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Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Under The Boardwalk.
Under The Boardwalk
Released: June 1964
Under The Boardwalk is a pop song written by Kenny Young and Arthur Resnick and recorded by the Drifters in 1964. It charted at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on August 22, 1964. The song has since been covered by many other artists, with versions by Bette Midler, Sam & Dave, the Tom Tom Club, the Rolling Stones, Billy Joe Royal, The Beach Boys, Bruce Willis, Bad Boys Blue, John Mellencamp and Lynn Anderson all charting in the United States or overseas. The song ranked number 487 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004 and number 489 in 2010.
The lyric describes a tryst between a man and his beloved in a seaside town, who plan to privately meet "out of the sun" and out of sight from everyone else under a boardwalk. The instrumentation includes güiro, triangle and violins. The song's chorus switches from a major to minor key. The opening line of the song references the Drifters' prior hit "Up on the Roof." Also, the violins are heard playing the riff of "Up on the Roof", before the chorus. (wikiwand);

Under The Boardwalk 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
C Mix
The C C7 to F , a I I7 a Secondary Dominant, V of IV resolving to F — Is so common that I rarely even look at the next chord, it is almost always going to be the IV chord of the tonality. If not, fix it fast.
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.
Under The Boardwalk is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C .
These are the harmonic principles used in Under The Boardwalk.
- 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.
Scale Abbreviation Legend
Traditional Scale Names:
Maj: Major,
Dim: Diminished,
WT: Whole Tone,
Pent: Major Pentatonic,
Scale Mode Names:
Ion: Ionian,
Dor: Dorian,
Phrygian: Phrygian,
Lyd: Lydian,
Mix: Mixolydian,
Aeol: Aeolian,
Loc: Locrian
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.


All FUll Diatonic chords and one supper common V of IV Secondary Dominant.
A worksheet is often, really not needed with such a simple Full Diatonic chord progression.
A Simple I , IV , V chord progression. The Tonic , Subdominant and Dominant , the Primary chords of the major key.
In a short amount of time you'll come recognize these simple chord progressions, just by the chord grids listed at the top of the leadsheet (page). And, hearing where the chords are naturally changing.
Scale Choices
For a Full Diatonic chord progression the first choice scale is the Major scale in the key of the progression. A subset of the Major scale is the Major Pentatonic – the Major scale with no 4th or 6th scale degrees.
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Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.
Related Lessons
Under The Boardwalk.
Related Lesson Series
Under The Boardwalk.
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
Under The Boardwalk.

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.