Satin Doll/I Let A Song Go Out My Heart

Duke Ellington

Switzerland, 1959

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Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn were credited, in 1953, with composing the jazz standard “Satin Doll.” Though it’s unclear if perhaps Strayhorn alone wrote it.

Sometime after its instrumental version became a hit, Johnny Mercer wrote lyrics. Legend Ella Fitzgerald, who had a relatively pop sound, would go on to record it herself — which is perhaps strange due to its unconventional chord progression.

See if you can pick out the progression, also known as the Montgomery-Ward bridge: Vm7, I7, IV, IV, VIm7, II7, IIm7, V7.

 

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