But the vocal interest is multiplied when the two parts still track each other in terms of the contour and rhythm of the phrase - but now above or below the original line, ie. at a higher or lower series of pitches. This may be an obvious, primitive description of how to ‘harmonise a tune’ , but it is one that raises an interesting point. McCartney himself describes how the presence of more than one
vocal part creates a paradox as to the very nature of melody and harmony :
It is important to remember that , as a line unfolds in harmonised thirds, the interval at any given point might consist of either a
major or a minor third (i.e., distances of both 3 and 4 semitones will be involved over the course of a line in order to keep the harmony diatonic, or to accommodate a non -diatonic effect in one of the lines). ‘Baby’s In Black’ demonstrates both situations particularly clearly in the second part of the verse:
Starting with a unison sound where both John and Paul, for once, sing the same opening note (‘Last .. .’), the moving line drops against the upper E, moving first to a jarring minor second (,night’). This is created by the major-seventh -against-tonic that rings out dissonantly, if briefly, before the descent continues down the scale, widening to an interval of a sixth (‘to’) before settling on that final fourth (‘girl’)
The principle of multi- part weaving of harmony reached an awesome peak on ‘Because’, the ultimate case study for further dissection by ambitious readers. But the principle of extreme independence of vocal lines can also be appreciated in Beatles songs from many years earlier. Take the intro to the 1965 single, ‘Paperback Writer’, where an uplifting multilayered vocal, delivered as a
sinewy, carefully plotted prologue, creates a subtle take on the title theme. Here’s a rough resume :
This isn’t the first time that minor third intervals resulting from chromatic excursions in one of the vocal lines have implied non-diatonic chords. The A7 of ‘Baby’s In Black’ is an obvious example, even if it was just a standard, bluesy tonic embellishment on its way to IV. The diminished gesture in ‘ If I Fell’, which occurs purely as a welcome accident of two independent melody lines passing like ‘ships in the night’, marks a degree of sophistication in a pop song that is light years removed from the standard
b 7th blues effect
bridge in a similar fashion).
‘Not A Second Time
The Beatles’ masterfully judicious approach to ‘outside’ and ‘inside’ notes in their melodies can be seen brilliantly in ‘No Reply’ where the Lennon-McCartney lesson for the day is not merely harmonisation but reharmonisation. This is an important songwriting skill where a given melody previously heard in relation to one particular chord (or sequence of chords) takes on a whole new character when supported by another.
As a brief aside to our earlier discussion, this extract also shows the varied way that The Beatles would approach their vocal harmonies in terms of structure rather than just the interval, - in ‘Baby’s In Black’ the harmonies are continuous; in ‘Hey Bulldog’, the opening harmony is answered by a single voice; here the single voice is answered by the harmony; while George Martin’s favoured early formula was for a single- part verse to be joined by harmony in the mlddle eight, e.g., ‘A Hard Day’s Night’.
One of The Beatles’ most instantly recognizable 4th degrees is the isolated peak in the verse of ‘Hey Jude’. As we saw in the last chapter, the song starts with a predictable, consonant chord tone. But this is rudely disturbed by the introduction of the 4th degree on the word ‘song’ , prompting us all to rise to the occasion.
Using our earlier criteria for gauging melodic appeal, this tune leaves a lot to be desired in terms of opening intervals, motifs, melodic contour , thematic development, range, rhythmic interest, etc. Hum it as a stretch of single notes and it compares unfavourably even to ‘Three Blind Mice’ for ingenuity. But when you add in the chords it’s a different story, with the beauty of the harmonisation steadily becoming apparent. Take the verse first:
