Symphony in X Major
"Symphony in X Major" was the second and final single released from Xzibit's fourth album named Man vs. Machine. It features Dr. Dre, is produced by Rick Rock and samples a portion of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3". Dr. Dre mixed the song.
| "Symphony in X Major" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Xzibit featuring Dr. Dre | ||||
| from the album Man vs. Machine | ||||
| B-side | "Harder" | |||
| Released | 2002 | |||
| Genre | Rap | |||
| Length | 3:55 | |||
| Label | Loud | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Alvin Joiner Andre Young | |||
| Producer(s) | Rick Rock | |||
| Xzibit singles chronology | ||||
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| Dr. Dre singles chronology | ||||
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A music video was shot for the song directed by Joe Hahn of Linkin Park.[1] Dr. Dre does not appear in the video. It reached number 43 in the Australian singles chart.[2]
Composition
"Symphony in X Major" samples two extracts of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3" as interpreted by Wendy Carlos on her 1968 Switched-On Bach album. These two samples are taken from the composition's middle section where it transitions into the relative minor key, "useful in reinforcing the menacing tone of the hip-hop track."[1]
The first corresponds to bars 70-71 of the concerto and appears in the introduction and choruses of the song, while the second is taken from bars 68-69, and is used in the verses and the outro, giving the song a contrasting verse-chorus structure.[1]
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[2] | 43 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[3] | 63 |
References
- Williams, Justin A. (2014-03-04). "Theoretical Approaches to Quotation in Hip-Hop Recordings". Contemporary Music Review. 33 (2): 188–209. doi:10.1080/07494467.2014.959276. ISSN 0749-4467.
- "Australian-charts.com – Xzibit – Symphony in X Major". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- "Xzibit Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.