37.96Apply it to “Happy Birthday”

This is an especially useful transformation.

Keep “Happy Birthday” mostly harmonically simple.

Do not impress us with substitutions.

Instead:

Intro

two-bar calypso-style bass groove.

Phrase 1

melody straightforward.

Phrase 2

add offbeat RH chords.

Phrase 3

anticipate melody and harmony; highest rhythmic energy.

Final phrase

simplify.

Ending

rhythmic tag → C6/9.

The melody becomes completely different in character even though its harmonic skeleton remains recognizable.