Low male voice repertoire in contemporary musical theatre: a studio and performance guide of selected songs 1996-2020 by

Musical Content 
This is an excerpt from a David Bowie tune which has been rearranged and given new lyrics by 
the musical’s creative team. The show’s version features a bass soloist during the first verse, a female 
soloist for the pre-chorus, and the ensemble enters during the first chorus section (see table 5.6 for 
additional details). Bowie sang this song with the same tonal center and in the same octave as the show’s 
low voice soloist, Kelvin Moon Loh.
27
Table 5.6. Compositional Sections of “No Control” excerpt mm. 1-29 
Measures Tonal 
Center/Key 
Compositional Notes 
Lyric 
Subtext 
Form 
mm. 1-4
A 
SpongeBob, Patrick and Sandy fret 
over an incoming disaster, over a 
4/4 hard rock beat with syncopated 
bass line. Perch announces his live 
broadcast. 
To 
announce 
Introduction 
mm. 5-12
A 
Melody shifts from functioning in A 
minor to functioning in A major 
with a 
♭7 scale degree. A B♭
2
is 
approximated by Perch’s first 
spoken sentence. 
To relay, to 
publicize 
A 
mm. 13–19 A 
Plagal cadence 
To clarify, 
to warn 
A’ 
mm. 20-21 
A 
Elongated phrase structure with 
ensemble response 
Interlude/Extension 
of A’ 
mm. 22-29 E 
Pre-chorus section performed by the 
trio of main characters 
To confirm 
B 
26
Ibid. 
27
David Bowie, “No Control,” track 9 on 1. Outside (The Nathan Adler Diaries: A Hyper Cycle), Warner 
Music Group Company, 1995, Amazon Music streaming audio, 
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B017CDHAEG?trackAsin=B017CDHRTY&ref=dm_sh_32b8-e173-dmcp-2d13-
d63cb&musicTerritory=US&marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER. 

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46 
Source: Data adapted from Kelvin Moon Loh, “No Control,” track 3 on SpongeBob SquarePants, The New Musical 
(Original Cast Recording), Sony Music Entertainment, 2017, Amazon Music streaming audio, 
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B074TPFV7M?trackAsin=B074TXS4L3&ref=dm_sh_4fab-5377-dmcp-dfb7-
39a8d&musicTerritory=US&marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER.