You can always tell a love song. Even if a song is sung in a language foreign to you, the sound of romance and love is universal—everyone knows what it’s about.
That’s why, when Valentine’s Day rolls around, local venues and musicians know to spice up their lineup or set with some music that tugs at listeners’ heartstrings, or gets them in the mood. I’m not just talking about “Till There Was You,” or Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”—which is about one particular kind of love—but the enormous backlog of passion penned by generations of singers.
And the emphasis there is on singers. This goes back to ancient times, of course, but a great example comes from the Middle Ages, that of the troubadours. They were learned poets and singers who spent much of their lyrical efforts on songs that characterized chivalry and courtly love.
The point is, if you want to get a romantic message across in music, you’re going to need a singer.
The Chumash Casino Resort certainly knows this, that’s why they asked one of the greatest living singers of romantic music, Johnny Mathis, to perform there on Feb. 9. Mathis is beloved for his clear voice, which he employs with sensuous care.
But romance isn’ conveyed in just how a singer like Mathis sings, but what notes he’s singing. Mathis is well versed in several genres, but he started off in the world of jazz, and jazz speaks the language of love fluently.
Take one of the most famous standards Mathis is known for, “Misty” by Erroll Garner, which begins with the lyrics, “Look at me, I’m as helpless as a kitten up a tree.” The note hit on the third word—“Look at me”—lands on the seventh note of the major scale. Unremarkable, you might ask? Hardly! The note is held over the tonic chord, transforming it into a major seventh chord.
The major seventh chord is a beautiful, seductive collection of four notes, one that George Harrison of The Beatles knew full well when writing “Something,” arguably one of the greatest love songs ever written. Harrison uses the same trick in the sixth note of the song: “Something in the way she moves,” landing on the major seventh note.
Dancers can sway to some silky songs—whether classic jazz or rock ’n’ roll—with the Riptide Big Band on Feb. 12, thanks to the Santa Maria Mussell Senior Club and the city’s Recreation and Parks Department. The group is well known for its swinging sound, as well as the talented singers—Bob Nations and Holly Williams—who perform with the group.
I would bet a hundred candy hearts that you will hear some major seventh chords at the Riptide Big Band’s performance, along with some emotionally stirring vocals. Jazz standards, rock ’n’ roll, and contemporary pop have plenty to offer in passionate love songs, and the group plays it all.
The show at the Elwin Mussell Senior Center also has plenty of room for dancing, another popular love song subject and pastime. But whether you make it out to that show, or Mathis’ show at the Chumash, make sure you bring a partner not just for dancing, but for sharing in the magic found in the romantic melodies.
Managing Editor Joe Payne has a very special lady he sings to. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 9-16, 2017.
