Published:
2023-04-07
Updated:
2023-04-07

Learning Ukulele with Curt

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Don't Get Around Much Anymore".

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-68

Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any

Subjects: Chords

2023-04-07

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Don't Get Around Much Anymore".

Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Released:

Don't Get Around Much Anymore is a jazz standard written by composer Duke Ellington. The song was originally entitled "Never No Lament" and was first recorded by Duke Ellington and his orchestra on May 4, 1940. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" quickly became a hit after Bob Russell wrote its lyrics in 1942.

Two different recordings of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", one by The Ink Spots and the 1940 instrumental by Ellington's own band, reached No. 1 on the R&B chart in the US in 1943. Both were top-ten pop records, along with a version by Glen Gray. The Duke Ellington version reached No. 8 on the pop chart wikiwand

Don't Get Around Much Anymore is an AABA song form.

Don't Get Around Much Anymore 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 E7 A7 D7 G7 C Cm Gmaj7 C#m7b5 Bm7

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

  • Don't Get Around Much Anymore is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of G .
  • The Original key for Don't Get Around Much Anymore is Key of C .
  • Start on M3 ↓ M2.

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

Don't Get Around Much Anymore is an AABA song form.

A re-harmonization, in Red can be a simple, sticking pretty close to the original composer's intentions or complex and a whole new set of chord changes.

Gmaj7
G
G
E7
E7
I
I

III7
(V of VI)

III7

E Mix+4

Checkout the Don't Get Around Anymore song page right here on on learningukulele.com for the fills in measures 1 and 3 tht are played when the main theme is played.

1.

A9
D7
G (G6)
D7

II7
(V of V)

V
I
V

A Mix+4

2.

G (G6)
Dm7
G7
I
II
V
C6
C#dim7
C
Cm
Gmaj7
G7
I
Im
Vmaj7
V
C6
C#m7b5
F#7
Bbdim7
C
C#m7b5
Bm7
D7
I
#Im7b5
IV
V

C# Locrian

G
G
E7
E7
I
I
VI7
E7
C6 (I)
Eb7 (bIII7)
Dm7 (II)
G7 (V)
A7
D7
G
Cm
G

II7
(V of V)

V
I
IV
I

A Mix+4

C Dorian

Ralph Patt Vanilla Book

Checkout the Ralph Patt Vanilla Book for the Vanilla changes for Don't Get Around Much Anymore • The Vanilla Book uncovers the basic (“Vanilla”) chord changes to over 400 of the most commonly played jazz standards to help the jazz player learn the basic changes and allow the player to add embellishments and substitutions on a solid framework.

Embellishments to basic chords such as added 6ths, 9ths, 13ths, flat 5ths etc. are usually determined by the melody notes and the style of music being played and finally your ear.

    Key of C     4/4
                                         Pickup   |  G7          |

    [:   C         |   C          |   A7         |   A7          |
                                  1._____________________________
    |    D7        |   Dm7   G7   |   C          |   G7         :]
    2.____________________________
    |    C         |   C7         |   F          |   F#dim       |

    |    C         |   Gm7   C7   |   F          |  F#m7b5   B7  |

    |    Em    D7  |   G7        ||   C          |   C           |

    |    A7        |   A7         |   D7         |   Dm7   G7    |

    |    C         |   C          |
  

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.

  • Don't Get Around Much Anymore is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of G .
  • The Original key for Don't Get Around Much Anymore is Key of C .

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Don't Get Around Much Anymore.

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