Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

“Wildcat Run”: World’s Fastest Key Change?

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.

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.

Cash Box

Oct. 21, 1967

Can anyone beat 27 seconds?

(image courtesy of Discogs)

Red-Sovine

“Wildcat Run” appears to have initially been released on the 1966 Starday truck driving album, Thunder On The Road.

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LINK to Truck Driving Songs

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