Working Song

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

Harmonic Analysis Worksheet
Below

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.

The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living •
INDEX of Songs

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.

Chords

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

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

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

Fm:

Ab:

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

Fm:

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

Ab:

F7b9

Bbm7

Eb7b9

Abmaj7

C7b9

F7

Bbm7

Bbm7

Eb7

Abmaj7

C7

VI7
(V of II)

II

II

V

I

V

Fm:

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.

Performance Notes

Links & Resources

• WikipediA : Working Song
• Lullaby Of Birdland (Remastered) •