Learn To Play Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

                                                 photo credit: Magical Surprise via photopin (license)

Harold Arlen wrote the music, along with the lyrics by Ted Koehler in 1931... a very popular song called Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea. It goes something like this hearing the instrumental version on YouTube.

Chords and Lyrics

Key: F

Time: 4/4

INTRO: 

F Gm7 C7 F Gm7 C7 F7 Bb Bbm F/C Fm6/C Gm7 C7 F

         F              F7

Is there anyone around who cannot the see

          Dm              Bbm   Gm7       C7 F

it's the well-known run-around you're giving me,

Gm7                       C7     F     Db7

I suppose you'll tell me I'm all wrong

       F                    F7

It's a bitter pill to take, coming from you,

          Dm             Bbm

tho' I've made a big mistake,

Gm7      C7 F

what can I do?

Gm7                         C7     F  C7#5

I don't know what makes me string along.

F Dm    Gm7       C7
I don't want you
F      Dm      Gm7   C7
But I'd hate to lose you
F7        Bb     Bbm6       F/C Fm6
You got me in between the devil and the
 Gm7 C7        F   C7
deep blue sea 

F    Gm7 C7

I forgive you

F                 Gm7  C7 
'Cause I can't forget you 

F7            Bb  Bbm6   F/C           Fm6/C
You've got me in between the devil and the 

Gm7   C7   F  E7  A6
deep blue sea 

A  F#m               Bm7      E7
I ought to cross you off my list
A             Adim         A   F7#5   E7 Am6
But when you come knocking at my door
C/G      Am              Fm6        
Fate seems to give my heart a twist
    Ab7                 Dm7b5 G  C7 
And I come running back for more 
F   Dm   Gm7  C7
I should hate you

F             Gm7  C7
But I guess I love you 

F7           Bb  Bbm6       F/C   Fm6/C
You've got me in between the devil and the 

Gm7  C7    F
deep blue sea 

Chords From The Song

(no particular order)

L.H. / R.H.

F = FF/FAC

F7 = FF/EbAF

F7#5 = FF/EbAC#

Fm6 = Ab/DFC

F/C = CC/FAC

Fm6/C = Ab/DFC

G7 = GD/BFG

Gm7 = GBb/DFC and GF/BbDG

C7 = CE/BbDG and CBb/EAD

C7#5 = C/BbEG#

Cdim7 = CA/EbF#C

C/G = GG/GCEG

Db7 = GG/DbFCb

Bb = BbF/DFC

Bbm = G/FBbDbF and BbBb/DbFA

Bbm6 = G/FBbDF

Bm7 = BB/ADF#A

Db7 = GG/DbFCb

Dm = DD/DFA

Dm7b5 = DD/CFAb

E7 = B/G#D and EE/DG#E

A = AE/C#EA

A6 = AA/G#C#E

Am6 = A/F#CE

Ab7 = AbEb/CGbEb

Adim = Eb/CF#A

A helpful resource to assist musicians, Back Pocket Band Software, has 350+ backing tracks. I have the software and it's great! Take a look at the Back Pocket Band Video

All the best,

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