Song #328 of 9999
Title: Please Leave a Light On When You Go
Artist: Frank & Jeff
Year: 2013
Album: Beck's Song Reader, Songs 1-10
My favorite of the twenty songs in Song Reader, Beck's somber ballad is so good we felt no need to dress it up. Purposely spare with just a vocal and electric piano, Beck's lyrics shine against a simple waltz-like progression.
While this was not a particularly difficult song to learn, there is one measure that confounds many who perform it. At the moment of the hook, where we actually hear the phrase "please leave a light on when you go," Beck interrupts the 3/4 meter to insert a 5/4 bar, upon which he sets the first six words to quarter note triplets and the penultimate as a single quarter note. This is incredibly confusing first sight and I have noticed that nearly everyone who has covered the song just ignores the rhythmic direction. (Not us!) It's a very interesting and quite unexpected moment.
Originally, we slated this song to be song by Jeff and personally I still want a copy of that version. But ultimately Jeff decided he wanted me to sing it. So I'm kind of riding solo on this one. Jeff will be back tomorrow with my absolute favorite of his vocal tracks. Enjoy!
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