Recently there was a thread here about identifying the key of a song. Today I’ve been working on Lucinda Williams’ ‘car wheels on a gravel road’
I started out thinking I might just support the chords, so I found the chords.
It’s mainly F# to C#min, in the verse, but it goes to E and B.
In the chorus it’s B to E and back to B
Then there’s a little bridge between chorus and verse (actually same thing used as an intro right at the top) which is F# to C# 3 times, going to B at the end. The first half of the verse is very similar to this but inserts an E ahead of the B.
On the record there’s a mando-guitar melody part in the bridge. I thought the harp could fill that role.
I found the melody sits quite well on a Low E harp, in holes 5-7 with no bends or overblow required. Resolved to 6 blow. It also sits ok on a B harp but the 3 draw bend is rather prominent and I think for this melody it’s better to have a natural note. It can go up an octave on the B but then it’s an octave higher and spread across holes 6–9. Low E is easier and sounds better I think.
The chord chart I used stated the key as F# There are certainly plenty of F# chords in the verse and the intro/bridge, but just as many C#min chords. The Chorus is all B and E.
To me, everything says B. The verse, Chorus and Bridge all wind up on the B chord, the vocal melody in verse and chorus and the mando fill melody of the bridge chorus all point to B.
The guitarist who brought the song initially said we are in F#. The chart says F#. The other folks in the band were pondering the key, but the singer fairly rapidly took my point about the B.
Anyway, for my purpose it works better to think of it as B. Interested in your thoughts
Last Edited by SuperBee on May 31, 2019 5:58 AM
I haven't played this in a few years and don't remember the key the singer used and which harp/positions I used at the time. I agree with finding modes/positions on a harp that avoid awkward sounding bent notes standing out and also avoids being too squeaky.
Some songs have centers that alternate between major and minor keys (or modes under one key signature). The naming of the key can be somewhat arbitrary and based how the melody was put on sheet music. Usually it would be written in a key that minimizes incidentals in the melody, I think.
I recall a thread a while ago noting that bands argue about keys with this kind of song.
I would say use what works, regardless what they have chosen to call the key. If the notes are there and it works, play it as you hear it.
Beast of Burden by the Stones is a song that also shifts between major and minor. I have encountered disagreement among musicians about naming its key, too. ----------
I've just been jamming along to it. A great song, I like it. I was using either the B or the E harp. For me I liked using the B harp better using the 6 OB here and there.
I just pulled out my F# and for me it's definitely in the key of F#
