The Most COMPLEX Pop Song of All Time

YouTube ^ | June 23, 2021 | Rick Beato

[Yardstick]

In this video, Rick Beato analyzes the song "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Sergio Mendez, pointing out the twists and turns of its super complicated chord progression. The song was released in 1983 and he's using it to illustrate the loss of complexity in modern pop songs, a theme he's been working for the past few months.

[TBP]

I believe Sergio Mendes is still with us.

[Robert DeLong]

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Fool On The Hill

[Fiji Hill]

The perfect country-western song--it covers drinking, mother, prison, pickup trucks and trains!

You Never Even Called Me By My Name--David Allan Coe (1975)

[wardaddy]

That Cowsills long song was quite a work too...
The rain the park and other things

We’re talking real pop...
Not just top 40

[left that other site]

The only trains near me are the MBTA Commuter rail. LOL.

And it does rain a lot around here...I wish i could share some of it with our Texas FReepers. :-)

[left that other site]

Oh my...that’s quite a checklist! :-)

[chajin]

Listened to a pop song yesterday. The singer repeated a four-word refrain for two solid minutes. Four words!!!!!
Around The World - Daft Punk 3 words

Don't forget that Ultimate Jazz Classic...32 minutes, three words

A Love Supreme

[SaveFerris]

Brazil 77!

[CrimsonTidegirl]

I was in fifth grade when this song was released. Every time I hear it, I remember when my cousin and I were in her parents’ car singing this song with gusto.

My Uncle wasn’t crazy about kids our age singing those lyrics. It was a good thing that he didn’t know the lyrics of the Prince songs we listened to, lol.

[odawg]

“Don’t forget that Ultimate Jazz Classic...32 minutes, three words”

I listened to it for eleven minutes. I have never been able to understand jazz.

[Yardstick]

Yeah, isn’t he good? I bought his book and have learned tons from him. This video had me laughing when he told the story of botching this song in front of those kids. I can definitely see how that could happen ... it is deceptively complex. Another one I consider a sleeper in the complexity department is ABBA’s “The Day Before You Came”... but the Mendes song has it beat.

[Stosh]

“Listened to a pop song yesterday. The singer repeated a four-word refrain for two solid minutes. Four words!!!!!

Around The World - Daft Punk

3 words”
___________________________

“Hallelujah” by The Digital Age: 1 word

[left that other site]

Yes...I love his stories. Having been in the business for a half-century, i can relate! :-)

We should start a “Gigs From Hell” Thread.

[WhoisAlanGreenspan?]

Good post! Listened to "Together", it is complex. Not so sure of the complexity of chords played by the entire ensemble, but a good example of how key changes don't need to be limited to just one or two.

Once upon a time I recorded multitrack vocals of only me doing barber shop (9th, 11th, and 13th chord) harmony's like the Anderson sisters just for the humor of it.

[WhoisAlanGreenspan?]

When I was 17 years old I joined a cross town band named The Big Band of Al Kimble, it was like Warren or Sterling Heights or something far from the western suburbs I lived in. All the other guys were like 40 or more. Some of the songs as the only guitar player were a daunting 1/16 note chord changes and some times faster with really complex chords. A good number of times I found myself lost and out of time.

Although that was embarrassing, the older guys just gave me a dirty look, nobody laughed. I was terrified of Chicago songs where they all stared at me to play the guitar solo anywhere close to sounding right. But I learned. And had fun. Boy, that was a while back.

[Army Air Corps]

Agreed. The rest of the album isn’t a slouch, either.

[Army Air Corps]

Have you ever listened to Yellow Magic Orchestra?

[Army Air Corps]

It was a good thing that he didn’t know the lyrics of the Prince songs we listened to, lol.

He really would have lost it. :)

[CrimsonTidegirl]

Definitely:)

[mylife]

yes