Herbie Hancock - I thought it was you

[verstft]

Can somebody help me understand what's going on with the progressions in this song?
Simple analysis and key of the first verse and chorus. Changes Key?

I can play the basic chord changes and patterns but kind of clueless about the harmonic quality of the whole thing.

 

[ElectroVibe]

I can't view the attachment at this time. But the song you *might* be thinking of is actually called "It Had to Be You". I am pretty sure that Hancock didn't write. In fact I'm very sure. But I have no doubt that some other jazz musicians who look similar, with similar ethnicity, may have played the song. Good luck. No need to thank me because I am always happy to help with my knowledge.

 

[Don Kasper]

Here is a very quick (1st cup of coffee!) sketch of the basic changes & form of the Verse and Chorus, as I hear it.
Thanks!

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Here is a very quick (1st cup of coffee!) sketch of the basic changes & form of the Verse and Chorus, as I hear it.
Thanks!
View attachment 3195015

Is your Ab7sus 9 chord = Gbmaj7(ascending Gb - Bb - Db - F) with Ab in the bass?

 

[Whousedtoplay]

chorus.

D major as our tonal center.

(After that after that "modifying" chord of A7(9))

Dmaj7 - Bmin7 - Gmaj7 - Emin7(9)sus4(?) (as Gmaj7add2/E) - A7(9 and/or 13) ... Dmaj7.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

key of the first verse

Due to Herbie Hancock's intricate "chordification" - only as a very simplified claim - it's in Ab major, even though it starts with Bbmaj7 after that "modifying" chord of F7(9).
Most probably, the modulation process to D major for Chorus starts with Bmaj7(9) - G#min7/9 - Emaj7/Emin7.......

 

[Don Kasper]

Is your Ab7sus 9 chord = Gbmaj7(ascending Gb - Bb - Db - F) with Ab in the bass?

Yes.

 

[Don Kasper]

Is your Ab7sus 9 chord

More precisely - I wrote "Ab7,9,sus. (Not "....sus 9...")
Just want to be clear - I would never write "sus 9".
Thanks, WUTP!

 

[Whousedtoplay]

More precisely - I wrote "Ab7,9,sus. (Not "....sus 9...")
Just want to be clear - I would never write "sus 9".
Thanks, WUTP!

Sorry, I am always so messy!

 

[IamGroot]

 

[IamGroot]

Invalid Link Removed


Intro:
|Gbmaj7/Ab | % | % | Eb/F |

Verse (sings):

|Bbmaj7 | % | Db/Eb | % |Abmaj7 | % | Fm9 | % |
|Dbmaj7 |Dbmaj7 F7b5| Emaj7 | % |Bmaj7| % |Abm9 | % |
|Emaj7 | % | G/A | % |Dmaj7 | % | 2/4 G/A (pickup: "I thought it was you")

Chorus
4/4
|Dmaj7 | Dmaj7 G/A | Bm9 | Bm9 G/A |
|Gmaj7 | Gmaj7 G/A | Em7 | F#m/A Em/A D/A Em/A |
|Dmaj7 | % |
repeat. Last two bars of second time:
|Dmaj7 | F13 |


repeat verse

 

[IamGroot]

Here is a very quick (1st cup of coffee!) sketch of the basic changes & form of the Verse and Chorus, as I hear it.
Thanks!
View attachment 3195015

Bowing in your direction

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Here is a very quick (1st cup of coffee!) sketch of the basic changes & form of the Verse and Chorus, as I hear it.
Thanks!
View attachment 3195015

Don,
I hear the following notes in the bass with your notated chords G7sus and Gb7sus:
F - Gb(F#).
The keyboard notes - I hear- with F are
descending - Eb- (C) - B - A - G.
With Gb(F#) in the bass, plus some Ab(G#) notes, I hear the following notes on the keyboard (ascending) G#(Ab) - B - D#(Eb).

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Invalid Link Removed


Intro:
|Gbmaj7/Ab | % | % | Eb/F |

Verse (sings):

|Bbmaj7 | % | Db/Eb | % |Abmaj7 | % | Fm9 | % |
|Dbmaj7 |Dbmaj7 F7b5| Emaj7 | % |Bmaj7| % |Abm9 | % |
|Emaj7 | % | G/A | % |Dmaj7 | % | 2/4 G/A (pickup: "I thought it was you")

Chorus
4/4
|Dmaj7 | Dmaj7 G/A | Bm9 | Bm9 G/A |
|Gmaj7 | Gmaj7 G/A | Em7 | F#m/A Em/A D/A Em/A |
|Dmaj7 | % |
repeat. Last two bars of second time:
|Dmaj7 | F13 |


repeat verse

In Verse I hear Bbmaj7 (third inversion) - Bbmin7 (third inversion) with Eb in the bass.
There are also some other disagreements with your sheet.

 

[Don Kasper]

I hear the following notes in the bass with your notated chords G7sus and Gb7sus:
F - Gb(F#).

You are CORRECT! NO G7,9,sus there.

With Gb(F#) in the bass, plus some Ab(G#) notes, I hear the following notes on the keyboard (ascending) G#(Ab) - B - D#(Eb).

Sorry... I don't hear (just) that. I hear a complete Gb7,9,sus. You are missing the "E" in that chord, which is the 7th of the Gb7.
Thanks for your ears and interest.
I bow in your direction!

 

[BobDeRosa]

I guess there's a place on TB for the "what color pick guard should I put on this bass," kind of discussion, but man, was it refreshing to see substance like this! Thanks, all, for your harmonic contributions, and thanks, Don, for having that one cup of coffee.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Sorry... I don't hear (just) that. I hear a complete Gb7,9,sus. You are missing the "E" in that chord, which is the 7th of the Gb7.
Thanks for your ears and interest.

Don,
Yes, you are correct. In the evening, my ears are getting dumb. This morning, I can clearly hear that E note.
(Monday morning quarterback)

If we add that E note, than we will have Emaj7 with F# in the bass = Emaj7/F#.

Thank you for being passionate about music and thank you for your informative comments.

bow in your direction!

No bows, please. drool

Bow.
2. A weapon consisting of a curved, flexible strip of material, especially wood, strung taut from end to end and used to launch arrows.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

A simplified version of that song, more Pop-ish, with fewer strange "additives" to "normal" chords.

Also, around 3:30 I've thought it was Stevie Wonder's song.

 

[markjazzbassist]

No comment other than it is a wonderful song and I love herbie. Thanks all!

 

[MD Stingray]

Great song - Definitively on my "to do" list. Thanks!