Blog #4: Song Deconstruction

For this assignment I'll be comparing two versions of the song Suspended In Gaffa. Originally a Kate Bush song from 1982, it was covered by the indie rock band Ra Ra Riot in 2008.

Click here to hear the Kate version

Click here to hear the Ra Ra Riot version

(Click photos to view full-size)

Although both versions of Suspended In Gaffa  use the same lyrics, song structure, and general melody, they end up being pretty different songs as finished products. I think this is largely, first and foremost, because of the different instrumentation used in the songs: in Kate Bush’s original version, there is piano usage, whereas in Ra Ra Riot’s version there is no piano but a lot of violin and cello. However, both songs rely on the usage of drums and bass to drive the song and create the tempo. The varying qualities of Kate’s female voice and the lead singer of Ra Ra Riot’s male voice differentiate the songs, too.

The adding of loud, slow-paced cymbal beats in the chorus of Ra Ra Riot’s cover results in a very different feel to the chorus of the song—unlike in Kate’s version, this version’s chorus is more calm and mellow. The choruses set the songs apart from each other because their differences change the emotional architecture so much. In the original, the song drops and releases more built up tension. It is more fast-paced in the original, as well. But in Ra Ra Riot’s cover, the chorus remains relaxed, with a slower tempo, despite the release of the buildup formed in the bridge. Instead of relying on increased tempo in the drop, Ra Ra Riot’s cover relies mostly on more layers of instrumentation and depth for effect. Kate’s version of the song gets deeper in the chorus too, but she also adds a quicker tempo to intensify the emotional architecture of the song. This way when her chorus ends, there is a clearer recession into calmness.

The tempos of the songs, overall, are different. Although I classified both as moderato, I think Ra Ra Riot’s version has an obviously slower tempo, creating a different “groove.” I classified the original version of the song as “whimsical” and “flowing;” this feel was caused by the playful melody of the song contrasted with smooth harmony. I chose to describe Ra Ra Riot’s cover as “whimsical” and “mellow.” I think what made their version more mellow was the slowed tempo and deeper pitches used. The tempo and emotional architecture in the original also made me classify it as “emotionally intense,” but I did not get the same emotional intensity in the cover. For this reason, although I am a fan of both versions, I like Kate Bush’s version more.