You Can Get It If You Really Want

You Can Get It If You Really Want

1. Background Info

   • Written by Jimmy Cliff
   • Performed by Desmond Decker and the Aces (1970)
     • Hit in America
     • number 2 in the UK
   • Rocksteady
     • Sub-genre of reggae
     • Similar to Ska
     • Took the world by storm in 1970
   • About fighting for peace and justice
   • Influenced by: Cuban/Mexican trumpet lines, Ska and "doo-wop" music

2. Instruments

   • Lead Vocals (Desmond Dekker)
     • Highly repetitive
     • Falsetto in verses 1 and 2, end of instrumental and the closing fade out
   • Female Backing Vocals
     • Singing in unison, above melody in close harmony
   • Bass Guitar
     • Repetitive anchored to the first beat of the bar
     • Predominately on the root of the chord
   • 2 Trumpets
     • Played in unison then thirds
     • Repeated Motif
   • Baritone and Tenor Saxophones "the Horns"
     • Brass Tutti
       • Play a simple line, then added parallel harmonies with the trumpets
       • Adds colour and weight to the piece
   • Organ
     • Comping
   • Second Guitar
     • Comping chords
   • Drum Kit
     • Side-Stick
     • Triplet fills at end of phrases
     • Backbeat
   • Tambourine
     • semiquavers for excitement

3. Texture

   • Starts with trumpets playing in unison then in thirds
   • Voices are homorhythmic during choruses
     • Rhythmic unison
   • homophonic textures in the rhythm section
     • Supports vocal line
   • Instrumental section starts in unison, then harmonises
     • rhythmic unison
   • accompaniment drops out at the end of choruses
     • Stop Time
       • Allows positive nature of the lyrics to come over

4. Structure

   • Intro
     • Chorus 1
       • Verse 1
         • Chorus 2
           • Verse 2
             • Chorus 3
               • Instrumental
                 • Chorus 4
                   • Coda/Fade
                     • 54-end
                   • 44-53
                 • 36-43
               • 26-36
             • 14-25
           • 26-14
         • 14-25
       • 4-14
     • 1-4
   • Verse Chorus

5. Tonality

   • D flat major
     • no modulations

6. Harmony

   • Based around primary chords
   • Intro has semitone steps ( C-Db)
     • Sliding Barre chords
   • Chorus uses a I-IV alternation
     • Finishes with V,IV,V7
   • Verse introduces chromatic chords
     • adds variety
   • Instrumental uses unrelated chords
     • Descending whole tone scale

7. Melody

   • Main "hook" uses F, Eb and Db with a major third variation
   • Second half of the chorus adds Bb and Ab
     • Pentatonic Scale
   • Verse uses the leading not (C) but is mostly similar to the chorus
     • End of verse uses high falsetto
   • 2 Bar phrases
     • Except second half of the chorus
       • "But you must try.."
         • One bar phrases
     • Begin on the second beat of the bar
     • Word setting mostly syllabic
       • Short melismas
         • "try" bar 12

8. Rhythm and Metre

   • 4/4
     • Backbeats on 2 and 4
   • Medium slow tempo
     • Typical of Rocksteady
   • Bass is on the first beat of the bar
   • Syncopated accompaniment and melody
   • Excitement is created by the semiquaver tambourine and muted guitar
   • Steady quaver rhythms are threatened by the triplet crotchets at the word "try and "struggle"
     • Emphasize the message of the piece