I've Got The World On A String

Photo Credit: Little Apple Yarn Favors

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 There are not enough superlatives to describe this evergreen. Introduced in 1932 by Aida Ward at Harlem's Cotton Club, this song has been recorded by such greats as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Cab Calloway. It was also featured in the 1950 film I'll Get By, starring June Haver, Glorai DeHaven, Harry James and Dennis Day. Lyrics by Ted Koehler and music by Harold Arlen.

 I found these piano chords online by Frank Sinatra and wanted to share them with you.

Frank Sinatra Version

             F6/A        D7
I've got the world on a string
  Gm7/F        Bbm7
Sitting on a rainbow
  FM7                     D7/F#   C#7/B
Got that string around my finger
  C7                              F      Edim7      
What a world, what a life, im in love.



             F6/A        D7
I've got a song that I sing
Gm/F           Bbm7
I can make the rain go
  FM7              D7/F#   C#7/B
Anytime I move my finger
  C7                              F
Lucky me, can't you see, I'm in love



                     A7
Life's a beautiful thing
                       F#mM7b5   D7
As long as I hold that string
                      G7/F   Gaug
I'd be a silly so and so
                        G7/F   C7
If I should ever let it go




             F6/A        D7
I've got the world on a string
  Gm/F         Bbm7
Sitting on a rainbow
  FM7                     D7/F#   C#7/B
Got that string around my finger
  C7                              F      Edim7      
What a world, what a life, im in love.



                     A7
Life's a beautiful thing
                       F#mM7b5   D7
As long as I hold that string
                      G7/F   Gaug
I'd be a silly so and so
                        G7/F   C7
If I should ever let it go



             F6/A        D7
I've got the world on a string
  Gm/F         Bbm7
Sitting on a rainbow
  FM7                     D7/F#   C#7/B
Got that string around my finger
  C7                              F      Edim7      
What a world, what a life, im in love.

Michael Buble Chord Arrangement

Intro: DM7 Bm G A

DM7    Bm       G         A
(Hey Michael come on & swing.
DM7    Bm      G        A
Looks like you got the world on a string.)

     DM7              Bm
I've got the world on a string
  G                   A
I'm sitting on a rainbow
   DM7     Bm   F#m        B   
Got that string around my finger
 G                   A                         DM7 Bm G A
What a world, what a life - I'm in love

   DM7            Bm
I've got a song that I sing
   G               A
And I can make the rain go
   DM7  Bm   F#m     B   
Any time I move my finger
 G                 A   
Lucky me, cant you see - I'm in love


                        Em     A      
Life's a wonderful thing
                             DM7    B
As long as I've got that string
                         Em       A
I'd be a silly so-and-so
         DM7                A A A 
If I should ever let you go


                 DM7              Bm            
I've got the world on a string
             G                A              
I'm sitting on the rainbow
    DM7    Bm           G            A
I've got that string around my finger
  Em                                 A
Oh, What a world, what a life - I'm in love

Instrumental:  DM7   Bm   G   A


                        Em     A      
Life's a wonderful thing
                             DM7    B
As long as I've got that string
                         Em       A
I'd be a silly so-and-so
                   B - -  C - - Dbbreak             
If I should ever let you go

                   EM7      D#m 
I've got the world on a string
      A             B
I'm sitting on a rainbow
EM7      D#m      A          B
I got that string around my finger
  F#m                   B 
What a world, what a life
  F#m                 B
Oh, what a world, what life
  F#m                       B
What a world, what life, cause I'm in love
EM7         D#m       G   A
(He's in love, he's in love)
I'm in love
EM7     D#m           G    A
(Got the world on a string)
And what a wonderful thing

EM7     D#m     G      A
(Alright)
When you get the world on a string
(Uh huh)



In one of my Jazz folders I have an arrangement by Stuart Isacoff 

to "I've Got the World On A String" in the Key of F. It has a 4/4 time signature 

with a moderate swing.

Here's the Intro: 

F

Cm

D

Gm7

Bbm/Db

F

Bdim

Abm

Gm7

C7

F

Abm = AbCb/EbAb

Gm9 = GBb/DF

C13 = CBb/EA

F D7 I've got the world on a string Gm7 Bbm Sitting on a rainbow F E7 Eb7 D9 Db9 Got that string around my finger Gm7 C Ddim C7 F C7 What a world, what a life, im in love. F6/A D7 I've got a song that I sing Gm7 Bbm I can make the rain go F E7 Eb7 D9 Db9 Anytime I move my finger Gm7 C7 Ddim C7 F Db7 Lucky me, can't you see, I'm in love F A9 Life's a beautiful thing D7 As long as I hold that string G7/F Gaug I'd be a silly so and so Eb7 D7 Db7 C7 If I should ever let it go F D7 I've got the world on a string Gm7 Bbm Sitting on a rainbow F A7 D9 G7 G7+5 Got that string around my finger Gm7 C7 F Db7 F What a world, what a life, I'm in love. For the ending, you'll want to play:   FCA/F   DbF/CbAb   CF/CEA  It's such a cool song to play with all the dotted quarter notes followed by  the quick eighth notes. Oh, and you'll want to play this chord as,   G7+5 = FB/AbEb   Just in case you're not familiar with this all-time standard, have a look.         Happy Halloween, have a safe one!

"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

A Brief History of Jazz

Cover of Harry Connick, Jr.

Getting Started
The word "jazz" (then sometimes written as "jass") first appeared in general use around 1913. Its roots are found in America's south where in the 19th century mostly black musicians combined west African rhythms and gospel singing with European harmony. From the beginning, improvisations was always a major component of the new music.

Jazz grew out of ragtime, New Orleans-style brass bands and African-American Spirituals. But most directly, it grew out of blues music, first popular at the turn of the century. W.C. Handy (1873-1958), who is considered the "father of the blues," created music that had many jazz elements. His "Memphis Blues" and "St. Louis Blues" were big hits in the 1910s and are jazz classics.

In the 1920s, jazz developed beyond simple three-chord blues-based chord structures and became very popular in Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago and New York before spreading to London and Paris. During this time, in Kansas City, the tuba was replaced with the string bass as the bass clef instrument of choice. This was a major development, for the quickness and versatility of the string bass allowed the music to open up and swing more than the plodding tuba could allow.

It was during the '20s that jazz was moving away from the improvised "Dixieland" style.

As jazz grew, so did the size of the typical jazz orchestra: from five, to seven, to finally 18 and even larger. The first great jazz composer, African-American Duke Ellington went to New York City in 1923 and formed the first big jazz band-10 pieces. Ellington required his players to not only be great improvisors, but to be great improvisors, but to be formally trained in reading music. His contributions to jazz were such that he was the first jazz composer to receive the Presedential Medal of Freedom.

Composer/arranger Duke Ellington's career took off in the 1920s (particularly in famous New York night spots such as the Cotton Club). Ellington became famous for infusing traditional blues and jazz elements with great sophistication by incorporating complex harmonies and original arrangements in his music. He changed the face of modern music, and his influence on musicians of all styles still endures.

With conductor Paul Whiteman, the size of the bands increased further still. Whiteman is credited with developing "symphonic jazz" and included violins and timpani in his band. Whiteman's complex arrangements, particularly of composer George Gershwin, popularized jazz music with a greater white audience who had previously shunned jazz as "black" music.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the "swing" era was in full bloom with virtuoso instrumentalists like Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller among others. During this era, jazz was definitely the most popular style in the U.S. and musicians all over the world played the music.

After the war, swing yielded to a style of jazz called "be-bop" and "cool jazz," and smaller combos became popular again. (This was partly due to the natural evolution of the music and partly due to economics; the cost of keeping a big band together was becoming too expensive.) Saxophonist Charlie Parker, along with fellow band mates and friends Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis were at the forefront of the new movement where the tempos were typically extremely fast and a great technical virtuosity was necessary. Unusual tempos and rhythms, in addition to modern harmonies, were also found in the music.

In the 1960s and 1970s, jazz continued to evolve, in part as a reaction to the growing rock and roll trend of pop music ("free jazz") and in part, embracing it ("fusion jazz" and "jazz-rock"). Greats like Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock continue to take jazz to new heights, experimenting with electronic music in addition to 20th century classical music harmonies.

George Gershwin is one of American's finest composers. His wonderful songs like "I've Got Rhythm," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Embraceable You" and many others are still standards often sung today. He also successfully mixed classical and jazz elements, as evident in his famous "Rhapsody in Blue.

The 1980s and 1990s has seen a resurgence of more traditional jazz, with the brothers Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr. and others reinventing the exciting medium once more.

Piano Jazz

Jazz pianists have particularly made significant contributions to expanding jazz into an art form. Boogie, stride, swing, be-bop, cool and free jazz style have been influenced by Jelly Roll Morton, Count Basie, Earl Hines, Art Tatum Bud Powell, Thelonius Monk, Dave Brubeck, Keith Jarrett, Harry Connick, Jr. and many others.

Many of the musical characteristics found in the performance of these outstanding players have been sprinkled throughout this book. REcordings of those and other stars are widely available.

Jazz musicians use a unique musical skill known as improvisation. Improvisation has been used in classical music for many centuries, yet it has a special place in jazz, for it offers every performer an opportunity to use traditional musical skills and techniques to create new and personal musical compositions. Jazz improvisors are not born with the ability to improvise-it is learned. The jazz student studies the skills and vocabulary of jazz and then uses it in spontaneous ways to create new muscial compositions. It is an exciting event for the jazz performer, and it is thrilling for aufiences to see and hear that kind of creativity take place.

I personally love to hear Jazz and enjoy playing many tunes from the 20s and 40s. I have always been a firm believer on knowing your chords, connecting those chord progressions, playing those songs and improvising a bit, knowing your scales and patterns. If you have a favorite jazz song or artist, I'd love to hear from you.

Musician Breakthrough


All the best,

"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

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The Ace In The Hole Chords (Dempsey/Mitchell)

Dorothy Lamour on the Argentinean Magazine cover. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ace in the Hole (cartoon) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Ace In The Hole, words by James Dempsey and music by George Mitchell

A hit of 1909, this song continued to find new popularity through the years. In 1926, it was featured in the Broadway show "Lulu Belle," the tale of a saloon singer who makes it to Broadway. The film version, in 1948, starred Dorothy Lamour in the title role, with George Montgomery and Otto Kruger. Singer Roberta Sherwood is best remembered for her performance of this gem.



Lyrics to The Ace In The Hole

This town is full of guys, Who think they're awful wise
just because they know a thing or two
you'll meet them night and day, strolling up and down Broadway
Telling of the wonders they can do
There's con-men and there's boosters, there's card-men and crap-shooters
they congregate around the metropole
they wear flashy ties and collars but the way they get their dollars
they all have got an ace stuck in the hole
some of them send to the old folks for coin
that is their ace in the hole
 others have friends in the old tenderloin
 that is their old ace in the hole
they tell you of trips that they're going to take
from Florida to the North Pole
but their name would be "mud" like a "punk" playing "stud"
if they lost that old ace in the hole


 Chords in the Key of G. 4/4 time signature, play freely.


          G         D+     G                                      D+      G
This town is full of guys, Who think they're awful wise
           F#7           F7         E7         Am
just because they know a thing or two
                             E7           Am                            E7               Am7
you'll meet them night and day, strolling up and down Broadway
D7                                               G
Telling of the wonders they can do

There's con-men and there's boosters, there's card-men and crap-shooters
                   F#7          F7         E7    Am
they congregate around the Metropole
                 A7                    D                    A7                         D
they wear flashy ties and collars but the way they get their dollars
         A7                  A7-5                  D7  Am  F7  D7
they all have got an ace stuck in the hole
 G                                        Am
Some of them send to their old folks for coin
D7                               G     D7
That is their ace in the hole
G                                         Am
Others have friends in the old Tenderloin
D7                                           G
That is their  ace down in the hole
         D Ddim D D#dim    A7
they tell you of trips that they're going to take
                                          D7
from Florida to the North Pole
               G                         Am   
but their name would be "mud" like a "punk" playing "stud"
Gdim Eb7 G E7      Am D7    G  G7  Gdim  Am7-5  G
if they lost that old ace in the hole

There's also another familiar song Ace In The Hole by George Straight

A
Bb
You've got to have an ace in the hole
         D7                 A     A7
         Eb7                Bb    Bb7
A little secret that nobody knows
D         D#dim7    A/E                  F#7
Eb        Edim7     Bb/F    Bb(#5)/F#    G7#5
Life is a gamble, a game we all          play
  B7                           E        E7
        C7                           F        F7
But you need to save something for a rainy day
       A
       Bb
You've got to learn to play your card right
   D7                   A    A7
   Eb7                  Bb   Bb7
If you expect to win in life
      D          D#dim7      A/E          F#7
      Eb6        Edim7       Bb/F         G7#5
Don't put it all on the line for just one roll
       B7             E7         A
       C7             F7         Bb
You've got to have an ace in the hole

I hope you can use the Dempsey/Mitchell words and music. I researched online and 

found some incorrect words and absolutely no chords available on the internet. Just 

wanted to bring some of us up to date from a sheet music magazine I had on hand. No, 

I wasn't familiar with this particular song but I do like hearing diminished chords.

Have a great week practicing with your instrument. Keep it up!

Take Your Piano Playing To The Next Level With These Courses

Best, 




"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

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Peel Me A Grape

English: Grape Vineyard at Robert Mondavi Vineyard, Napa Valley, Oakville, California, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cabaret/Entertainer Song: Peel Me A Grape

This song of self-indulgence was composer Frishberg's first entry into songwriting. It has become a staple of famed pianist/singer Blossom Dearie's repertoire.

In 1962 Dave Frishberg wrote the words and music to Peel Me A Grape. Marty Gold did the arrangement. Play lightly - not too slowly with 4/4 time signature, key of F.

Lyrics to Peel Me A Grape

Peel me a grape, crush me some ice
Skin me a peach, save the fuzz for my pillow
Start me a smoke, talk to me nice
You got to wine me and dine me

Don't try and train me, chow mein me
Best way to serve me, hors d'oeuvre me
I'm getting hungry, peel me a grape

Pop me a cork, French me a fry
Crack me a nut, bring a bowl fulla bon-bons
Chill me some wine, keep standing by
Just entertain me, champagne me

Best way to cheer me, cashmere me
(From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/d/diana-krall-lyrics/peel-me-a-grape-lyrics.html)
Best way to smell me, Chanel me
I'm getting hungry, peel me a grape

Here's how to be an agreeable chap
Love me and leave me in luxury's lap
Hop when I holler, skip when I snap
When I say 'do it,' jump to it

Send out for Scotch, call me a cab
Cut me a rose, make my tea with the petals
Just hang around, pick up the tab
Never outthink me, just mink me

Polar bear rug me, don't bug me
New Thunderbird me, you heard me
I'm getting hungry, peel me a grape

 Chord Chart to Peel Me A Grape

Intro

Dm  Eb7  Dm  Eb7  Dm  Dm/C  Bb7  A7
 

Dm7        Eb7     Dm7                 Eb7
Peel me a grape, crush me some ice
Dm7         C7                     Bb7             A7+5
Skin me a peach, save the fuzz for my pillow
Dm7          Eb7      Dm7        F9
Start me a smoke, talk to me nice
Bb7            Bdim     Fm/C      B7
You got to wine me and dine me
Bb7                 Bdim     Fm/C    B7
Don't try and fool me, bejewell me
Bb7                       Bdim     Fm/C
Either amuse me, or lose me
Bm7/A                    A7(+9)     A7  Dm  Dm/C  Bb7  A7
I'm getting hungry, peel me a grape

 Dm7        Eb7   Dm7            Eb7
Pop me a cork, French me a fry
Dm7            C7               Bb7             A7+5
Crack me a nut, bring a bowl for my pillow
Dm7                 Eb7    Dm7             F9
Chill me some wine, keep standing by
Bb7          Bdim    Fm/C          B7
Just entertain me, champagne me
Bb7                 Bdim     Fm/C       B7
Show me you love me, kid glove me
Bb7               Bdim     Fm/C
Best way to cheer me, cashmere me
Bm7/A                    A7(+9)       A7  Dm  Dm/C  Bb7  A7
I'm getting hungry, peel me a grape.

 D7
Here's how to be an agreeable chap
Gm                Gm/F#        Gm/F    Em7-5
Love me and leave me in luxury's lap
E7                D/F#   Gm              G#dim
Hop when I holler, skip when I snap
          Bb9             A7+5
When I say 'do it,' jump to it
Dm7              Eb7     Dm7        Eb7
Send out for Scotch, call me a cab
Dm7        C7                   Bb7              A7+5
Cut me a rose, make my tea with the petals
Dm7         Eb7      Dm7           F9
Just hang around, pick up the tab
Bb7           Bdim       Fm/C       B7
Never out think me, just mink me

Bb7           Bdim     Fm/C      B7
Polar bear rug me, don't bug me
Bb7                  Bdim     Fm/C
New Thunderbird me, you heard me
Bm7/A                     A7(+9)    Dm6
I'm getting hungry, peel me a grape

Piano Chord Breakdown

I am playing these chords throughout the song, not necessarily in this order.


Dm7 = D/CFA

Eb7 = BbEb/DbG

C7 = CGBb/BbDG

Bb7 = BbAb/DFG

A7+5 = AA/C#FG

F9 = FA/EbG

Bdim = BA/F

Fm/C = CAb/FAb

B7 = BA/D

Bm7/A = AF#/G#ABb

A7(+9) = AG/AC

A7 = AE/C#

Dm/C = C/AF

D7 = DF#/D

Gm = G/BbD

Gm/F# = F#/C#DEb

Gm/F = F/BbD

Em7-5 = E/BbD

E7 = EG#/E

D/F# = F#A/E

G#dim = G#B/E

Bb9 = BbAb/CF

A7+5 = A/C#FG

Dm6 = DB/DAD

Diana Krall - Peel Me a Grape - Sheet Music (Digital Download)

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"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

Learn The Thorn Birds Theme

Once again, Henry Mancini has worked his musical magic to bring us this charming instrumental from the TV mini-series The Thorn Birds. His music has enriched TV shows like Peter Gunn, Mr. Lucky, Remington Steele and the Bob Newhart Show, as well as a long list of award-winning films.

The 1983 mini-series is based on the best-selling novel of the same name. It focuses on three generations of an Australian family from 1920-1962. A forbidden romance between a beautiful young woman and a Catholic priest is the heart of the plot.

The song, The thorn Birds Theme, was written by Henry Mancini in 1983. I have the music in the Key of C, then it modulates to F. The time signature is 6/8, Flowing.

The chord chart is as follows:

C

C7

F

Gm/F

F

C/F

F

Gm/F

F

C/F

F

Bb

C/Bb

F/A

Dm

Gm

Gm/C

F

Bb

C/Bb

F/A

Dm

Gm

Gm/C

F

Gm/F

F

C/F

F

Gm/F

F

Bb/F

Bb/C

F

How To Play The Thorn Birds Theme

The first 4 measures is the intro with C5 in the bass; CG with a little C grace note before the chord. In fact there's an A grace note before the chord, BbG in the right hand when you play Gm/F. You'll also find some triplets sprinkled throughout the piece for your right hand. Examples: D-E-D or G-A-G and A-Bb-A.

In the left hand, you have a mixture  of blocked chords (played at the same time) and arpeggiated, broken chords. For a great finger exercise and it's what you play for many measures, practice these single notes with your left hand:

F, C, F, C (7 xs), then play F, C, F.

F, C, F, C (6 xs), then F to CC. Last measure, F, A, C, F, A, C, F.

Chord Breakdown

C7 = CBb/CEG

F = F/CA, then C/AF (2 xs)

Gm/F = F/BbG

F = F/ACF

C/F = F/GE, F/AF, C/BbG

F= FCF/AF

Gm/F = F/BbG

F= F/ACF

C/F = F/GE

F/AF

Bb = BbF/DFD

C/Bb = BbG/CEG

F/A = AF/CFA

Dm = DA/FAD

Gm = GBb/DGD

Gm/C = CBb/DG

F =  FAC/CA

Bb = BbF/DFD

C/Bb = BbG/EGE

F/A = AF/AG

Dm = DFA/A

Gm = GD/BbDG

Gm/C = C/BbDG

F = FCF/F

Gm/F = F/BbG

F = F/CA

C/F = F/GE

F = FCF/AF

Gm/F = F/DBb

F = F/CA

Bb/F = F/FD

Bb/C = CC/CA

F = FAC/ AF

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"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

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