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Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Rocky Top.
Rocky Top
Released: April 1970
Rocky Top is an American country and bluegrass song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in 1967 and first recorded by the Osborne Brothers later that same year. The song, which is a city dweller's lamentation over the loss of a simpler and freer existence in the hills of Tennessee, is one of Tennessee's ten official state songs and has been recorded by dozens of artists from multiple musical genres worldwide since its publication. In U.S. college athletics, "Rocky Top" is associated with the Tennessee Volunteers of the University of Tennessee (UT), whose Pride of the Southland Band has played a marching band version of the song at the school's sporting events since the early 1970s.

Rocky Top is in the The Daily Ukulele
— 365 Songs for Better Living book.
Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.
Theses and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.
INTERVALS: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is a, Em is E, etc... m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;
Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating a your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet
VERSE
I
IV
I
VI
V
I
C Major/Ionian or C Major Pentatonic: C D E G A C`, fitting into the style of the song that Rock Top is typically performed.
Line 1, above is repeated 4 times for the verse.
CHORUS
VI
V
IV
I
I
I
The Chorus (above) almost seems like it modulates to a minor tonality with the Bb as a borrowed chord. However for scale selection all the chords of this song are all chords from a C Major Pentatonic scale and that is the analysis that is used.The C Major Pentatonic scale, or C Pentatonic for short, can be used over all the chords with added notes, the chord tones from the chords.
A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.
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NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet.
Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fines, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.
The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as in indicated the Yellow Book
. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a
or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.
If turnback chords are not indicated for the these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet recommended chord(s) will indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.
This is the key of the source leadsheet.
- Rocky Top is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C .
- The Original recording of Rocky Top by The Osborne Brother is the Key of B at 157 bpm.
These are the harmonic principles used in Rocky Top.
- Full Diatonic
- Partial Diatonic • Full Diatonic includes Secondary Dominant chords

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as convert the Roman Numerals above to Arabic number.
At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with aberic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never).
Check the definitive book Nashville Number System
Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed then scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical and horizontal choices. And, really only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.
C Pentatonic
The C Major Pentatonic or C Pentatonic for a scale is a great choice with ALL the chords in this song coming straight out of the scale.
- C Pentatonic: C Dm Em F G,G7 Am Bb
Traditional Scales:
Maj: Major (Ionian),
Dim: Diminished,
WT: Whole Tone,
Har Min: Harmonic Minor,
Contemporary Scales:
Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic,
Pent: Major Pentatonic,
Blues,
Scale/Mode Names:
Ion: Ionian (Major),
Dor: Dorian (Minor),
Phrygian: Phrygian,
Lyd: Lydian,
Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant),
Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor),
Loc: Locrian
Checkout LESSONSeries : Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.


I (Curt) like to do this in the Key of G . The chords would be:
- (Verse) G C G Em D7 G
- (Chorus) Em D F C G ||: G F G :||
- (wikiwand) · Rocky Top
- Rocky Top – Osborne Brothers
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Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.
Related Lessons
Rocky Top.
Related Lesson Series
Rocky Top.
Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection
Harmonic Analysis (HA), also known as the study of chord relationships, is the method used to identify the harmonic role of chords within a chord progression or song. A chord progression refers to a sequence of chords, with each chord having a root note and belonging to a specific chord type. The function of a chord within a particular scale's tonality is determined by its relationship to that scale.
Related Books & Charts
Rocky Top.

Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution
Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition. This analysis is then used to make scale selections for improvisation and chord substitution.

The Daily Ukulele
Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.





Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.
Reference Charts



A handy reference chart of all 15 major and relative minor key signatures. US Letter 8.5 x 11 sized (ANSI-A), A4
Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.