All Posts Tagged Falsetto Vocal Style

The verse vocal melody to Lil Wayne and Charlie Puth's Nothing but Trouble (released June 29, 2015) is similar to the verse vocal melody to DeBarge's All This Love (released January 7, 1983). While in different keys (NbT: E; ATL C#), both melodies share the same relative contour, and are sung in the same falsetto vocal style. Thematically and lyrically, the songs are also similar (NbT: "For all of these problems" VS ATL: "I had some problems"). Interestingly, El DeBarge wrote All This Love "in hopes then-label mate and longtime idol Marvin Gaye would record it" [source: Wikipedia]. Puth is also a huge Marvin Gaye fan, as evidenced by his song of the same name.

Nothing but Trouble (:00) VS All This Love (:10)

Nothing but Trouble
Key: E
Chord Progression:
C#min, C#min/B, Bbmin7b5, Amaj7
Verse Vocal Melody:
1-3-4-3-2-3 ("I'm facing the bottle")
1-3-4-3-2-1 ("For all of my problems")
6-3-4-3-2-3 ("These Instagram models")
5-3-4-3-2-1-6 ("Are nothing but trouble")

All This Love
Key: C#
Chord Progression
Bmin, F7, Bmin, F7, Bmin, F7, Bmin, F7/C
Verse Vocal Melody:
3-2-6-1-2 ("I had some problems")
6-3-4-3-2-3-1-2 ("And no one could seem to solve them")