Kate Bush: 'And Dream of Sheep'

Revision questions based on Kate Bush's 'And Dream of Sheep' from 'Hounds of Love' (1985)

Structure:

Name all the sections in the song.

Verse 1 - Refrain - Bridge - Verse 2 - Refrain - Bridge - Outro

Tonality:

Describe the tonality in the verses.

C#m with aeolian mode (Bnat)

Tonality:

What key are the refrain and bridge in?

E major (relative major)

Tonality:

What key does the song end in?

E major

Harmony:

Describe the presentation of cadences.

Very few perfect cadences

Harmony:

What kind of chord sequence does the song open with?

Modal sequence (roots are a fifth apart)

Harmony:

Name the chords in the verse.

C#m7 - F#m/A - B

Harmony:

Give examples of chords that widen the chord palate. (4)

Added note chords, extension chords, sus chords, slash chords

Harmony:

Name the chords in the refrain.

E - E6 - F#m/E - B

Harmony:

Describe the refrain chord sequence, including the degrees of the chords.

I - ii - V - I progression in E major, over tonic pedal

Harmony:

Describe the harmony of the whistles at the start of the outro.

Quartal harmony

Melody:

Describe the verse melody. (2)

Two rising perfect 5ths, repeated pitches (E’s)

Melody:

Describe the melody in the refrain.

Oscillating minor 3rd between B and G#

Melody:

Describe the repeated melodic figure in the outro.

Rising major 6th, falls by step back to the starting note or to the tonic

Melody:

How is word-painting created on the final lyric, ‘they take me deeper’? (2)

Melisma, descending line

Melody:

How does the song finish?

‘Unresolved’ dominant note

Texture:

What is the overall texture?

Melody-dominated homophony

Texture:

Describe the LH piano texture in the verses.

Wider ranging arpeggios

Texture:

Describe the RH piano texture in the verses.

Loose doubling of vocals

Texture:

Describe the piano accompaniment in the refrain and bridge.

Plain mid-range block chords

Texture:

What appears in the texture occasionally?

Tonic bass pedal (E)

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

Describe the tempo (and give the tempo marking).

Slow ballad tempo (crotchet = 80)

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

What is the main metre of the song?

4/4

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

Describe the metre changes that appear in this song.

Some 2/4 to extend phrases, a 5/4 bar towards the end

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

What kind of rhythm appears in the verse and refrain openings?

Syncopation

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

Describe when vocal material often starts in this song.

After 1st beat of the bar

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

How does the final vocal idea in the outro grab the listener’s attention?

Anacrusis

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

Name three rhythmic features that appear in the last 5 bars of the song (in the outro).

Triplets, ties, Lombardic rhythms (scotch snaps)

Rhythm, Tempo & Metre:

How does the song end?

Rit.

Sonority:

What two instruments dominate this song?

Voice and piano

Sonority:

Name the plucked string instrument from Greek and modern Irish music in this song.

Bouzouki

Sonority:

What instrument can be heard in the outro?

Multi-tracked whistles

Sonority:

What instrument provides samples in this song?

Fairlight CMI

Sonority:

Describe the sample that appears in the bridge.

Radio shipping forecast sample