Double Bass Someday My Prince---waltz or 4/4?

[brianrost]

I've always thought of Someday My Prince Will Come as a waltz.

Back in the late 80s I heard the rock band NRBQ do it in 4/4 which I thought was just a goof, something they are known for. Then today I was listening to a Grant Green CD and heard him play it in 4/4 too.

Is it actually common to do the tune in 4?

 

[Steven Ayres]

I don't think it's uncommon for any jazz player to rethink the time signature of any tune, that's just a thing in jazz.

 

[devnulljp]

6/8 with a 2 feel

 

[Ed Fuqua]

It was composed as a waltz.

 

[AgostoMortal]

There are famous versions in 4/4 (swing) recorded by Winton Kelly and Oscar Peterson, but as stated before it was composed as a Waltz.

 

[Don Kasper]

BOTH!
(drops the mic...)

 

[sean_on_bass]

Beat me to the "both" a la Bill Evans. His trio does it so effortlessly it is hard to even notice the change from 3.

I usually play the tune in 3 at a fairly quick pace. I've played it in 4, and tried the 3 switching to 4 for fun in the past. It works in 4 too i would say.

Funny someone mentioned Grant Green...he also takes Moon River from 3 to 4. Maybe the dude didn't like 3 all that much? I do recall some 6/8 stuff from him though.

 

[ee-san]

Grant Green also did Falling in Love With Love in 4/4. I read somewhere (citation unknown) that Richard Rodgers was quite offended by the signature change.

 

[Michael Karn]

Grant Green also did Falling in Love With Love in 4/4. I read somewhere (citation unknown) that Richard Rodgers was quite offended by the signature change.

Around here 99% of the time it gets played in 4, and i just checked my iTunes library and all 8 versions i have are in 4.

 

[Don Kasper]

Richard Rodgers was quite offended by the signature change.

I'll bet he took the publishing royalties without any offense.

 

[Michael Karn]

I'll bet he took the publishing royalties without any offense.

Yeah, no matter how upset he might have been (i think he was also on the record about hating when singers changed his melodies, though i think he said he liked Ella) i don't think he ever stopped any projects that involved his music. Whereas the Jerome Kern estate was notorious for withholding permission for jazz records it didn't like/approve of