Lydian Beatles!
Another musical device that McCartney and The Beatles draws upon in his compositions is the concept of modality. Modality or modalism involves music that is based on a scale formed from a different set of intervals (the distances between notes) on a normal Western major scale.
You know the so-called “do-re-mi” scale popularised by Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music? The whole song is based on the major scale
What is the Lydian Mode?
In modal music, the some of the tones of the major scale are altered to create a different effect. In the Lydian mode, the fourth degree of the scale is sharpened.
So a normal C major scale has the notes CDEFGABC
C Lydian has the notes CDEF#GABC
The Lydian mode is especially embraced by film music composers, because it has become associated with an aura of other-wordliness and in particular has strong associations with Sci-Fi, futuristic films, or simiply other-worldliness in general.
You can see that this theme is in C major with F#s thrown in, and you have all heard it before:
Did The Beatles Use Lydian?
There are a few instances of The Beatles using the Lydian mode in their songs.
Have you every thought that the bridge section in the John Lennon composition Julia sounds slightly unusual?
The is because it uses the Lydian mode on the words “shimmering” and “glimmering”, then on “in the sun”. In fact the chord of C# minor at the start of the section is also borrowed from the Lydian mode. It gives Lennon’s mother, Julia, an aura of divine mystery:
Blue Jay Way and the Hungarian Minor Scale
A slight detour from the Lydian scale gives us the Hungarian Minor scale, which has both a minor third and a raised fourth. There is no mistaking its highly unusual effect in the George Harrison composition from the 1967 album Magical Mystery Tour. Harrison does land on the major third on the word “way” to confuse us all even more.
Because (1969)
Have you ever thought that the song Because (1970) ends in funny way? There are certainly hints of the Lydian mode in the last few bars.
Most of Because is in the key of C# minor, but with lots of surprise features thrown into the mix, such as secondary dominant chords.
At the end each verse and at the very end of the song, there is a modulation to the key of D major by means of the chord of A7. This chord of D major is then transformed to D diminished7, which involves the notes D F Ab (G#) Cbb. The use of a tonic diminished chord suggests Lydian mode because it contains a flat five or sharp fourth.
Putting the theory to one side, can you hear the mysterious Lydian mode in the final chord of Because?
In the next few weeks I will explore further examples of The Beatles’ use of the Lydian mode and begin to explore the Lydian in McCartney’s solo career.
To get you started, can you hear the Lydian mode here?
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