A technique not heard in songs much now is a change in tempo.  A scenario is a song that starts out subdued or mellow, goes through some brief transition, then rocks out at the end.  Of course there are other ways to do it.  At first blush, it seems the 70's (early/mid) is where you'd find most songs that fit this description.

One example: Led Zeppelin's masterpiece, Stairway to Heaven.  Any others?

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen (1975)
Armageddon - Prism (1979)

Freebird man, Freebird!  ;D

Love Hangover - Diana Ross
Come Sail Away - Styx

McCartney did it alot....These came straight to mind (i'm sure he had many more)

Band on the Run
Admiral Halsey
Live and Let Die

Band on the run changed tempos quite about, like there's 3 different songs in 1

Many Styx songs changed tempos like Come Sail away (starts off slow and keeps building). I can think of "Lady" and "Renegade" as examples off the top of my head.

Baba O'reilly (The Who) is another one, "Scenes from an Italian restaurant" (Billy Joel) is another

Aussie 70's hit...'Evie' by Stevie Wright was basically three different songs (with different tempos) in one.

Black Magic Woman-Santana

Carry On-Crosby, Stills & Nash

Child In Time-Deep Purple

Layla-Derek & The Dominos

Dogs-Pink Floyd

Shine On You Crazy Diamond-Pink Floyd

Heart Of The Sunrise-Yes

Lastly, they are technically two songs--Waitin' for the Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago by ZZTop.  Radio always played them together as the transition from one to the other is so good that it seems like one song.

American Pie-Don McLean
Uncle Albert-Wings



Many Styx songs changed tempos like Come Sail away (starts off slow and keeps building). I can think of "Lady" and "Renegade" as examples off the top of my head.



Castle Walls
Queen of Spades
Pieces of Eight
Snowblind
(Can you tell I'm a big Styx fan?  ;) :D ;D ;D )



Cat

American Pie-Don McLean
Uncle Albert-Wings

Castle Walls
Queen of Spades
Pieces of Eight
Snowblind
(Can you tell I'm a big Styx fan?  ;) :D ;D ;D )

Cat


Styx was a really good band that had a couple of real good albums in the mid to late 70's. I used to have "Grand Illusion" and the vinyl was "all-white". Don't know how many of those were produced

American Pie-Don McLean
Uncle Albert-Wings

Castle Walls
Queen of Spades
Pieces of Eight
Snowblind
(Can you tell I'm a big Styx fan?  ;) :D ;D ;D )

Cat


Here's Tommy Shaw from the Damn Yankees

Come Again...

http://www.imeem.com/people/nJDN9G/music/qFjiPq4M/damn-yankees-come-again/


I saw the Styx Roboto concert in Atlanta around 1983 - Dan

Styx was a really good band that had a couple of real good albums in the mid to late 70's. I used to have "Grand Illusion" and the vinyl was "all-white". Don't know how many of those were produced



I have the Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight, & Paradise Theatre all on vinyl -I also have them all on CD along with Mr. Roboto. 



Cat

American Pie-Don McLean
Uncle Albert-Wings

Castle Walls
Queen of Spades
Pieces of Eight
Snowblind
(Can you tell I'm a big Styx fan?  ;) :D ;D ;D )



Cat


Hey you...Uncle Albert IS Admiral Halsey (previously mentioned by moi)!!!  ;)  ....also called Hands Across the water  (by some)  ;D

Black Magic Woman-Santana

Carry On-Crosby, Stills & Nash
Child In Time-Deep Purple

Layla-Derek & The Dominos

Dogs-Pink Floyd

Shine On You Crazy Diamond-Pink Floyd

Heart Of The Sunrise-Yes

Lastly, they are technically two songs--Waitin' for the Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago by ZZTop.  Radio always played them together as the transition from one to the other is so good that it seems like one song.


The CSN song is a classic example.....especially if played as 'Carry On/Questions'

Here's an infamous #1 classic from the shores of Canada in 1970 (also scraped the Top 40 in the States) ...

As the Years Go By - Mashmakhan

One "tempo-changing" song from the 70s that comes to mind for me is "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh. It also seems to change "moods", if you will.

One "tempo-changing" song from the 70s that comes to mind for me is "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh. It also seems to change "moods", if you will.

Great song from the summer of '78, great lyrics too.
"It's tough to handle this fortune and fame, Everybody's so different...I haven't changed"

Hey you...Uncle Albert IS Admiral Halsey (previously mentioned by moi)!!!   ;)   ....also called Hands Across the water  (by some)  ;D



Sorry. I do try not to repeat what others have already stated. I guess I was suffering from "Howard Syndrome" and not READING people's post.



Cat

I'm not sure about all the 70s (though I agree with the ones mentioned), but that's one thing I like about '80s songs versus now. Like "King of Pain" by the Police starts off a ballad but gets fairly upbeat. The 90s were like that too, like "Ironic" by Alanis Morisette.

Compare that with post grunge. ;D That's exactly why those songs suck so much imo, no variety and it sounds the same all the way through. There was a decent amount of classic rock that bugs me for the same reason. Basically I think pop is designed to be catchier.

Any disco song.

Another Led Zeppelin gem with a tempo change: Over The Hills and Far Away.

I also recall a Jackson 5 minor hit from '75 that had a tempo change, called I Am Love.

One song I recall from the 70's that changes tempo is "Music" by John Miles, a very popular tune in my country. Hit the charts twice (in '76 and '82).

Another song, not from the 70's though, is "Vienna" by Ultravox (1981).

Sorry. I do try not to repeat what others have already stated. I guess I was suffering from "Howard Syndrome" and not READING people's post.



Cat


I wasn't really chastising you....just getting up your nose! ....and it drew the desired response.....YES...three points!!! ;)

Seals & Croft - Hummingbird

http://www.imeem.com/people/YuR4Qc0/playlist/KOT6Qdxi/hummingbird-music-playlist/



Dan

Another one I heard recently - If You Really Love Me by Stevie Wonder.  But instead of starting slow and going uptempo at the end, it's a perky song with several slow interludes.  Hmmm - different.  ::)

Paradise by the dashboard light - Meat Loaf  (changed tempo a few times)

Blinded by the light - Manfred Mann

BLACK SABBATH--IRON MAN!!

I also recall a Jackson 5 minor hit from '75 that had a tempo change, called I Am Love.


I was just listening to this song, a forgotten gem with a "forward look" to the sound of the Jacksons (sans Jermaine) later in the decade.  (This particular song features Jermaine's vocals moreso than Michael.)  When people think of the Jackson 5 in the 70's they tend to think only of the ABC-caliber monster hits and forget how many memorable hits, major and minor, that the group had in the decade.

Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2d2KCA6Sus

It was as a member of the Jackson 5 that I became a huge Michael Jackson fan (my first concert, too, which occurred around the time of "Dancing Machine").  But I also enjoyed MJ's earliest solo career hits, such as "Rockin' Robin".

May you rest in peace, Michael Jackson.  We already miss you and always will.