Masterpieces in 3/4 Time: That Hit Song Too!? A Curated Selection of Popular Japanese and Western Tracks
When you think of hit songs in triple meter, what kind of tracks come to mind?
Triple meter is known as the waltz rhythm and is popular in classical music; it’s also commonly used in other genres, especially in Western music.
Interestingly, it’s often said that Japanese listeners are not as comfortable with triple meter, so it doesn’t appear much in J-pop hits.
In this article, we’ve selected songs in triple meter from Japanese and Western pop and rock.
From timeless favorites to lesser-known hidden gems, we’ve got a wide-ranging playlist for you!
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Masterpieces in 3/4 Time: That Hit Song Too!? A Curated Selection of Popular Japanese and Western Tracks (41–50)
Flowers in waterNakamori Akina
Akina Nakamori’s “Mizu ni Sashita Hana” features a striking piano accompaniment with an emphasis on the lower register.
The feel of this piece closely resembles the piano accompaniment in Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.
14 “Moonlight,” first movement.
While the latter is in 4/4 time and uses triplets, the former is in triple meter; yet both share the idea that “three notes form a single phrase.” Since the first movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata is especially well-known in Japan, the accompaniment of “Mizu ni Sashita Hana” also feels familiar to many listeners.
Masterpieces in Triple Meter: That Hit Song Too!? A Curated Selection of Popular Japanese and Western Tracks (51–60)
SecretThe Pierces
The Pierces, a duo of sisters Allison and Catherine Pierce, released this as the opening track of their 2007 album Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge, and it was also issued as a single.
It was used as the theme song for the American TV drama Pretty Little Liars and as a commercial song for the Australian version of the reality show Big Brother.
It evokes the guilty thrill of a “secret,” the kind of burden so heavy you feel you must carry it to the grave.
Night of GuernicaBUCK-TICK
Since their formation in 1987, BUCK-TICK have kept the same unchanging lineup without extended hiatuses, steadily releasing new work and touring energetically; in 2022 they celebrated their 35th anniversary, and are known as one of Japan’s proud, long-lived rock bands—virtually unparalleled worldwide.
While they stay attuned to the sound of the times, they never pander, continuing to create music brimming with originality from a solitary, singular position.
Their 21st album, No.0, released in 2018, includes the masterpiece Night of Guernica, distinguished by its wistful waltz rhythm.
According to vocalist and lyricist Atsushi Sakurai, the lyrics were inspired by a childhood visit to the cinema with his older brother to see a film called The Clock Was Alive.
The song is a straightforward anti-war piece, yet the words Sakurai chooses have a distinctly fable-like quality—that’s a key characteristic.
The dramatic development—especially the build in the latter half—unfolds like a short film, something made possible by the use of 3/4 time.
When they perform this song live, striking sand art visuals by the performance collective SILT-croire- are projected, so I highly recommend experiencing this song at a show!
I’m In Love With My CarQueen
This track from Queen’s fourth album, A Night at the Opera, released in 1975, is one of the band’s rarities: it was written by drummer Roger Taylor, who also takes the lead vocals.
The song, which is about his love for cars, features superbly heavy, waltz-time drumming, and it’s a cool piece that conveys the feeling of a beloved car tearing along as if hugging the ground.
Manic DepressioJimi Hendrix
It’s a classic that shows how even a song driven by hard guitar riffs can create a unique groove by incorporating a 3/4 time signature! It’s included on the debut album Are You Experienced?, released in 1967 under the Jimi Hendrix Experience by Jimi Hendrix—“Jimi Hen,” rock’s greatest guitarist and an innovative player.
Not only is the guitar playing wildly and freely, but the groove created by Mitch Mitchell’s jazz-influenced drumming and Noel Redding’s constantly moving bass is incredibly cool.
Looking at the track as a whole, you can’t overlook its influence on later hard rock.
Be sure to check out the cover versions by many artists, including Jeff Beck!
Morning Has BrokenCat Stevens
It’s a song by British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, included on his 1971 album Teaser and the Firecat.
Released as a single in Japan under the title “Ame ni Nureta Asa” (“Morning Wet with Rain”), the track’s success helped make Cat Stevens widely known.
“Wild World,” which became a hit when covered by the American rock band Mr.
Big, is a song written and composed by Cat Stevens.
Come Away With MeNorah Jones
When people hear “a song in 3/4 time,” many probably imagine something gentle and unhurried.
This ballad, Come Away With Me, by Norah Jones—the most successful jazz singer-pianist since the 2000s with global name recognition—embodies exactly that image of triple meter.
It’s the title track from her debut album, Come Away With Me, released in 2002, which sold over 27 million copies worldwide, and it’s a number that Jones herself wrote both the lyrics and music for.
More than jazz, it carries a hint of country flavor, a slow ballad graced by Jones’s wonderfully smooth, maturely sensual vocals that seem far beyond her early-twenties years at the time.
The music video of Jones driving down a desert road in California also perfectly matches the song’s mood and feels just right!