Sia - 'Alive'

[thierryrreiht 19,967]

eh kinda done with Sia. Loved her back in ze day. Shes talated no doubt, just annoys me a little. Seeya Sia 

Same

"some people have real problems" and "we are born" really had a lot of qualities, both on lyrics, instrumentals, and melodies. Disappointed with her songwriting in this one. So many basic lyrics and SO MANY repetitions?! Like, ok, we know you're breathing and you're alive. There are 7.5 billion people doing the exact same thing right now. ugh.

[Spanish Eyes 1,882]

Let someone with a degree in Music educate you ladies about the goddess Sia. In no way has she gotten lazy as a songwriter. She's managed to incorporate art (through true compositional craftsmanship) into a pop landscape. I do not think it's her best song, but this is fantastic work, and you best appreciate what Queen Sia is bringing to the table.

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First of all, we have to be aware of the genre. This was meant to be pop, and repetition (a fundamental feature of all music) is going to happen in the chorus. Thankfully, she changed the articulation of "alive" in the chorus enough so that it offered some variation at least. 

 

But here's the best part: her chord progressions, which tell us much about the overall key of the piece. There are three different progressions in the song (that I've mapped out thus far).

The verse / intro follows this pattern: F sharp minor, C sharp minor, D major.

Except for the "but I survived" line, in which we hear a C sharp MAJOR chord (which is the dominant of F sharp minor. Therefore, she is not only employing a perfect authentic cadence, she's also messing with the key of the song, giving us a switch between the harmonic and the natural forms of F sharp minor.)

"I'm still breathing" : F sharp minor, A Major, D major (2nd inversion), B MAJOR (another example of chromaticism).

"I'm alive" : F sharp minor, E major, A major, D major.

One more thing. In the chorus, when she sings "alive" the first two times, the exact note is C sharp, a perfect fifth above the tonic (F sharp). This interval creates a sense of power which is exactly what Sia was going for, coupled with the lyrics and the huge drums. The third time she sings "alive," she hits a mother****ing E (in chest voice!), which creates 2 different effects -- an anticipation of the following chord, and momentarily an F sharp minor 7th chord.

 

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So yeah. Tell me again how Sia isn't a talented songwriter and singer. I'm ready to hear your proof.

 

 

[jojuun 4,159]

I'm still not over the slayage

[Dann 354]

This song grows on me so much this definitely gonna be a huge hit tho, I even love this more than Chandelier sia is truly a good artist i love her!

[malazam 15,710]

She's screaming not singing......the beat is so Rolling in the Deep......

 

 

 

[jojuun 4,159]

Not y'all dragging the good sis Sia

[Sia 314]

I love her to death 

[Spanish Eyes 1,882]

She's screaming not singing......the beat is so Rolling in the Deep......

 

 

 

 

[PaperIz 7,261]

She's screaming not singing......the beat is so Rolling in the Deep......

 

 

 

that was probably the point since it was an Adele song  

 

 

Ayways I can't get over how you people on here hate everyone  

[Dramatica 13,264]

She's screaming not singing......the beat is so Rolling in the Deep......

GodSia not singing? Gurl, I support freedom of speech but this is too much.

[Florian 19,832]

Let someone with a degree in Music educate you ladies about the goddess Sia. In no way has she gotten lazy as a songwriter. She's managed to incorporate art (through true compositional craftsmanship) into a pop landscape. I do not think it's her best song, but this is fantastic work, and you best appreciate what Queen Sia is bringing to the table.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

First of all, we have to be aware of the genre. This was meant to be pop, and repetition (a fundamental feature of all music) is going to happen in the chorus. Thankfully, she changed the articulation of "alive" in the chorus enough so that it offered some variation at least. 

 

But here's the best part: her chord progressions, which tell us much about the overall key of the piece. There are three different progressions in the song (that I've mapped out thus far).

The verse / intro follows this pattern: F sharp minor, C sharp minor, D major.

Except for the "but I survived" line, in which we hear a C sharp MAJOR chord (which is the dominant of F sharp minor. Therefore, she is not only employing a perfect authentic cadence, she's also messing with the key of the song, giving us a switch between the harmonic and the natural forms of F sharp minor.)

"I'm still breathing" : F sharp minor, A Major, D major (2nd inversion), B MAJOR (another example of chromaticism).

"I'm alive" : F sharp minor, E major, A major, D major.

One more thing. In the chorus, when she sings "alive" the first two times, the exact note is C sharp, a perfect fifth above the tonic (F sharp). This interval creates a sense of power which is exactly what Sia was going for, coupled with the lyrics and the huge drums. The third time she sings "alive," she hits a mother****ing E (in chest voice!), which creates 2 different effects -- an anticipation of the following chord, and momentarily an F sharp minor 7th chord.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------

 

So yeah. Tell me again how Sia isn't a talented songwriter and singer. I'm ready to hear your proof.

 

 

Too much tea at once

[Spanish Eyes 1,882]

Too much tea at once

I didn't just spill the tea. I threw that damn teapot at the wall and made them girls clean it up. 

 

No one is obliged to like anything, but you have to back up your points with facts. When you make a claim like "It sounds just like 'Rolling in the Deep,'" you need to explain it further. At what point in the song? In what instrument? Is it really as pervasive as I'm claiming, or am I casually making a blanket statement because it's cool to be assertive about what I believe in regardless of its validity?

I welcome anyone to debate the musical craftsmanship of this song, but when people start throwing shade at Queen Sia with little logic to back it up....

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