Working Song

Harmonic Analysis Worksheet (RMA/HA)

Published: 08 Mar 2023 Updated: 08 Mar 2023Visits: 5Code: ULHA-YB-CURRENT

Topic: Harmonic-Analysis Instruments: ANY Subjects: Theory • Progressions • Harmony • Analysis • Rma

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for: TEMPLATE and Working Song used for local dev.

Working Song

Working Song is a jazz standard and popular song composed by George Shearing with lyrics by George David Weiss (under the pseudonym "B. Y. Forster").

George Shearing wrote "Lullaby of Birdland" in 1952 for Morris Levy, the owner of the New York jazz club Birdland. Levy had gotten in touch with Shearing and explained that he'd started a regular Birdland-sponsored disk jockey show, and he wanted Shearing to record a theme which was "to be played every hour on the hour." Levy originally wanted his own music to be recorded, but Shearing insisted he couldn't relate very well with it and wanted to compose his own music. They compromised by sharing the rights of the song; the composer's rights went to Shearing, and the publishing rights went to Levy.

Shearing stated in his autobiography that he had composed "the whole thing [...] within ten minutes." The chord changes were from Walter Donaldson's "Love me or Leave Me." WikipediA :

Working Song 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.

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.

A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a leadsheet and minimal leadsheet information such repeats, fines, D.S., D.C., codas have been used in preparing the worksheets.

1st, 2nd Ending, Turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, Turnbacks, etc. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to an previous or section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to different section, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If these 1st, 2nd Ending, Turnbacks are not indicated then a Turnback chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • Working Song is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of Ab .

Harmonic Principles Used:

Chords

Fm7 G7 C7 Bbm7 Bbm7 Eb7 Abmaj7 Dbmaj7 Bbm7

Theses and many other chords where covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Start on P5 ↓ M2.
  • 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;

    Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

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

    Fm7
    Dm7b5
    G7b9
    C7#5
    Fm7
    Bbm9
    Eb7b9
    Fm
    G7
    C7
    Fm
    Bbm7
    Eb7
    I

    II7
    (V of V)

    V
    I
    II
    V

    Dm7b5 is the II V of V Secondary Dominant G7

    1.
    Abmaj7
    Fm7
    Bbm7
    Eb7b9
    Abmaj7
    Db7
    C7#5
    Abmaj7
    Fm7
    Bbm7
    Eb7b9
    Abmaj7
    Db7
    C7#5
    I
    VI
    II
    V
    I
    IV7
    V
    2.
    Abmaj7
    Eb7
    Abmaj7
    Abmaj7
    Eb7
    Abmaj7
    I
    V
    I
    F7b9
    Bbm7
    Eb7b9
    Abmaj7
    F7
    Bbm7
    Bbm7
    Eb7
    Abmaj7

    VI7
    (V of II)

    II
    II
    V
    I
    F7b9
    Bbm7
    Eb7b9
    Abmaj7
    C7b9
    F7
    Bbm7
    Bbm7
    Eb7
    Abmaj7
    C7

    VI7
    (V of II)

    II
    II
    V
    I
    V

    Working Song is a classic song form. Repeat the section and end on the I chord. For a realy cool ending chord make is a m6/9 .

    Scale Selection

    Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed then scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical and horizontal choices.

    Checkout LESSONSeries : Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book.

    RMA book cover

    Performance Notes

    Links & Resources

    End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

    Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.

    Related Lessons

    Related Lessons for Working Song.

    ULHA-YB-index

    The Daily Ukulele a.k.a., The "Yellow" Book Song Index

    Updated: 12 Apr 2023

    Index of the songs in The Daily Ukulele book. 365 Songs for a Better Living.

    Related Lesson Series

    Related Lessons Series for Working Song.

    Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection

    Updated: 27 Feb 2023

    Harmonic Analysis is the process used to determine the harmonic function of chords within a chord progression or song. A chord progression is defined as a sequence of chords, each chord has a root and is a particular chord type. The relationship of a chord's to a scale determines its function within that scale's tonality.

    Related Books & Charts

    Related Books for Working Song.

    RMA1

    Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution

    Updated: 10 Jun 2021

    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.

    HL00240356

    The Daily Ukulele

    Updated: 05 May 2022

    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.

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