Harriet Tubman Lives, part 2

“Harriet Tubman Lives” (track #12 on handmade) was recorded December 29, 2006. This song is in three parts: A, B, and C.

The “A” part is a rhythmic break, 8 bars of a jam in F#m7.

The “B” part has a fixed length — four repetitions of the chord sequence F#m7, D7, C#m7.

The “C” part is of flexible length, and has two similar chord progressions that alternate: A, B/G#, and F#m7; and its counterpart, A, B, F#m7.

Now, why so simple? After all these other tunes I’ve done, it seems sort of odd to see a chord progression that can be described in so few words. Well, the secret is this: I started out with the melody, had an idea for the bass line . . . and these chords seemed to fit the spirit of the song the best. Theory is nice, but the practical matter of “Does it work?” has to be the final check.