Learn Can't We Be friends?

                                     photo credit: 藍川芥 aikawake FILM | Happy Childhood via photopin (license)

 The 1929 musical revue "The Little Show" was the showcase for this song. Since that time it has been welcomed into the world of jazz as a classic and recorded by such greats as Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, George Shearing, Benny Goodman and his Orchestra and Frank Sinatra. ASCAP rated this song among the top hits of 1929.

,

"Can't We Be Friends?" (Chords and Lyrics)

Music by Kay Swift
Words by Paul James

Key: Ab
Time: 4/4 Andantino

Fm                    Fm/Ab        G7 G7-5  G7
I took each word he said as gospel truth,
C7                             Db/F  C7
The way a silly little child would.
Fm           Fm/Ab            G7       G7-5  G7
I can't excuse it on the grounds of youth,
C7                             Fm Bb Fm
I was no babe in the wild wood.
Bbm         Fm/Ab
He didn't mean it,
G7-5              Fm
I should have seen it,
E6/C  C7+5  F  C/E  Ab7/Eb
Now it's too late!


Key of F (modulation)

G7/D  G7                        C7               C9

I thought I'd found the man of my dreams.

F         Db7      Dm7/C           D/A Db7/Ab C7/G

Now it seems, this is how the story ends:

C7     Dm       G9        C7

He's going to turn me down and say,

F            Bb7    F     Dm  Dm7/C

Can't we be friends?

G9   G7                    C7

I thought for once it couldn't go wrong.

F         Db7 Dm7/C           Dm/A    Db7/Ab C7/G

Not for long! I can see the way this ends:

C7  Dm        G9        C7

He's goin' to turn me down and say,

F           Bb7   F      Dm  F7

Can't we be friends?

Bb7    C  Bb9

Never again!

Bb7               F

Through with love,

      Fdim7       F

Through with men! 

        F+    Fm6  Fm6              Eb           Cm/Eb Eb7  D+

They play their game without shame, and who's to blame?

D  D7  A7+5  D  Gb6/Db  D9/C

G7                            C7 

I thought I'd found a man I could trust.

F          Db7  Dm7/C            Dm/A Db7/Ab C7/G

What a bust! This is how the story ends:

C7   Dm       G9           C7

He's going to turn me down and say,

F           Bb7   F  F6  F

Can't we be friends?

Rainy Night In Georgia is a popular song from the 60s. I have posted the chord progressions to Tony Joe White's piece. Also, Billy Vera's At This Moment is from the best of the 80s music!

Two great resources you may want to have and use in your music library are Jazz 101 and Jazz 201.

All the best,

-- LadyD

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

All Hail the King

All Hail The King, dedicated to the great pianist Nat "King" Cole, is in the style of the changes to Kurt Weill's Mack the Knife. Louis Armstrong, Dick Hyman and Sonny Rollins are among those who have recorded great jazz versions of that tune. Here, we're in the key of A Major, and in sixteen bars we'll go through all the voicings you may already know.

Song: All Hail The King

Key of A: F#, C#, A#

Time Signature: 4/4,  Quarter Note = 160

Chord Chart:

AMaj7  A6 / AMaj7 / Bmin7 / E7

Bmin7 / E7 / AMaj7 /

C#min7 / Bmin7 / E7

Bmin7 / E7 / AMaj7   F#min7 / Bmin7  E7

Chord Breakdown

L.H. / R.H.

A/EG#C# and A/C#EF#A // A/C#EG# to G#C#E //B/AD#F#, DF#AB // E/BD#G#

B/ADE // E/G#DE // A/G#C#E, AG#/F#, G#, A, B (r.h. single notes)

F#E/C# to A // EAC#/F to A // AD/D, C#, B, A // G#D/G# to B

ADF#/E // G#BD/E // G#C#E/E to AE/E // AD/ to G#D/

This exercise is taken from the Beginning JAZZ KEYBOARD Book by Noah Baerman. You'll find tons of Jazz music resources at Jazz Music Shop Jazz Sheet Music.

Have fun with this song and by the way, if you're interested in more information regarding these kind of chords, visit voicing-7th-chords.

Let me know how this works for you.

Best,








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

Related articles

• Monday Mail: Chording with Right Hand
• Introduction to Modulation
• Takin' It To The Streets: Doobie Brothers
• Famous Chord Progression: 2-5-1
• Norah Jones: Sunrise
• At This Moment: Best of the 80s

Monday Music Quote: Bob Mintzer

"In the name of increasing your knowledge of the music and vocabulary, listening is really a must. It would be the equivalent of reading newspapers on a daily basis and reading novels if you want to become a writer... same process I think." 

          Saxophonist, composer/arranger, band leader Bob Mintzer

One of my favorite bass players is John Clayton. 
Here is his recommended recordings for instrumental listening.
Are you familiar with some of these fine songs?


1. Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson
2.  Count Basie - Long Live the Chief
3. George Benson - White Rabbit, Body Talk,
4. Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers - Free for All
5. Paul Chambers - Paul Chambers Quintet
6. John Coltrane - Ballads, Blue Train, Giant Steps
7. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet
8. Duke Ellington - Live at the Newport Jazz Festival, Back to Back
9. Bill Evans - You Must Believe in Spring
10. Slide Hampton - World of Trombones
11. Johnny Hodges - At Sportpalast
12. JJ Johnson - Proof of Positive, The Eminent JJ Johnson
13. Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass - Play the Jazz Classics
14. Wes Montgomery, Wynton Kelly - Smokin' at the Half-Note
15. Joe Pass - Virtuosos
16. Oscar Peterson - A Royal Wedding Suite
17. Frank Rosolino Fond Memories of...
18. Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer
19. Frank Wess Orchestra
20. Gerald Wilson - Theme for Monterey

Another cool song by Adele Adkins and Daniel Wilson is Someone Like You. Here are the music chords to play with the time signature 4/4. I like Adele's music. How about you?

Intro
=====

A A/Ab F#m D


Verse 1
=======

  A                A/Ab
I heard that you're settled down
        F#m
That you found a girl
          D
And you're married now

  A              A/Ab
I heard that your dreams came true
         F#m
Guess she gave you things
        D
I didn't give to you

   A                   A/Ab
Old friend why are you so shy
        F#m
It ain't like you to hold back
  D
Or hide from life


Bridge 1
========

  E                          F#m                 D
I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but

I couldn't stay away I couldn't fight it
    E
I'd hoped you'd see my face
    F#m                             D           Dmaj7  D
And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over


Chorus 1
========

A                E                 F#m D
Never mind, I'll find someone like you
       A               E        F#m D
I wish nothing but the best for you too
      A           E        F#m        D
Don't forget me I beg I re-member you said
             A                 E                     F#m    D
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts in-stead
             A                 E                     F#m   D
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead, yeah


Verse 2
=======

A              A/Ab
 You'd know how time flies
    F#m
Only yesterday
       D
was the time of our lives

       A
We were born and raised
    A/Ab
In a summer haze
     F#m                     D
Bound by the surprise of our glory days


Bridge 2
========


  E                          F#m                 D
I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but
D
I couldn't stay away I couldn't fight it
    E
I'd hoped you'd see my face
    F#m                             D           Dmaj7  D
And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over



Chorus 2
========

A                E                 F#m D
Never mind, I'll find someone like you
       A               E        F#m D
I wish nothing but the best for you too
      A           E        F#m        D
Don't forget me I beg I re-member you said
             A                 E                     F#m    D
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts in-stead, yeah


Break
=====

E
Nothing compares no worries or cares
F#m
Regrets and mistakes their memories make
D
 Who would have known how
       Bm    C#m        D
Bitter-sweet this would taste


Chorus 3
========

A              E                  F#m D
Never mind I’ll find someone like you
       A               E        F#m D
I wish nothing but the best for you too
      A           E        F#m        D
Don't forget me I beg I re-member you said
             A                 E                     F#m    D
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts in-stead



Chorus 4 / Outro
================

A              E                  F#m D
Never mind I’ll find someone like you
       A               E        F#m D
I wish nothing but the best for you too
      A           E        F#m        D
Don't forget me I beg I re-member you said
             A                 E                     F#m    D
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts in-stead
             A                 E                     F#m    D
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts in-stead
             A                 E                     F#m    D
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead

Yeah Yeah

This song by Adele is in the Key of A. Wondering how to find the key center? 

Visit, Finding the key to any song 

Warmly, 

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

Monday Music Quote: Louis Armstrong and Smooth Jazz Chords

• "Man, if you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know."

• --- Louis Armstrong

Back in 2006 my friend, Cmajor13 in the zone, shared some smooth jazz chords with us. It's a nice ballad. The numbers that are on the side of the notes are the number of beats the chord gets.

B/ADE ... 1-2

E/AbCDF... 1-2

A/GBCE... 1-2

G/FABbD... 1

C/EABbC... 1

B/ADE... 1-2

E/AbCDF... 1-2

B, A, B, C, D... this is a melody line that you can do with both hands.

More progressions for smooth jazz lovers.


I-ii-iii-V progression in D major:

D/ADEA

E/ADG

F#/BEA

G/ADG

I-bVI-II-V progression in Cmin:

C/EbGBbD

Ab/GBbCEb

D/F#CF

G/FBEb

I-IV-V progression in Cmaj:

C/BDEG

F/ACEG

G/CEFG

or if you do it in Cm you could do:

C/DEbGBb

F/EbGAbC

G/BEbFBb

Last one in Cm:

C/BbEbG

F/AbCEbG

D/AbCF

G/BbCD

GF/BEb

Ab/BbCEbG

F/AbCEbAb

Db/CEbFAb

G/CDG

GF/BEb

C/BbEbG

F/AbCEbG

D/AbCF

G/BbCD

GF/BEb

C/BbDEbG


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