Bye Bye Blues chord melody - getting it sorted

Matthew J Richards is a superb banjolele player, the Musical Director of the George Formby Society.... and a lovely young feller.

On 21st an 22nd August this year I posted his two superb Youtube video tutorials on playing the 1930 jazz standard Bye Bye Blues chord melody style - that is, playing the chords whilst picking out the melody in between. It's a great style of playing, especially if you're not blessed with a great singing voice - you do the song as an instrumental instead.

I determined to learn it.

Well - the first two lines are pretty easy. The end is very easy, being related to the beginning - BUT - the middle two lines are a bit more challenging. It helps, to have the chords used in the song there in front to you, because in the middle every note is different.

So - I wrote the chords down and yesterday I made it my target to get those middle two lines learnt. Here are the chords - I've starred the tricky lines.

I've recommended this piece to a couple of people, who both love it and are working on it. As for me - I worked hard on it (those two lines) yesterday. Those two lines are still slowing me down, but I'm getting there.

Thanks Matthew for a first-class tutorial piece on ukulele chord melody!


F F Db7

F F D7

G7 G7 Am7 (all open strings)

(*) F F Am Dm

(*) C7 C7 C7 C

F F Db7

F F D7

G7 G7 Am7

F Db7 F


News - backing tracks to George Formby songs by Matthew J Richards are now available here from the George Formby Society shop.