This is dedicated to Leah, who requested it.
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Cheek to Cheek (1934-35)
7 versions
Irving Berlin (pictured above) knew as much about music theory as I knew about refrigerator repair. But he had a natural gift for songwriting that few have ever equaled.
This one's a doozy. It breaks with the traditional AABA form with an AABBC form.
Let's look at the details. He begins on the sixth degree of the scale, with the first syllable of Hea-ven — like a sigh from some angel high above!
Then with ascending steps (and chords):
and the amazing symmetry when he skips back down:
Now the B section — a simple progression of ii/V/I repeated four times:
And then — with a sudden shift to the minor — this extraordinary C section, which Berlin cleverly ends with a vi/ii/V to return us to the A section:
From the original version from the film Top Hat to Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, this masterpiece never loses its kick.
1. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers (1935)
(5:02)
from the film Top Hat. Check out that dancing!
2. The Boswell Sisters (1935)
(2:48)
Thanks to Donald Fagen for hipping me to these gals.
