Oklahoma! - Richard Rogers

"Oklahoma!" is a song from the musical play of 1943 of the same name with music by Richard Rogers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Although each knew the other for many years, "OKlahoma!" was their first collaboration.

The song itself is a an old-fashioned rousing tune in 2/4 style, not suitable for social dances of the 1940s (or later). It is in a standard AABA form with little harmonic interest. I wrote a chord chart for the song because of a request for it at a gig. As no one else had put up a chord chart for it, I thought it useful for me to do so.

Here is the chart for "Oklahoma!." I played it with the Gypsy Jazz style at 100 bpm (which is half its true tempo). As a pianist, I provide both the melody and the alternating chords on the and of beats 1 and 2 relying on the iRP generated bass for the bass notes on beats 1 and two. The chart would not be terribly successful for a melody instrumentalist using the guitar sound that iRP generates on each beat (sorry). Unfortunately, there is no suitable iRP style, at least as yet, for this type of tune.

Oklahoma (in two) - Richard Rogers