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Learning Ukulele with Curt

Happy Together

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Happy Together".

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-98

Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any

Categories: Theory, Intervals, Progressions, RMA, Harmony

Louis-Martin/Curt-2020-FFUF

2026-08-23

Happy Together

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Happy Together.

Happy Together

Released: January 1967

Happy Together is a song written by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon and recorded by American rock band the Turtles. It was released as a single, b/w "Like the Seasons", in January 1967, and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first and only chart-topper there. The song also reached the top 20 in diverse countries, including number 2 in Canada and number 12 in the UK. It was later included on their third studio album, Happy Together (1967).

Bonner and Gordon composed the song while still members of The Magicians. The lyrics, despite the joyous sound of the music, express an unrequited, imagined love. They recorded a demo consisting of a simple arrangement of acoustic guitar and hand claps. The demo was offered to and rejected by a dozen artists, due to its primitive sound.

The Turtles, who had come from commercial and personal problems, found the demo and, thinking the song a potential hit, initially rehearsed it in live performances. They recorded their version in the Sunset Sound studio, with the newly-arrived bassist Chip Douglas arranging the horns and backing vocals. wikiwand

Here is a super close approximation of the Intro from the original recording transposed Frm F#m to Dm .

UL1107-Happy-Together-Uke-Dm-Intro

Introduction & Verse Accompaniment Riff/Lick/Figure.
Continue for Chords of the Verse: Dm C Bb A .

Yellow Book

Happy Together 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.

Ukulele Chords

Dm C Bb A D Am F

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

Dm C Bb A D Am F

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Happy Together is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C . Original Key: F♯/G♭ Tempo: 120 bpm.
  • Start on P5 ↑ P4.
  • ULHA-YB-98-Melody-TAB

    C Tuning, Low G

Intervals Legend: 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;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

A re-harmonization, in Red can be a simple, sticking pretty close to the original composer's intentions or complex and a whole new set of chord changes.

DS
||: Dm
Dm
C
C
I
VII

F:

D Aeolian, D Minor Pentatonic All the chords of this song are available when using the D Blues Scale: D F G A Bb C.

To Coda

Coda
Bb
Bb
A
A :||
VII
V

This is the famous The Andalusian Chord Progression . A very common chord progression. The 1st and 2nd endings are harmonically the same.

D
Am
D
F
I
Vm
I
bIIImaj

D.S. al Coda

D
Am
D
F
I
Vm
I
bIIImaj
Coda
A
Dm
A
D
I
VI
IV
V

The Harmonic Analysis (HA)

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.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an A section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a B or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be 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.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • Happy Together is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C . Original Key: F♯/G♭ Tempo: 120 bpm.

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Happy Together.

RMA1

Nashville Number System (NNS)

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 converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic 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). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

All the chords are right out of D Aeolian/Natural Minor (D E F G A Bb C D'). The D Minor Pentatonic/Blues scale is also a good choice: D F G A C D').

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, 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

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: 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.

RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

Performance Notes

Here is a super close approximation of the Intro from the original recording transposed from F#m to Dm .

UL1107-Happy-Together-Uke-Dm-Intro

Introduction & Verse Accompaniment Riff/Lick/Figure.
Continue for Chords of the Verse: Dm C Bb A .

C Tuning, Low G

Links & Resources

art by Curt Sheller

End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

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MLRMAe
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.

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Individual Harmonic Analysis worksheets for the songs of The Daily Ukulele book - 365 Songs for a Better Living. Includes information on melody. Intros, endings and any famous licks and riff to learn for the somf. Performance tips.