I Love Lucy
Finally, a chord melody arrangement of the theme song to one of my favorite sitcoms when I was a kid… “I Love Lucy” written by Eliot Daniel.
If you’re familiar with the original, before you check this one out, let me just warn you that I’m not adhering to the “Ricky Ricardo” version with the uptempo latin groove. That one’s reserved for the Tropicana only! (lol) Instead, I’ve taken advantage of the great chord changes (very jazz oriented!) to further explore them in an entirely different rhythmic dimension! So be prepared for some interesting re-harmonizations using quartal harmony.
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“Ricky Ricardo” from the “I Love Lucy” 1950s television series: thinking about this popular character certainly does bring back memories. Of course, “Ricky Ricardo” was played by Desi Arnaz, who was apparently actually a musician as well as a television producer and actor. Back in the 1950s, when the “I Love Lucy” television series initially aired, and in the 1960s, when we all watched the re-runs, I believed that Desi Arnaz actually did have a real-life orchestra that played what we called “Latin Jazz”. In fact, watching “I Love Lucy” gave me a free and much appreciated introduction to what I thought must have been actual afro-cuban jazz. Little did I know… .
Later, I began to hear some other forms of what I thought of as Latin Jazz. These samba and bossa nova forms seemed to be strongly associated with Brazil and also played throughout South America. I remember Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto, who both became quite popular in the USA.
I never really learned to play any of these forms very well, but occasionally I got a chance to back someone up. Today, I do not really even know whether referring to this amazingly beautiful and sophisticated music as ‘Latin Jazz’ assumes an appropriate connection: a connection that really exists and does not step on anyone’s toes. I only know that it is easy for me to understand how mainstream bebop players such as Dizzy Gillespie took an interest in what I still call “Latin Jazz”.
I am not sure what chords Eliot Daniel’s wrote for “I Love Lucy”. I do know that the chords in your arrangement are both very beautiful and pleasingly sophisticated.
I really like your chord melody arrangement and the following solo.
Thank you.
Thanks Duncan for sharing! Brings back lots of memories for many of us.