All intervals in the song are flipped, turned upside down. A major third up (D F♯) becomes a major third down (D B♭), a step down (F♯ E) a step up (B♭ C), a fall of a fifth (E A) a proportional upward jump (C G). D F♯ E A becomes D B♭ C G. But backwards. The inversion of the retrograde. A song played in reverse and on its head. Call and response. “The orchestra played the kind of music where you know what’s coming next, where you can listen ahead.” In 1929, everyone heard D F♯ E A and, listening ahead, thought A E F♯ D. But when I heard D F♯ E A, the response ringing in my mind was G C B♭ D.
