Best pop song that isn't in 4/4

[jpgray]

I nominate Shikaku Maru Ten by Can.

[Beware the Beast Man]

1. "Money" by Pink Floyd- in 7/8 time.

[billyskank]

11. I would say alternating bars of 4/4 and 3/4

the reason I say that is because it is a little too slow for 'over 8' time. If you get my meaning.

[kmla]

2. Norwegian Wood - The Beatles

Because it's the only one I know. (at least I think it's not in 4/4)

[billyskank]

12. You're right

it's a fast waltz.

[Coventina]

3. "Mexico" by Cake n/t

[XNASA]

4. 'California Girls' is in 6/8

'The Pyramid Song' song by Radiohead is in some undefined time signature that nobody, even the band, has any clue as to what time signature it's in. Very cool song.

[swimboy]

5. Time of the Season

the Zombies

[Jade Fox]

6. Any number of songs written by Burt Bacharach..

I'll go with "Walk On By" by Dionne Warwick

[billyskank]

9. Walk On By is in four

[hholli11]

7. "Forever Young" by Alphaville. nt

[DS1]

8. How the hell would one know?

[billyskank]

10. Well, it's difficult to tell the difference between 4 and 2, for sure

but it's obvious when something is in triple time, or compound duple (6/8) for that matter. Only a few popular songs are in other time signatures, and it is always obvious because they have rhythms that are difficult to dance to. ;)

[Squeech]

13. I say

"Living in the Past" by Jethro Tull, in 5/4, is the best pop song that isn't in duple or triple meter. The definition of "pop" I'm using here is "widely known and enjoyed, even outside the prog rock community." Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" is probably a close second.

Where does that Can song come from? I thought I had all their albums. (Of course "One More Night," off Ege Bamyasi, is in 7.)

Do you know the single Egg released, called "Seven Is a Jolly Good Time," all about the joys of trying to play in odd time signatures?

[jpgray]

16. It's off Radio Waves--was the B-side to I think "Spoon" off Ege Bamyashi

Non-album Damo track--great stuff. Both that and the slightly crap but hilarious "Turtles Have Short Legs" are worth tracking down.

[kay1864]

14. "Mother" from The Wall album (Pink Floyd)

It's in 3/4 for the most part.

[no name no slogan]

15. "Take 5" by the Dave Clark Five comes to mind

it's in 5/4 and has a nice little groove going on.

[johnnie]

17. Manic Depression

Jimi Hendrix

[RandomKoolzip]

18. A few come to mind:

THe Grateful Dead wrote lotsa songs in compound times. Bob Weir almost had a kind of fetish for 7/4, and one his best songs ("Estimated Prophet") is a reggae performed in 14/8). Their 1969 song "The Eleven" was written in 11/8, and has a wonderful nursery rhymish melody and whimsical lyrics, but is performed like a fiery psychedelic march.

But of course, it's the Dead, so you wouldn't care. :eyes:

Also, one of my favorite bands of the 90's, Lotion, was an incredible power-pop unit who wrote most of their tunes in odd times, but they made it sound as natural as breathing. "The New Timmy," for instance, is in 5/4, but is played like a straight-ahead power pop explosion. Worth checking out, if you've never heard them before.

And isn't "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers in 3/4?