Published:
2023-11-29
Updated:
2023-11-29

Learning Ukulele with Curt

Around The World

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Around The World".

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-26

Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any

Subjects: Chords

2023-11-29

Around The World

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Around The World".

Around The World

Published 1956

Around The World is the theme tune from the 1956 movie Around the World in 80 Days . In the film, only an instrumental version of the song appeared, although the vocal version has become the better known one. The song was written by Harold Adamson and Victor Young; Young died in 1956, several weeks after the film's release, and he received the Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture posthumously. Young's orchestral version was a #13 hit on the Billboard charts in 1957. The recording by Bing Crosby was the B-side of the Victor Young version in 1957, on Festival SP45-1274 in Australia, and was a joint charting success. wikiwand

Around The World 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.

Ukulele Chords

G G#dim Am D7 D+ C6 C#dim E7

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Around The World is in 3/4 and the Key of G .
  • Start on P5 ↑ P4.

Intervals Legend: 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

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

G
G
G
G
T

G Ionian

E7b9/G#
G#dim
Am
D7
Am

III7
(V of VI)

II
V
II

E Mix -2-6

The G#dim is really a E7b9/G# , Disguised Secondary Dominant Seventh chord.

Am
D7
Am
D7
II
V
II
V
D7
D+
G
G
V
V
I

D Whole Tone Adresses the ♯5 in the chord.

The D+ is still functioning as a V , Dominant chord, resolving to its Tonic I chord. Just adding a bit more tension.

G
G
G
G
T
E7b9/G#
G
G#dim
Am
Am
I

III7
(V of VI)

II

E Mix-2-6

Another case where G#dim is really a E7b9/G# , Disguised Secondary Dominant Seventh chord.

Am
D7
G
G
II
V
I

The 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.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • Around The World is in 3/4 and the Key of G .

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Around The World.

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor

Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues

Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

Performance Notes

Any performance notes will show here.

Links & Resources