Back In 5.

I can’t quite remember when I first became aware of the odd musical time signature 5/4 . Probably when I was a precocious young recorder player and was given the opportunity to learn the flute. Free musical education ! It really did happen in those halcyon days of the late sixties.

5/4 time is simply five beats to the bar instead of the more common four. Most people would only be aware of the difference when dancing. You’re shuffling along arms and legs akimbo when you suddenly find yourself out of rhythm with the tune and you have to make an ungraceful hop, skip and a jump like Gene Kelly with tourettes, to get back on the beat.

One of the first tunes to come to my attention was ‘Take 5‘ by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, written by saxophonist Paul Desmond in 1959. It’s easy to be mesmerised by the silky smooth syrupy tone of Desmond before realising what is going on behind him. By the time Joe Morello’s drum solo comes along your clicking your fingers and yelling out “Hey Daddy-O !”

Mission: Impossible came to our screens in the late sixties with it’s iconic theme tune written by Lalo Schifrin. I couldn’t enter a room unless my back was against the door frame, arms outstretched and hands clasped with index finger cocked. Unlike Tom Cruise, I could reach the door handle.
The lads from U2 did a pathetic cover version in 4/4 or common time. I guess 5 was a bit of a stretch for Larry Mullen Jr. !

Another TV show of the late sixties was ‘Take Three Girls’ with the folksy theme tune Light Flight by the excellent Pentangle.

Rock could also Roll in five with Jethro Tull‘s ‘Living In The Past.‘ Add a flute solo and I was in seventh heaven (or should that be fifth ?)

A song I missed out on when it was first released was the hauntingly beautiful ‘River Man’ by singer/songwriter Nick Drake. It would take another forty years before I unearthed this gem from such a troubled soul. John Martyn wrote the song ‘Solid Air’ about Drake.

Let’s not forget the classics with Gustav Holst‘s ‘Mars: Bringing Of War.’ Where do you think John Williams got his inspiration for all those Star Wars themes ? I remember one of the music teachers in an annex away from the main building cranking this up for us to ‘appreciate’. Stirring stuff !

So gimme five ! Just don’t try and dance along.