Decoding the Rainbow With NPR Music's 'What Makes It Great'

Ever seen a movie? Ever listened to music? Then don't miss Rob Kapilow's super-smart, eye-poppingly revealing, hugely entertaining deconstruction of a movie song you probably think you know. (I don't really have to tell you which one, do I?)

It's part of What Makes It Great, a new from-the-archives series from the good people at NPR Music. Watch for new installments once a week; each one will go deep on a piece of truly unforgettable music, looking at what makes it work so well. (Fans of Performance Today will remember these commentaries as being part of that program back in the day.)

Now, I've gotta confess, I was dubious about Kapilow's opening argument here: "Five minutes from now, you are not gonna believe the meaning of these first two notes," he says, and yeah, I was skeptical.

What won me over, after the jump ...

 

But Kapilow makes a great case — I love the idea of "circle and yearn," which he's teased out of a little five-note musical figure, and his riff on the bridge and how it comes back at the ending is really lovely.

So by the time he got to that last high note, I'd totally bought in. (Listen for yourself and see if you agree.) And not just because Kapilow's smart about this song: He's smart about how songs in general work. Ask yourself if what he's saying about structure and repetition mean anything about how your favorite pop song does what it does.

But back to "Over the Rainbow:" Everybody's got a favorite recording, right? (Mine's an Eva Cassidy take; it's available, with better audio, on her album Songbird.)

So what's yours? And does it sound different, now that you've had a look under the hood?