Songs with odd/complex time signatures?

Question

I'm looking for songs with weird meters, like 7/4 or anything else complex. I'm into good music, so try to stay away from generic whiny top 40 stuff... any alternative rock or anything else?

Some examples I know of already:

2+2=5, Pyramid Song, and Morning Bell by Radiohead (7/4, 16/8, 5/4)
5/4 by Gorillaz (obviously, in 5/4)
Money by Pink Floyd (7/4)
March of the Pigs by NIN (three measures of 7/4, then two of 4/4, so it's effectively 29/4)

Answer 1

You've opened a whole new can of worms. First of all, whiny top 40 never comes in the odd time-sig variety. The consequences could be disasterous. With that out of the way, my first knowledge of odd time signatures was listing to progressive rock (both classic and neo). Bands from Yes, Rush, King Crimson, Dream Theatre, Porcupine Tree, Zappa, Tool, Soundgarden. Actually what is more difficult is not just playing a song in that time sig but changing it around. Check out "Take the Time" from Dream Theatre's Images and Words. That tune utilizes at least a dozen different odd times like a 7/4 couple meassures and a quick 2/4 and then a 12/8 triplet feel within 10 seconds. Then I got into jazz and fusion which blew me away. In jazz it's pretty rare to see an odd time (with Dave Brubeck as the exception, like Take Five (obviously in 5/4)) but then I heard a composer named Don Eillis who dedicated his entire career to odd time signatures, with a big band, at that. He would have tunes in 13/8, 9/4, one tune, I can't remember the name had 21 beats and went like this in feel: 3-3-2-2-2-1-2-2-1-3. In fact, they say the only tune he ever played in 4/4 was Take Five. check his his classic fusion records, like Electric Bath and the soundtrack to French Connection.

Also the new Radiohead tune 15 Step is in 15, hence the name.

Answer 2

Complex Time Signatures

Answer 3

Back in the 70's Genesis did a song called Apocolypse in 13/8 which of course you can guess the time signature. I've only heard it once but I knew right then why Phil Collins went bald. And yes a lot of classical/ church music does wierd stuff like that, I sing in a church choir I see a lot of stuff where it goes from one measure of 4/4 then a measure of 2/4 and the next measure is 4/4 again really fun stuff.

Answer 4

If you like soundgarden - Mailman. They switch the time signatures a few times in the song. It's wierd at first but a lot of fun when you get the feel for it.

Pretty much any Tool songs from the anema cd. Pick any popular song you recognize and you'll see their timing is strange too.

I'm more of a metalhead. If you're really looking for wierd time signatures checkout Meshuggah. Their stuff has been dubbed 'math metal' by some critics. When you listen to and don't pay attention it just sounds like randomness and chaotic but if you pay attention to what's going on, those guys are amazing. They're definitely not for the mainstream ear.

Whatever you choose, rockon. Off-time stuff is a lot of fun to play

Answer 5

A couple I could think of....

Quite a bit of Frank Zappa's works are of complex time signatures (genius!)

The song "Good Morning, Good Morning" by the Beatles swithes from 4/4 to 5/4 quite a bit during the song.

Answer 6

"March For People With Two Left Feet", P.D.Q. Bach
Basic 4/4 but he throws in a 2/4 measure at random places around the song. It looks easy but it is pretty hard to play.

There are several hymns (religious songs) in one of my hymals that have things like 12/8 and 5/4 sigs. but I can't remember titles off the top-of-my-head (and I don't have the hymn-book with me).

Our church worship band is playing Christian contemporary songs and several of them have 2/4 measures thrown in a standard 4/4 song. It *really* throws the drummer off -- he's an 'ear' player, only.

.

Answer 7

Echoes by Pink Floyd (12/8, I think...)

On a side note, Phantom of the Opera (the opening suite) is 12/8, too, since Roger Waters was all mad about how close Echoes and Phantom of the Opera were. Not to mention, the da-da-da-da-DAAAAA part on both is eerily similar...

Answer 8

check out rush "YYZ"