I Put A Spell On You — Alan Price Set

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yxZ1F093Us

The build of a song is very important; whether performing a song, writing a story, or even meeting someone for the first time, the softer you begin, the more you wow. Often we get a sense of the sublime from this build: when we turn a corner and emerge into a large, unexpected space; when we discover a secret garden in the Mechanical Engineering Building only accessible through the basement; when we meet someone and discover we already knew them. These are things where the content matters, but the initial perception matters more.

I don't know much about Alan Price Set, but I do know about the British Invasion, and that's where I first heard I Put A Spell On You. It... builds. It starts with organ and ends with screaming, and it's so slow and splendid that the final cacophony is not only acceptable but welcome as a natural progression. Songs that do this are songs we remember. They click. Ben Frost does this a lot. So does U2. These songs become more theatrical, more memorable, more impressive. They build slowly and take their time, and they're worth it.