Sonic Sorcery: "1000 Times" by Sara Bareilles

Sara Bareilles has a way of writing highly emotional, painfully beautiful lyrics, and the musical wizardry is stunning, deep, and like walking on a constantly shifting surface.

Songs like "She Used to Be Mine" and "Gravity" and "Still Crying " can just break your heart, and her covers (like "Chandelier" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him") are nothing short of epic.

Today, let's look at her song "1000 Times".

It was never released as a single, but is certainly a fan favorite in concert. "1000 Times" is from the album "The Blessed Unrest", which was positively received by critics and fans alike, debuted at #2 on the Billboard album charts (her fourth consecutive top 10 album), saw the lead single, "Brave", receive a Grammy nomination, and was certified Gold.

Let's get into it!
First, the chart:

"1000 Times" Sara Bareilles (2013)

verse
D - - - /A - - - /Em - - - /Em - - - /
D - - - /A - - - /Em - - - /Em - - - /

D - - - /A - - - /Em - - - /G - - - /

pre

A - - - /Em - - - /A - - - /Em - G - /

chorus 1

D - - - /A - - - /Em - - - /G - - - /

D - - - /A - - - /Em - - - /G - - - /

D - - - /C - - - /

(repeat for verse 2 and pre)

chorus 2

D - - - /A - - - /Em - - - /G - - - /

D - - - /A - - - /Em - - - /G - - - /

bridge

F - - - /G - - - /Am - - - /C - - - /

F - - - /G - - - /

chorus 3

A - - - /E - - - /Bm - - - /Dm - - - /

A - - - /E - - - /Bm - - - /Dm - - - /

A - - - /E - - - /Bm - - - /Dm - - - /

A - - - /E - - - /Bm - - - /Dm - - - /

Lyrics

Much has already be written about her lyrics, so I'll be brief (and hopefully succinct).

Calling it "the friend zone song" (as I've heard) seems to belittle the emotional impact, but let's face it: Unrequited love is a painful theme in song and literature. More than a few movies have touched this nerve.

Her subtle use of literary devices like alliteration (think "...my teeth and tongue...") and repetition (the chorus line "...I don' mind it, I don't mind it...") and hyperbole (such as "...I would die to make you mine...") are not just interesting, but serve to drive home the obsession the narrator has with her love interest.

But of equal interest is how she physically maps out their closeness (she counts the steps, and kisses goodnight) while lamenting the emotional distance....all the while keeping it a secret and bearing it alone - THIS is where the pain truly lies.

Back of the room
Looking at you
Counting the steps
Between us

A hundred and five
Little blades in a line
From your skin to mine
And I feel it

Eyes on the ground
But I can't look up now
Don't wanna give it away
My secret

In another life, my teeth and tongue
Would speak aloud what until now I've only sung

Melody

The two note theme of the first line moves with the chord progression throughout the verses, then a series of descending notes for the pre-chorus, then returns to "tracking the chords" with the melody in the chorus, which includes beautiful (hopeful) leaps of beyond a 5th (8 semitones one the first line, 9 on the second).

The backing rhythm and the melody become very staccato and percussive in the bridge, then explode into the final chorus with renewed passion and resignation.

Chords

The chords in the above chart are the fundamental chords, but they are dressed up with all manner of embellishments (sus2 on the D, sus4 on the A, add9 on the Em, etc) that fit wonderfully with the melody.

Chord Progression

1-5-2-2 (I-V-ii-ii) of the verse leads to 1-5-2-4 (I-V-ii-IV) of the chorus, but the real trick is what happens in the chorus after the key change (see below). Also worthy of note is the key change going into the bridge where progression is a simple 4-5-6-1 (IV-V-iv-I).

Of note: That tag line after the first chorus where she does the following: D - - - /C - - - /....what's that all about? 

Well, one might point out that its a "borrowed chord", but the more important point is that it anticipates a change later in the song, priming your ears for the shift found in the final chorus where she alters the 4 chord to a minor 4 chord (see below). A bit of harmonic foreshadowing for you!

Key Changes

The song starts in the key of D, modulates to the key of C for the bridge (wonderfully unusual to move down a whole step, but very effective nonetheless), and then returns to the original key for the final chorus - right?

NO!

I was fooled by this trickery the first time, assuming it returned to the original key, but it does not. TWO important things happen in the final chorus: 1) she moves not back to the key of D, but instead, from the key of C down a 3 semitones to the key of A, and 2) changes the progression from 1-5-2-4 (I-V-ii-IV) to replace the 4 chord (a major) with the minor 4 chord (a tried and true secondary resolution back to the tonic found far more often in jazz than pop, except for sufficiently sophisticated pop compositions), yielding a I-V-ii-iv.

This move to the key of A allows her to alter the melody, pushing the intervals tighter but higher, making the tension and longing even more urgent. 

And it certainly doesn't hurt that, technically speaking, its an absolutely stunning vocal performance.

Songwriter query: Why the key of A? Well, there are several ways to view this shift. One could mention that C (the key of the bridge) is also the key of Am, so the pivot off the A note from A minor to A major is a wonderfully witty move. One might also view it as an increase in the distance from the bridge change (2 semitones to 3), which also has interesting implications.

As always, we can look deeper into all of these ideas at workshops, in private lessons, and even at the Patreon page.

For now, ponder these ideas....and see how you can use them in your compositions.

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