http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0BWlvnBmIE
Before picking my song, I had to listen to about 15 other
ones, because I honestly don’t truly understand the concept of the cadences
yet. I listened to songs from a lot of genres, from Broadway to rock to rap to
pop. It was a difficult process for me, but I think I finally found a song that
fits what I’m looking for. In one of my favorite songs, “Wide Awake,” by my
favorite pop star, Katy Perry, I noticed what I believed to be the HC-PAC cadence
in almost the very beginning of the song.
I’ve heard this song so many times, but I never took the time to analyze
it this closely. From 0:58-1:18, Katy
repeats the same phrase twice with the lyrics:
I'm wide awake
Yeah, I was in the dark
I was falling hard
With an open heart
I'm wide awake
How did I read the stars so wrong?
I'm wide awake
And now it's clear to me
That everything you see
Ain't always what it seems
I'm wide awake
Yeah, I was dreaming for so long.
The point where
she says “with an open heart” is where I believe the half cadence presents
itself. I thought this to be a half cadence because I think it ends on the
dominant V cord because there’s a D in it. Then when she says “How did I read
the stars so wrong?”, that is the PAC because it ends on the tonic cord and it
feels complete and closed like it should. This pretty much exactly repeats itself
again in the second phrase of the song in the same places. The difference
between a HC and an IAC confuses me, but I believe I picked the right cadence
pattern for this particular song. Either way, this blog made me happy because I
got to jam to Katy Perry in my room for a while trying to figure it out. Hope
you enjoy listening to my favorite pop star as much as I do!
I also haven't been able to figure out cadences yet! The difference between an IAC and an HC is what confuses me as well. I definitely hear how the "How did I read the stars so wrong?" is the PAC. It seems like this pattern is repeated during the two verses of the song following the first chorus, as well. In this, the HC's would be "And landed on my feet" and "I don't have to pretend." The PAC's would be "Need nothing to complete myself, no" and "The story's over now, the end."
ReplyDelete(P.S. I also love Katy Perry!)
If we hadn't learned about cadences I never would have noticed this before! Nicely done, I agree with your findings and share your confusion with Imperfect Authentic Cadences and Half Cadences. Same with Olivia's comment also. Also, (sorry for the plugs, I just want to spread my team's music)here's a Hip-Hop beat that samples "Wide Awake" that you might enjoy.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bJ1FrQUlZI
~Magnetic
I love this song aswell haha! I do agree with you all how when she sings "How did I read the stars so wrong." is definitely a PAC because all the tension is released and she goes back to her first line of "I'm wide awake". This was a great analysis! I liked how you gave an example and pointed out the Half Cadences and Perfect Authentic Cadences! Great Post!
ReplyDelete-Kelsey