Somewhere Over The Rainbow - chord chart, anyone?

[Rickenjangle]

I've been thinking about doing some kind of jazzy bluesy solo rendition (think solo clean Gretsch, with vocals) of SOTR - kind of like Eric Clapton's version, only perhaps not QUITE as jazzy...still, would like a chart that has (perhaps) a pair of chords per bar, maybe even some voice leading...I'd like to do it in the key of E.

Anyone have ideas on resources for this? I'm not great at figuring voice-leading harmony out by myself.

I looked on the 'web - I keep finding plain-vanilla renditions in C or (and this is particularly frustrating) that damn Brudda Iz (the big Hawai'ian and his Ukulele) arrangement with the oooohs.

I don't have a problem paying, either, provided that I find a version that I can live with...

Thanks all you music gurus!

[Wilko]

I wrote one for a guitar class back in college. It was in C, but was prolly exactly what you are looking for.

I'll try to remember it and chart it for you after I get done with some of this work tonight

[Rickenjangle]

Nice, Rick, thanks!

I can actually transpose it anyways, using Nashville numbers so C works out fine.

[Wilko]

That was fun... I hadn't played that in a while.

Here's a bonehead chart:
http://ewilkins.com/music/rainbow.pdf

...and an audio file of how it sounds. Add spice to taste. Serve chilled:
Somewhere Over the Rainbow

[Rickenjangle]

That is so awesome! Thanks so much! I can't wait to get home and let 'er rip on my guitar!

[Gravity Jim]

The public acclaim for the IZ version rots my socks. He doesn't even play the damn chords right, and then trashes the melody. I don't care how charmingly fat and falsetto'ed and harmlessly exotic he is, it's lame.

[Doc W]

The public acclaim for the IZ version rots my socks. He doesn't even play the damn chords right, and then trashes the melody. I don't care how charmingly fat and falsetto'ed and harmlessly exotic he is, it's lame.

I am so happy that someone finally said that. I love the song and I hate that version.

[Rickenjangle]

My office mate has the *^#^@#* IZ version as her cell phone ringer. So at least once or twice a day, I get treated to it. Plus, if she's away from her desk she leaves the phone on her desk and I have to hear the ringtone all the way through. One day she's gonna come back to find the phone has sailed through the window and out into the street.

[Wilko]

That chart is pretty simple and rough as I don't remember that much about it. It's mostly the "straight" chords. Plenty of room for substitutions and embellishments.

That IZ thing is pleasant enough on its own for a pop ditty. It's NOT Somewhere Over the Rainbow (or What a Wonderful World).

And as I once heard said, "my wife likes it, so that means I like it too."

[pauln]

You don't want to miss out on some the signature chord changes in this song...

When it goes "Some...where", in C the "where..." is [Am].

Another crucial chord shift (the most important chord change in the whole song) is where it goes "...away above the chimney tops..." where the chords change (in C) to F#m7(b5) on "away..." and B7(b9) on "chimney..."

If you do it in key of E, the the first above is [Emaj7] to [C#m] and in the second above, [A#m7(b5)] and [D#7(b9)].

In key of E the whole thing would be like this... [chords] appear in front of the words they start with...

[Emaj7] Some [C#m] where [G#m7] over the rain- [E7] -bow
[Amaj7] Way [D#7] up [G#m7] high [C#7]...
[F#m7] There's [D7] a [Emaj7] land that I [G#m7] heard [C#7] of
[F#m7] Once in a [B7] lull- [Emaj7] -aby [F#m7]... [B7]...

[Emaj7] Some [C#m] where [G#m7] over the rain [E7] bow
[Amaj7] Skies [D#7] are [G#m7] blue [C#7]...
[F#m7] And [D7] the [Emaj7] dreams that you [G#m7] dare [C#7] to
[F#m7] Dream really [B7] do come true [Emaj7]

[Emaj7] Some day I'll wish upon a star
And [F#m7] wake up where the [B7] clouds are far [G#m7] be- [C#7] -hind me [F#m7]...
[B7] Where [Emaj7] troubles melt like lemon drops
A- [A#m7(b5)] -way above the [D#7(b9)] chimney tops
That's [G#m7] where [C#7] you'll [F#m7] find [B7] me

[Emaj7] Some [C#m] where [G#m7] over the rain- [E7] -bow
[Amaj7] Blue- [D#7] -birds [G#m7] fly [C#7]...
[F#m7] Birds [D7] fly [Emaj7] over the [G#m7] rain- [C#7] -bow
[F#m7] Why, then, oh [B7] why can't [Emaj7] I?

This is kind of the straight sounding version, some would use [Am] rather than the [D7], substitute [E6/9] for [Emaj7], and many other re-harmonizations, especially using different notes in the bass of many chords to provide a chromatic moving bass line...

But, hope this helps...

[Rickenjangle]

Wow! Thanks all! All these versions will keep me busy - and learning - for quite awhile...

The other night I followed a rabbit trail and started figuring out my own chord/melody solo to Sleepwalk too, so perhaps in a few months I'll have a couple of jazzy instrumentals to haul out during breaks in my band gigs.

[bobad]

Play it like this :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ubVGiyAhkY

[Rickenjangle]

Ummm, perhaps after years and years of work!! ;-)