This is when vocalists, anxious to show that they can hit a high J, wait breathlessly while the orchestra slams the music into a higher key. [These] are found near the end of practically every 1990s power love ballad sung by the Big Three: Céline Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston.
—Tom Reynolds, I Hate Myself and Want to Die: the 52 Most Depressing Songs You've Ever Heard
Sprites: The Grove's not quiet / The Grove's not dark / The Grove isn't scary at night / And when I'm there I fall asleep like that somehow / Oh, how I wish I was there now... (going up a key) Right now!
Johnny: Oh no, not a key change!
—"Feelin' Grove-y" song, Johnny and the Sprites
"Imagine how much better 'Hey Jude' would have been with three key changes towards the end!"
"When you change the key in a love song
It means you're singing passionately
But we still haven't reached the end,
No, because we're gonna change the key again!"
It means you're singing passionately
But we still haven't reached the end,
No, because we're gonna change the key again!"
—The Axis of Awesome — "How to Write a Love Song"
Y'all dumb motherfuckers want a key change?!
—Bo Burnham — "Country Song (Pandering)", "Make Happy"
Key change, mofo!
—Brentalfloss "Final Fantasy With Lyrics" and "Here at the Gaming Con" (and Dave Bulmer in Super Mario Land With Lyrics)
Ok, big finish! Cue the key change and massive fireworks display!
—Neil Patrick Harris, near the end of the opening
for the 2013 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade
for the 2013 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade