I Walk The Line-Verses

[KDepew]

Enjoy some Johnny Cash "I Walk the Line" verses! A great musician!

[The Bard Rocks]

To make it musically interesting, he changes keys 5 times in that song. Remember how he hums before singing - that gets the new key into his head first.

[KDepew]

Bard Rocks- yes, I love that little detail!

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

To make it musically interesting, he changes keys 5 times in that song...

What is musically interesting?

The key changes are not necessary for campfire songs.
Average audience would not know or care.

[MissouriPicker]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

To make it musically interesting, he changes keys 5 times in that song. Remember how he hums before singing - that's gets the new key into his head first.

You are 100% correct!

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

What is musically interesting?

The key changes are not necessary for campfire songs.
Average audience would not know or care.

True, not strictly necessary. But it is a VERY simple song and obviously recorded for commercial reasons. If you are going to do that, you want something the best you can make it. Changing the keys adds subtle interest. Most people do not listen critically enough to observe this, but that does not mean they do not sense it at some (lower) level.

Here's an experiment if you know "Gentle on My Mind". Much of that melody resides on repeated notes, yet the chords change underneath them. Play it without those changes, they are not absolutely necessary, and see how it sounds. Then play the chords as written and see how much more interesting it sounds.

There are many ways you can add interest to a song: rhythm, unusual chords, a key change, major/minor mode changes, play it way higher or lower on the fretboard, change or add harmonies, bass runs, obligato, incorporate unusual instruments, tempo changes.... it's a long list.

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

True, not strictly necessary. But it is a VERY simple song and obviously recorded for commercial reasons. If you are going to do that, you want something the best you can make it. Changing the keys adds subtle interest. Most people do not listen critically enough to observe this, but that does not mean they do not sense it at some (lower) level.

A very cool answer.
Thanks!