It is practically a law in country music that a tune must change keys at least once before song’s end. And the key change must modulate upward, never downward. Which raises the obvious question, and it’s a big one:
Q: Which country song changes keys quickest starting from 0:00?
That’s right, get out your stopwatches. In the meantime, I think I might have a contender: “Wildcat Run” – a truck driving song from Red Sovine
[Pssst: Click on the triangle above to hear “Wildcat Run” by Red Sovine.]
Note that the song starts in G Major – but only 27 seconds later the song has already shifted up to G-sharp Major. But wait, don’t get too comfortable just yet – only 25 more seconds will transpire and we will have modulated upward yet again to A Major. That’s two key changes in just 52 seconds. Even better – the entire song clocks in at a lean 80 seconds.
Can anyone beat 27 seconds?
“Wildcat Run” appears to have initially been released on the 1966 Starday truck driving album, Thunder on the Road.