GCSE MusicAOS2 Popular Music In ContextClub Dance MusicMobyWhy Does My Heart Feel So Bad?

Song Structure

SectionBar NumbersIntro1-8Verse 19-40Chorus41-48Verse 257-72Break73Chorus74-97Outro98-105

Intro SectionTonic key of A minor is established.Time signature is 4 crotchets beats in a bar.Tempo is 98bpm (beats per minute).Song begins with the chord sequence 1 shown below.Piano establishes chord sequence 1 (see next slide).

Chord Sequence 1

Bar 1Bar 2Bar 3Bar 4Bar 5Bar 6Bar 7Bar 8AmAmEmEmGGDD

Intro SectionPiano establishes chord sequence 1, see example below.

Verse 1Verse 1 consists of four repeats of chord sequence one that was previously heard in the Intro section. As a result verse 1 can be split into the following sections:

Chord Sequence 1

Bar 1Bar 2Bar 3Bar 4Bar 5Bar 6Bar 7Bar 8AmAmEmEmGGDD

Section of SongSub-sectionBar NumbersVerse 1Bars 9-40Sub-Section 19-16Sub-Section 217-24Sub-Section 325-32Sub-section 433-40

Verse 1: Sub-Section 1Sub-section 1 follows chord sequence 1.First vocal sample is introduced and simple piano accompaniment from the Intro continues.

Vocal sample is very untidy as you can hear echo's & traffic noises in the back ground.

Verse 1: Sub-Section 2Sub-section 2 follows chord sequence 1. Vocal sample & piano accompaniment continue.

Drum/percussion loop is introduced playing a hip-hop style rhythm.

You can also hear a sustained synthesiser pad playing bass notes with the left hand of the piano.

There is a similar synthesiser pad which is also doubled by the right hand high notes of the piano playing the response section in the call & response texture with the vocal sample. (See next slide).

Verse 1: Sub-Section 2Call & Response between vocal sample, string synthesiser & right hand of piano.

Verse 1: Sub-Section 3Sub-section 3 follows chord sequence 1. Vocal sample, piano accompaniment continue & call & response idea continues.

A synthesiser bass part & string synthesiser part is added to fill out the texture with long sustained chords in the mid to high pitch range.

Verse 1: Sub-Section 4Sub-section 4 follows chord sequence 1. Vocal sample, call & response idea, synthesiser bass part & string synthesiser continue.

The piano accompaniment continues but playing a different syncopated rhythm & decorating the chord sequence through the use of suspension chords in particular sus2 & sus4 chords.

Verse 1: Sub-Section 4

Chorus 1Chorus 1 is split into two different sections as can be seen in the table below:

Chorus sub-section 1 uses chord sequence 2.

Chorus sub-section 2 uses chord sequence 3.

Section of SongSub-sectionBar NumbersChorus 1Bars 41-56Sub-Section 141-48Sub-Section 249-56

Bar 1Bar 2Bar 3Bar 4Bar 5Bar 6Bar 7Bar 8CCAmAmCCAmAm

Bar 1Bar 2Bar 3Bar 4Bar 5Bar 6Bar 7Bar 8FFCCFFCC

Chorus 1: Sub-section 1Chord sequence changes to chord sequence 2, with a dramatic lifting effect on the mood.

Key is now ambiguous it could be either A minor like verse 1 or C major as both of these chords are used in the chord sequence. Second vocal sample is used on the lyrics These open doors .

Chorus 1: Sub-section 1Texture is similar to sub-section 4 of verse 1.

The answering phrases between the synthesiser & piano have been replaced with more subtle phrases in the right hand of the piano part.

The synthesiser string part is now more a part of the background, becoming more prominent towards the end of the chorus.

Chorus 1: Sub-section 2Chorus 1: sub-section 2 uses chord sequence 3.

The music is now clearly in C major, this is confirmed by chord sequence 3 as all the chord in the sequence belong to C major.

The texture remains the same as in in sub-section 1. The main difference is that the sample is retriggered faster than in sub-section 1. As a result the sample answers itself in the call & response pattern.

Echos & shouts are added.

Verse 2Verse 2 is split into two different sections as can be seen in the table below:

Verse 2 returns to chord sequence one & as a result the key changes back to A minor.

Section of SongSub-sectionBar NumbersVerse 2Bars 57-72Sub-Section 157-64Sub-Section 265-72

Verse 2: Sub-sections 1 & 2Sub-section 1Verse 2 sub-section 1 is very similar to verse 1 sub-section 4.

The vocal sample has the following an echo effect added & a telephone voice EQ is applied to the echo which makes it sound much thinner.

The echo effect is delayed & there are a number of repeats of the echo which gradually fade away.

Sub-section 2Sub-section 2 is an exact repeat of sub-section 1.

BreakThe break section consists of a single bar where all the instruments have dropped out.

Dying repeats of the delay effect on the Eqed vocal echo.A quiet delay repeat of the snare drum which was playing in the drum loop of verse 2.Tailing off of the reverb that has been applied to the other parts.

Section of SongBreakBar 73

Chorus 2Chorus 2 is split into two different sections as can be seen in the table below, however the second section of this chorus repeats.

Section of SongSub-sectionBar NumbersChorus 1Bars 41-56Sub-Section 174-81Sub-Section 282-89Sub-section 290-97

Chorus 2: Sub-section 1Sub-section 1 uses chord sequence 2 as in chorus 1.

Vocal sample 2 from chorus 1 is used. Reverb & delay has been added to it to make it sound distant.

The reverb & delay also blend it in with the lush string pad part which is playing the static chords.

Drums enter at bar 81 leading into sub-section 2.

Chorus 2: Sub-section 2Bars 82-89Similar to sub-section 2 of chorus 1, uses chord sequence 3 as in chorus 1. Reverb on the vocal sample 2 has been dramatically reduced from sub-section 1. It now sound clearer & more prominent even though it is no louder than it was in sub-section 1.

Bars 90-97This repeat of sub-section 2 is unexpected as we are anticipating an immediate return to the verse. Repeating or extending the chorus at the end of a song is a common song writing trick which signify's that the song is coming to the end.

OutroThe outro is the final section of the song & uses chord sequence 1.

Texture reduces to just vocal sample 1 accompanied by synth pad playing the chord sequence using static chords.

Section of SongOutroBars 98-105

Important PointsSampling Moby left in the background noise on the vocal samples as he felt that this enhanced the emotional content of the song as well as the emotional reaction of the listener.

Musical EffectsIn electronic music using effects is an important development tool. Moby uses a number of subtle techniques including reverb, delay, & equalisation (EQ). He also pays particular attention to the placement of sound within the stereo field, this means where they have been placed within the left-hand & right-hand speakers.

Important PointsHarmoniesHarmonies in dance music are usually very simple. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad only consists of 6 chords. These chords were selected because of the emotional response they would provoke from the listener rather a musical theory. As a result we have a unique combination of chords being used.

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