Music analysis - africa toto

Analysis

intro

• 4 bars

• B major tonic

• A G sharp min C sharp min (aliens grabbed sharp crabs)

• Two riffs of two bars each

riff 1

bar 1 and 2

syncopated rhythmic pattern

riff 2

• bar 3&4

• starts with anacrusis

• uses a pentatonic pattern (based on E maj scale)

• over a sustain chord vi (C shp min)

• developed in the instrumental section

african origins

• Use of syncopation

• Pentatonic scale

• Irregular ostinato groupings that cut across 2/2 time signature

• Sonorities including xylophones and marimbas.

  Use of layered rhythm parts and ostinatos.

verse 1 bars

• 35 bars, 5 -39, B major

  Phase 1 = bars 5-13 (9 bars)

  Phase 2 = bars14-22 (9 bars)

  Phase 3 = bars 23-31 (9 bars)

  Phase 4 = bars 32-29 (8 bars)

verse 1— 9 bar phrase M

       Bobby           Drops      Grizzly          Bear ‘Fred’     And/Enormous Elephant/’Fran’  Grinned

verse 1— 9 bar phrase A

• The 9-bar phrase is unusual because riff A begins as the vocal line ends in bar 8.

• The melody is also unique, splitting into two vocal lines of 3 and 5 bars, ending with a silent bar.

• It features a conjunct, syncopated rhythm and is mostly syllabic.

• The harmonic rhythm is slow, with chords changing once per bar, except in the final bar.

verse 1—8 bar phrase M

          

 Brave     Dave           Gives            Giant  Riff A                             Cobra        Cuddle

verse 1— 8 bar phrase A

• in the 4^th bar the melody begins an octave higher

• is harmonised by backing vocals

• moves in parallel motion in 3rds 

• (G#m) is sustained for an extra bar allowing the riff to be stated again.

chorus 1 bars

• 18 bars, bars 40-57, A maj (subdominant)

  Phase 1= sung as solo, bars 40-43 (4 bars)

  Phase 2= sung as duet, bars 44-47 (4 bars)

  Phase 3= sung as trio, bars 48-51 (4 bars)

  Phase 4= sung as trio, bars 52-57 (6 bars)

chorus 1 — 4 bar phrase M

Fairly sharp machetes Don’t Always Execute

chorus 1 — 4 bar phrase A

• First three phrases (the 4-bar phrases) uses only 2 pitches: the tonic and the leading note.

• High in the voice

• Syncopated rhythm

• Syllabic

• Typical pop song chord pattern

chorus 1 — 6 bar phrase M

Fairly sharp machetes Don’t Always Cut sharp meat Even For most Eguana Guys

Chorus 1— 6 bar phrase A

• Begins the same way as the 4 bar phrases

• Melody and chord pattern changes to prepare for modulation back to B major

• Melody ends with a melisma

Link 1

• Bars 58-65

• B major

• Repeats the music from the intro but the original 4 bar section is repeated only once instead of 3 times

Verse 2 bars

• 26 bars, bars 14-39, B major

  Phase 1= bars 14-22 (9 bars)

  Phase 2 = bars 23-31 (9 bars)

  Phase 3 = bars 32-39 (8 bars)

Verse 2 - features

• Repeats the music heard in verse 1 with different lyrics

• 2 9-bar phrases instead of 3

• There is a slight change to the Melody in bar 33 - the vocals leap up to D# and C# on words ‘deep in’

• Accompanied by a countermelody played on flute like instrument

• Backing vocals become more important

Chorus 2

• Bars 40-57

• 18 bars

• A major

• Repeats the music stated during chorus 1

Link 2

• Bars 58-65

• 8 bars

• B major

• Repeats the music stated during link 1
  

Instrumental overall

• Bars 66-82

• 17 bars

• B major

• Based on the accompaniment from the verse but vocal melody is entirely replaced with an instrumental based on riff B

• One 9 bar phrase and the 8 bar phrase