acciaccaturas - C to C# bar 5 and D to D# bar 8
• jolting effect of sudden shift to B7
• jarringly dissonant Emin 9th (Fnat over E) - regarded as one of most remarkable effects in Beatles repertoire.
  Creates claustrophobic feel
• chords of bridge passage convey claustrophobic feel, moves from B min to B dim THEN A