what key is this Earth Wind & Fire song in?

"Love's Holiday" by Earth, Wind & Fire is a special case where a song modulates between a home key and a key a fourth away, without anyone noticing. How do they do it?
Personal Harmony and Music Theory Lessons: www.leonwaves.com/contact
Instagram/Twitter: @leon_waves

[@58209]

i don't understand music theory beyond what i learned in a couple years of middle school marching band, so i can't really appreciate the significance of this content, but i really like the soothing style of your videos, and i enjoy watching them. really glad i found your channel through that "largest chord" video that blew up. maybe i'll watch enough that something will actually stick one day.

[@dougnulton]

Is this the next version of Neely’s what key is Sweet Home Alabama

[@fran6b]

which was a follow up of a Paul Davids' video

[@thatrandompieceofgumiifoun7621]

@@fran6b which was a follow up to sweet home alabama 8)

[@fran6b]

@@thatrandompieceofgumiifoun7621 Paul did a video first, than Adam Neely, and than Paul made another video about it. He sandwich Adam with the Sweet Home Alabama thing ;)

[@AshnSilvercorp]

You want to have similar madness to this in film music, tell me all of the keys that are in _"This is Halloween."_ We had to do that in my film scoring degree, and all of us experienced a nightmare having 0 agreements. Really goes to show that music theory can't write songs, it only interprets them in written form, and it can be rephrased in almost any order to fit a format.

[@leonwaves]

Gotta check it out myself

[@TheChaserTV]

Such an underrated song man, this was some of the best harmonic analysis I've seen.

[@learnmusic488]

They were such a badass group..on multiple levels... A lot of groups were in the 70s.. ... it still exists, but so few and far between today..

[@toronado455]

Awesome video! Here's how I interpret this... The song is in Bb. There is a CADENCE in the verse/interlude of C13sus going to Fmaj9, which, as you point out, is V-I in the key of F. However, just because that CADENCE exists doesn't mean a modulation has occurred. Seems to me this type of thing happens all the time in classical music and it usually is interpreted as a "temporary shift" to a related tonality. It's awesome that you point this out and made this great video!

[@tonihonkala8663]

Is there a term tonicization (at leadt is jazz theiry) for that kind of temporary shifting of tonal center?

[@grishhung2828]

The song feels like it’s in Bb to me. The Eb chords (which should resolve to Bb) are more common than the instances of resolves to F. That’s just my opinion though!

[@remystoreide]

Very good video, I was here before it was out

[@jeffmartin9212]

I didn’t think it was possible for me to love this song more than I already did. EWF straight legends

[@curtismillerjr3173]

I think the song is in both keys a very impressionable way to introduce a modulation without really modulating Reece and Larry Dunn, Phillip are all over the creation of this song I love this group

[@isaiahvenegasshottyonthebeat]

This is a very nice breakdown, just too bad the reference track is pitched UP a half step, as the song is actually in A major. The chords I learned came from an EWF book, the progression shown here is different but pretty darn close. The only difference besides the key is that these chords are different variants and/or inversions. A horn player would prefer to play in this key however. But going back to the main topic, indeed EWF are masters of these funky chord progressions, its so fulfilling to the ear, and that's why their music has stood the test of time.

[@xersxo5460]

Every time I learn some new theory standards I come back to this video and can understand a little more

[@BastiendeLHermite]

This is one of my very favorites EW&F ballads, thanks for this analysis. I always kinda assumed it to be in Bb. ♪

[@rthrstrum781]

This is another absolutely fascinating video Leon -- thank you so much! This was the music of my teen years...and I knew it was profound, just like the music that got (some) credit for being profound (Miles, etc.)...but never until the last years, with people like you, got a partial glimpse of why. Keep doing it -- there are many of us out here who deeply appreciate your work!

[@tiablasangoriti8347]

Awesome analysis Leon!

[@hobodivine5776]

Amazing! Thank you.

[@keLskanator]

Beautifully explained. Thank you so much 💕

[@user-wc1iq5xs9t]

My vote's for Bb. In situations like these, where the function of the chords in the progression suggest a few possibilities, all one can rely on is what 'feels' like home. For me, when I tried to sing the tonic, I sang Bb. Of course that's personal, but I think that's the way to answer a question like this. Sweet Home Alabama is in D, as far as I'm concerned.

[@ohwhen7775]

This ^ 100%, I tried making my point clear in that Neely video that there was no key change whatsoever in that song, playing bVII's in rock music is as common & natural as tritone subs in jazz or what have you. I honestly don't even know why this is a question to begin with, home is home, a key center is just that - the tonic, root tone/chord. A key can constitute all 12 notes without having it sound like it's drifting off altogether. For SWA, the idea that D, C, and G indicate that the key is EITHER D or G is a non-question given the *actual* context of the song, everything comes back to D in that song despite a bVII & even bIII, literally standard Rock 'n' Roll cadences, hah.

[@showrunner2183]

It’s Bb but the original is in A

[@jonathanparham6738]

Now I know how I was hypnotized by these songs. Love your channel

[@sevynlayne5365]

Loved every second of this vid. I've always loved the chord structure of this song.

[@Phyligree]

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. you will get the views and recognition you deserve in a matter of time, this is excellent man!

[@jazzyboyem7b569]

yt recommended me this video very appropriately happy 21st!

[@silvav3621]

Thank you ! Great !

[@marvellouseyube6376]

Awesome video.... Just abt time...😊

[@ricomoloo]

YOU'RE AMAZING. Broke down one of my favorite EWF songs!

[@lsd25records]

great video.

[@sweetegg]

Good shit my dude.

[@geronimokay]

i just found your channel its v v good

[@Shaun36RockBand]

Just shows that you can put a 4/5 chord anywhere and it's gonna sound killer

[@nihonxs]

May I suggest Brazilian Rhyme a.k.a Beijo as a futur song analysis ? The chords are simply beautiful. This very short, yet impressive interlude is an adaptation of Toninho Horta's Beijo Partido.

[@jaymepaololaciste]

Been listening to the PAC version of this song... that is why the bridge is weird sounding vs. The original because of that e13sus key... good analysis

[@chimedemon]

alright man. I think I'mma like this channel

[@hermonbluesmaclin-theboogi6830]

Thank you sir! Now I can lead band rehearsal on this song with confidence! LOL but so serious at the same time. Love EWF since the 70's when I was in college! #TheBoogieDoctor #TrusselLoveInjection

[@hermonbluesmaclin-theboogi6830]

I downloaded it off iTunes and it's a half step lower. I'm not sure which key makes better sense position-wise on bass though looking at the way (style) Verdine plays. I'm thinking it's a half step lower. So into would be A F C/D D/E maybe. What do you think?

[@ragingoracle6239]

Def Bb with tritone subs and secondary dominant subs, plus a [Major (I) -> Minor (which will is considered to be a iv) -> iv-> I (of the iv) ]sub here and there.

[@andreidinu7316]

You should do the watermelon suger by Harry styles. There's been some debate regarding the deceptive key it is in.

[@anthonyumbro5427]

September!

[@luiem3278]

id bet that the people who initially realized the sounds and harmonies for this tune have no idea what in the .... all those letters, numbers and slashes mean.

[@iniuram8231]

make more videos about the best band EWF

[@iniuram8231]

what is the style or technique or arrangement shown here at 5:56? can you people suggest me other songs with a similar sound.

[@brittdavid8591]

👊🏾

[@jamesperez-sanchez7573]

Its in Eb

[@juwonnnnn]

👍

[@gon9684]

Bruh, for me the intro and the verse are both in Bb (Dsus functions as the V in Gmin resolving to the bIII) and the chorus is DEFINITELY in Eb maj, i don't even know how you could think it is in Bb, what?

[@mauricemoore3193]

How can I learn this stuff. I understand but I really don't but I want to! Lol. I want to learn! Help

[@blambloozler5041]

Both

[@jamesseome8670]

"...a Dm9(11), and that sound is not in the key of Bb..." Me:...but I use it all the time...😢

[@ronaldhuey2619]

Ive Always considered it in B flat.

[@LeafGreen906]

So why would it be a a Eb13sus and not a Dbmaj9/Eb?

[@leonwaves]

That works too! I like thinking of it as a dominant chord. But it’s a polychord too

[@kennethkennedy8079]

All those chords to this song are recorded a half step lower.

[@sandalero]

Bb

[@seemsfamiliar]

The f13sus to ebmaj9 is wack. It made me audible say oh shit lol

[@nimluikham11]

So where do I start if I want to understand this? Lol For real though

[@mcmire]

What do you want to understand? Maybe I can help.

[@AshnSilvercorp]

1. grab any piano (you can also get a small digital midi keyboard and one of many free DAW's or sound libraries) and learn how to read the keys. 2. lessons only give you a basis, practicing scales gives you the most understanding of "scale degrees." Which helps in understanding chords and intervals (jumps between notes). 3. Learn basic intervals and chords of music theory. Stacking a C, E, and G together is the most basic start. While there is official music theory, jazz is just titling the notes based on the "bass" of the note (literally whatever the bass guitar plays, inversions are harder to understand because the bass is playing a note that isn't typically the bass of the chord, these are often called "Chordname/Alternate Bass chords" written like C/E [a basic inversion] or in jazz, some chords just use an entirely different bass for effect such as C/Bb) 4. After learning basic chords, learn that Jazz is literally based on just adding more 3rds (both major and minor) on top of the basic chord, and in reality a "13th" chord is just every note in the scale played in different voicings (rather than being in one "octave" or set of 7 keys each). 5. After the basics, find out that all of music is expressing an idea or feeling, and music theory only helps to provide a structure to understanding it. There's tons of music theory that without the expression and goal of what the music was intended to do means absolutely nothing outside of scientific and academic study. The rest is creating a sound people want to hear, or what they expect to hear. The music is then made interesting by either meeting those expectations or subverting them in an interesting way. Walla, that's how you start. The rest of it is just practice and taking time to learn it. Your entrance fee could be just having a piano or electronic one, and basic internet fees in finding a KZbin video just talking about basic chords. Jazz has a theory that you can look up too, but you'll realize it was all based on improvisation and experimentation on original chord theories.

[@dvill2141]

AshnSilvercorp WOW great respose

[@nimluikham11]

@@AshnSilvercorp Nice one. Appreciate the time you put in

[@nimluikham11]

@@AshnSilvercorp Thanks

[@gregorywillard4570]

Doctor Frankenstein chop up music so it back together

[@Heymisterbadguy]

Idk but that F13 looking kinda sus

[@phonglove6767]

Eb13 *sus*

[@tonylancer7367]

I thought this song was in A half sharp. 🤷‍♀️

[@leonwaves]

Are you meme-ing “half sharp” or are you referring to the sharpness of the original recording?

[@tonylancer7367]

@@leonwaves The latter. Like you, I love EWF but I was slightly confused when you mentioned that the song is in Bb or F or both. Did you pitch shift it?

[@leonwaves]

I did so that I could be in 440 without problems

[@tonylancer7367]

@@leonwaves That's okay. I thoroughly enjoyed the lesson. EWF is a real blessing, at least now I can play this song besides September.

[@h-Films]

sus

[@thedcbroker7264]

B flat

[@CanningPetto]

First

[@rico4939]

“E13sus, F13sus” the band is sus

[@silverthebunny-fox9558]

E flat 13 S U S

[@cryo7847]

SUS

[@pseudoCyan]

That e flat is sus...