I think Phil Collins must've been fond of this downbeat trick, because the verses in "Dance on a Volcano" do a similar thing.
― enochroot, Friday, 27 November 2020 23:01 (three years ago) link
I have two of these:
Amazing Journey by The Who - The opening always fools me that the downbeat is on the first chord of each pair, when in fact it is the second chord (one and a half beats later). Daltrey also starts singing on the downbeat, but it doesn't become clear to me until the drums come in. Maybe the backwards feedback over the intro is also misleading.
Mechanical World by Spirit - I only figured out tonight that the downbeat in the verses is on the third hi-hat hit, not the first, which was misleading me completely. The whole song is in straight 4/4 if you count it properly!
― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 29 November 2020 05:20 (three years ago) link
Intro to SOS by Abba. Becomes apparent after a while that it starts on 2 but it's still confusing and beautiful
― in twelve parts (lamonti), Sunday, 29 November 2020 08:51 (three years ago) link
Theo's "Bubbles", too
― massaman gai (front tea for two), Sunday, 29 November 2020 09:19 (three years ago) link
When the drums come in on this one I'm always like "wait a second...":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrWTxRgd4Wk
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Sunday, 29 November 2020 09:24 (three years ago) link
re: "Lost in Music" - great example!also:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-GcL1Cd5b4
maybe it's because in places it seems like it's a 6/4 measure or the like (extra beats) rather than a normal 4/4.
― Max Florian, Sunday, 29 November 2020 17:01 (three years ago) link
Albert, is that because the opening fill is a pickup (it starts on three)?
― velcro-magnon (Ye Mad Puffin), Sunday, 29 November 2020 17:27 (three years ago) link
re: opening fills that throw you, David Sylvian has got at least two examples ready - maybe a result of editing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFMa-m-6A3Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZjil5x3gaQ
― Max Florian, Sunday, 29 November 2020 17:52 (three years ago) link
i'm still a bit confused about the Valkyries thing?
― Specific Ocean Blue (dog latin), Tuesday, 15 December 2020 12:28 (three years ago) link
oh wait... forget it, i hear it now!
― Specific Ocean Blue (dog latin), Tuesday, 15 December 2020 12:29 (three years ago) link
Is this song like "SOS" in that way, starting on the 2?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA4a-zuSnQM
― Josefa, Wednesday, 16 February 2022 23:07 (two years ago) link
almost sounds like the first strum didn't make it into the recording
― Muad'Doob (Moodles), Wednesday, 16 February 2022 23:41 (two years ago) link
Yes! Considered that
― Josefa, Wednesday, 16 February 2022 23:53 (two years ago) link
The intro to SOS feels like it begins on the 2, but if you're going to count straight fours until the vocal comes in right after the 1, then it starts on the 3! Or you could say that the intro drops a beat before the vocal comes in.
― Halfway there but for you, Thursday, 17 February 2022 16:08 (two years ago) link
There is a great Switched on Pop episode about Charlie Puth's "Boy" that talks about its "downbeat deception." Listen to the first 10 minutes of this:
https://switchedonpop.com/episodes/87-the-pure-pop-of-charlie-puth-carly-rae-ft-hanif-abdurraqib
Here's the song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iILJvqrAQ_w
― Indexed, Thursday, 17 February 2022 17:18 (two years ago) link
That's a good one, although the backbeat coming in helpfully lines it up.
― change display name (Jordan), Thursday, 17 February 2022 17:22 (two years ago) link
Just relistened to that Switched on Pop and if you go to minute 16 they also play a bunch of examples of what they dub downbeat deception:
Ismael Miranda – RecordandoThe Beatles – She’s a WomanSharon Jones & The Dap Kings – Nobody’s BabyThe Cars – Since You’re GoneLudwig van Beethoven – Symphony No 5 in C Minor, I
― Indexed, Thursday, 17 February 2022 17:32 (two years ago) link
Is there a thread for rap songs with raps on the off-beat?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_QcvPwa-l0
― Mr. Snrub, Wednesday, 23 February 2022 11:57 (two years ago) link
Jane Weaver - Electric Mountain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lcFq7Rtx0M
― peace, man, Thursday, 24 February 2022 13:33 (two years ago) link
I've always had major trouble hearing where the 1 is on Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On." Intellectually I know it's on the very first kick drum beat, but unless I force myself to count along from that point, I hear the first three counts as "pickup" and hear the 1 as falling on the actual 4 (this is if I'm counting along at the full 178 bpm as opposed to 89 bpm half-time). In other words, I hear the 1 as falling on the 6th note of the iconic tumbi riff.
― J. Sam, Thursday, 24 February 2022 13:56 (two years ago) link
(which also falls on the third kick drum hit)
― J. Sam, Thursday, 24 February 2022 14:13 (two years ago) link