Two word one family

Today I will analyze the song Two Worlds, One Family which was written as an opening theme for Tarzan, an animated movie from 1999. It was written by Phil Collins, a singer and a drummer (Collins, 1999, Track 1). This particular piece of music is carried over the entire film as a leitmotif which sets the basis for the entire story.

(Hussein, 2018)

(Eleonora, 2018)

The score and the video will be given below as a reference guide as to what I will be explaining. The analysis will be abstract and will have room for further investigation either by me or the readers.

I will be discussing three major functions in tonal harmony and revolve my ideas around it for the soundtrack (12tone, 2017).

(JackBauer137, 2015)

As we arrive at the opening of the film with the title we have this African-drumming aesthetic that sets the bases of arrival and which transition into the filmʼs first scene. We donʼt get any melodic tunes or any chords but just various percussion instruments that have various timbres giving a sense of discomfort or suspense.

(Collins, 1999, Page 4)

As it is true once we arrive at the first scene.

The first scene is with John and Alice Clayton, where John is lowering Alice to safety from the burning ship as she holds Tarzan (as a baby). This scene is particularly daring and we can see it in the musical notations. We are hit with a Bb5 in the key of F major, Bb is the fourth degree and it adds a “suspension” (Beato, 2018). However, a Bb5 is just a power chord that does not tell us much regarding the story. It reflects well, as we are in suspense as to what is happening during the scene, we are unsure of what the emotional-quality is off yet.

In the next bar, we have a Gb and a Bb (in the treble clef), a dyad. A Gb is a non-diatonic

note in the key of F major. This can clash with the F that is being played as a melody in the bass clef. The clash between the Gb and F from both the clefs can sound quite jarring and uneasy. The quality is a minor 2nd, a dissonance feeling and it is well portrayed in the scene too.

We can even see this during the C5 chord where a Db is present and if we checked the melody we can see as the G is being played a Db occurring cause a tritone. A very harsh sounding interval that is used for the opening scene, a scene of fear and trouble.

(Collins, 1999, Page 5)

And soon we arrive at the tonic five-chord: F5. The ‘homeʼ chord as Alice and John once re-unite after Johnʼs brave jump from the burning ship. We get a sense of stability with no non-diatonic tones clashing.

If we were to outline the chords in roman numerals we would have our IV — V — I (Bb — C — F). A very common chord progression in Pop, Classical and Jazz music.

Once again, these chord progressions are here to tell a story, sometimes the chord progressions are borrowed from other modal scales but if it gives us the sound for us to explain whatʼs happening in the story, then it satisfies our “why” questions.

As the lyrics start we hear a Bbsus2 chord, once again, a subdominant chord that takes us away from the tonic chord without pointing us back home. Bbsus2 has an ambiguity feeling to it, we donʼt really know what’s to come. And this is particularly true during the scene. We finally get our C; dominant chord and then F, the tonic.

This gets repeated once more until we finally hear a few unusual chords:

C(add4)/Bb — Bb(add2) — Ebsus2 — Dm

We can understand this with the help of a theoretical perspective such as the chords are being borrowed from the D Phrygian mode (Bb major) (Paul Erlich, personal communication, Jan 18th, 2020). However, thatʼs not what I want. If we were to boil all the common notes we would get this:

You can listen to this here: http://www.mediafire.com/file/k7rpzy80p9buxuo/Score.mp3/file

The note Bb is the main note being presented. It sounds like a modulation but not entirely as we eventually end on the relative minor of our main key, F major (D minor). To me modulation can mean many things, it can mean the start of a new beginning or an end. An introduction to a character or their departure. As modulation means change, a change should occur in the scene. We do see a change as Alice and John move towards the island, an emotional one thus ending on a minor chord.

(Collins, 1999, Page 6)

As we progress, we have a V to I movement, however, this time we end on the F majorʼs parallel key, F minor and start a new progression in the key. This is my favorite part and simply because the parallel key between the scenes of apes (animals) and humans is similar yet not so much.

We can consider this in a philosophical manner and it would totally make sense. Apes and humans are not so different and neither is F major and F minor, this parallel quality that is being shown by Phil Collins can resemble, and as I mentioned previously, the similarities and differences between the creatures. Hence the title of the song, ‘Two Worlds, One Familyʼ (Whitley, 2012, Page 127).

While the scene between Kerchak and Kala is being shown, we donʼt get a lot of chords being played. The bassline in the piano part is very regular in its harmonic quality. We revolve mainly between Eb and Fm, and this is the simplicity and beauty of animals.

(Collins, 1999, Page 7)

The part is repeated once but what is interesting and by far one of my favorite parts is the change of key to Eb Major. We have a simple chord progression, just a IV — V — I in the key however, the main takeaway from this is the key itself. I mentioned how modulation means change and this is what I mean, as change appears in the life of Alice and John we also see a change in key. A new key symbolizes a new beginning.

Ending the new key on a C5 feels unusual, a tonic five-chord does not give us much information but the ending from an Ab (Ab — C — Eb) to a Bb (Bb — D — F) and C5 (C — G — C) does have a sense of rising to it, it almost feels the story hasnʼt ended, there is more to it. And with the help of the clip, we do find that situation happening.

As the video progresses to show the ‘dangerʼ (from the lyrics) or Sabor there is chromaticism that is being played. The blend of percussion instruments and chromaticism gives the feeling of suspense and horror if performed and composed correctly. I enjoy such elements of sound that give a certain emotion or characteristics to the scene. Even if it is for a brief moment.

(Collins, 1999, Page

As we progress towards the end of the song or the video things get more interesting. We are still in the of Eb, however, if you were to check the bassline on page 8 we see it going from Eb — F — G — Ab — Bb, we are simply going up diatonically in the scale of Eb Major. We have chords towards the end that are centered around the note F such as Fm7, Eb/G Fm/C, Fsus. It shows how the piece is being directed back to the original key which is F major and we eventually do; the bassline portrays F — G — C — F, i — ii — V — i if we were to analyze this in the key of F major.

As the lyrics that are being sung “A dream is gone, but thereʼs still hope…” we then arrive in the key of F major and this time the major key is portraying the Apes as opposed to F minor. This makes me happy because we finally have two words joining in and becoming one.

(Collins, 1999, Page 9)

All the chords are the same up until Dm from the first verse. But, the main chords are C and D after the Dm chord is played. Those chords move in step-wise motion ending on a D5 chord. Even though we are in the key of F major and if we were to follow the diatonic progression or notes we would end on a Dm, we, however, end on a D5. We donʼt get the emotional quality of the chord. This gives room for ambiguity, while this is not always true many heavy metal, and rock guitarists use power chords to end their songs on which gives us a sense of cadence or the feeling of “home” (Signals Music Studio, 2019). We could apply the same logic here. We could even go on by saying that Kala has reached “home” — but not her own but that of Tarzanʼs; a different home, or in theoretical sense, a different tonic-like function: D (in the key of F major).

I have finally come to an end on my analysis of this wonderful song. I will definitely be doing more of this in the future if given the time and resources. I hope you enjoyed reading this and if there are any new revelations you might have found about this song do send me a message and Iʼll be happy to correct any errors or mistakes that I might have made or add any suggestions.

REFERENCES:

12tone. (2017, March 27th). Building Blocks: Functional Harmony [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eurOGIiArHI

Beato, R. (2018, Sep 20th). Why YOU Love SUS Chords [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmpDxDzKhCE

Collins, P. (1999). Disney’s Tarzan. United States: Hal Leonard

Collins, P. (1999). Two Worlds [Recorded By Collins, P). On Tarzan (1999 Soundtrack) [MP3 File]. United States: Walt Disney

Eleonora. (2018). Tarzan: La locandina del cartone [Image]. Retrieved from http://passionislife.altervista.org/tarzan-soundtrack-phil-collins/?doing_wp_cron=1579964723.5121700763702392578125

Hussein, S. (2018). Phil Collins performs at Barclaycard British Summertime at Hyde Park on June 30, 2017 in London, England [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8470399/phil-collins-genesis-reunion-son-drums

JackBauer137. (2015, Jan 13th). Tarzan — Two Worlds One Family [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFL0REtkocY

Signals Music Studio. (2019, April 11th). The Music Theory of POWER CHORDS [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbhF2wnnT7M

Whitley, D. (2012). The Idea of Nature in Disney Animation: From Snow White to WALL-E. London, United Kingdom: Routledge (https://bit.ly/30TRO9z)

APPENDIX:

12tone. (2016, Feb 19th). Striking A Chord: Power Chords, Sus Chords, And Added Notes [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XQMWG3aShY

12tone. (2017, April 24th). Building Blocks: The Job Of A Chord [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot_lbUcb-uE

12tone. (2018, Nov 30th). How To Analyze Songs [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP6WrG_Nq9E

New, M. (2015, March 30th). How Suspended Chords Work, And Some Cool Things You Can Do With Them [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQsxM5LPrwc

Sideways. (2019, July 31st). The Problem With Tarzan [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMJ8FyQiM4Y

Signals Music Studio. (2019, Oct 11th). Sus Chords Pt 2: Advanced Chord Concepts and Suspended Variations [CHORDS + MUSIC THEORY] [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnD6rF1gqpQ

Signals Music Studio. (2019, Sep 23rd). Suspended Chords: The Basics + How To Write with Sus2 and Sus4 (Part 1 of 2) [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu49nYaBfdM