The Steel Guitar Forum

basilh · From: United Kingdom

Having heard for the past few years at various conventions, players noodling around the chord sequence and calling their efforts "Sweet George Brown" I felt that I should at least ATTEMPT to establish what the ACTUAL melody is. ! Rolling Eyes

Be aware of the lyrics.. there are more but just these are relevant:-
Sweet Georgia Brown
Words by A. Ken Casey, Music by Maceo Pinkard

Chorus
No gal made has got a shade on Sweet Georgia Brown.
Two left feet, but oh, so neat has Sweet Georgia Brown.
They all sigh and wanna die for Sweet Georgia Brown,
I'll tell you just why, you know I don't lie (not much!).
It's been said she knocks 'em dead when she lands in town.
Since she came why it's a shame how she's cooled 'em down.
Fellas that she can't get Must be fellas that she ain't met.
Georgia claimed her, Georgia named her, Sweet Georgia Brown.

I'm not sure of the chord on the words "not much" (Bars 23-24) but the Ab-E7 feels right for the melody notes, also the half diminished chords (m7b5) may seem over elaborate but they are in keeping with the era and genre'.

(Please excuse the non syncopation in the notation, I just can't get around how to do it in Tabledit.)
All corrections GRATEFULLY and graciously accepted..
I also can't figure out why the program misses out the crotchet rests (F minor section) in the notation on page 2 ? It's displaying on the screen !!

AND the hi-resolution pdf is HERE
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Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

I think the melody note at that spot is Bb and the chord is C7

basilh · From: United Kingdom

Thanks Billy, as they say "Every Little Helps"

IDID find t this information which is relevant.

Musical analysis of “Sweet Georgia Brown”
Original Key Ab major
Form A1 – A2 or A – B – A – C, depending on whether it’s divided into sixteen-bar or eight-bar phrases
Tonality Primarily major
Movement Generally upward by steps with intermittent skips downward, creating a jumpy, “jagged” ascent

The melodic line is challenging, requiring a fair amount of dexterity to perform properly. Harmonically, this goes through almost every key imaginable, but, since the changes are arranged in a circle of fifths (“A”) or in a i – V7 – i context (“B”), they are not difficult to follow. Even the chromatically descending progression in the final four measures of the song is used so commonly as a “turnaround” (especially in Dixieland) that it should be part of every performer’s repertoire.

Aled Rhys Jones · From: Tarrytown, NY

As I've played it, the changes on bars 20-24:

Ab / / / Bbm7 / Eb7 / Ab / / / Gm7 / C7 /

But I believe I've heard it done your way too.

I can play this on another instrument but not on C6 steel, so thanks for the very well presented tab! Smile

basilh · From: United Kingdom

Nos da Aled, as they say "Every Little Helps"
diolch yn fawr.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Basil, I wouldn't use Cm7b5 in bar 6, but would use C7 or its tritone sub, Gb7. It's part of a cycle of secondary dominants.

I would also not use E7 in bar 24, but would use C7 as the V of VI, or the secondary dominant of F7.
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basilh · From: United Kingdom

Thanks Mike, as I said "the half diminished chords (m7b5) may seem over elaborate but they are in keeping with the era and genre'."
I'm sure the modern way of thinking would be as you said, it's just that the Jazz fraternity tend to "over elaborate" those type of changes.
Maybe the sheet music I've seen is incorrect about the B NATURAL note, but I must say every version I've heard uses that note, it would seem to negate the C7 as being appropriate ? The word "Much" is where it is..

Mike Neer · From: NJ

I think the B natural falls on the "not" and Bb falls on much. B is a passing tone.
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