Rhythm in "Drops of Jupiter"

The rhythm in "Drops of Jupiter" is essential to the chart and is part of what made it so incredibly popular when released. The driving force from the piano and vocals is highlighted by the string section's majestic-sounding held chords to create a pulsing, insistent sound.

Heavy use of syncopation drives the song and gives it energy. The introduction features the orchestra and piano, and it is clear from the first few bars that syncopation will be utilized. There are no drums or other rhythmic instruments at this point, so the beat is dictated by the timing of the chord changes in the piano. Listening and counting along to the piano can mislead the audience to believe the chart is in 3/4 time, but this is in fact a heavily syncopated 4/4 meter, which is discovered by listening to the chord changes in the strings. Setting the piano with a 3/4 feel against the string section playing whole note chords muddies the lines between individual measures (which makes the chart flow more smoothly) and creates energy and tension.

The slow, syncopated chord changes in the piano are then set against the melody. The vocalist creates energy also with syncopation; Pat Mohanan accents and clearly articulates syllables on the upbeats, which can be clearly heard in the first verse.
                          "Now that she's back in the atmosphere
                           With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey, hey
                           She acts like summer and walks like rain
                           Reminds me that there's a time to change, hey, hey, hey
                           Since the return from her stay on the moon
                           She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey"
At the end of every other line, the phrase "hey, hey, hey" is heavily syncopated. Each instance of the word "hey" is short, accented, and placed on an upbeat. In some cases, like at 2:35 when Mohanan sings, "Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken," the melody does not change in pitch. This draws more attention to the rhythm and how the notes are shifted off the traditional beats, which again makes the song more energetic and pushes it forward.

The song is also made more energetic by adding in denser rhythms. The entrance of the vocals is one example. Prior to the addition of vocals at 0:11, the song had consisted of just the strings and piano, none of which played anything shorter than a dotted quarter note in a series. As soon as the melody entered, the entire mood of the song was lifted. The same effect takes place at 0:45. The piano plays a series of short eighth notes, making it more energetic. Then at the drums' entrance at 0:48, the song's energy once again jumps up. By increasing the speed of the rhythms, the song becomes more energetic and seems to be faster without actually increasing its tempo.