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Learning Ukulele with Curt

Caroline In The Morning

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Caroline In The Morning".

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-52

Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any

Categories: Theory, Intervals, Progressions, RMA, Harmony

Louis-Martin/Curt-2020-FFUF

2026-08-23

Caroline In The Morning

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Caroline In The Morning.

Caroline In The Morning

Released: Published: 1922

Caroline In The Morning is a popular song with words by Gus Kahn and music by Walter Donaldson, first published in 1922 by Jerome H. Remick & Co.

The song debuted on Broadway in the elaborate and risqué musical revue The Passing Show of 1922 at the Winter Garden Theater. Vaudeville performers incorporated it into their acts and helped popularize it. Among these was William Frawley, who later sang it in Paramount Pictures' original version of The Lemon Drop Kid in 1934, as well as the 1952 episode "Ricky Loses His Voice" of I Love Lucy, and the 1963 season 3 episode "Evening with a Star" of My Three Sons, where it generated moderate attention. wikiwand

Notable recordings when the song was new were made by such artists as Marion Harris, Van & Schenck, Paul Whiteman and the American Quartet.

"Carolina in the Morning" gradually became a standard, being revived regularly as a popular song into the 1950s. Al Jolson recorded it on June 11, 1947 and he featured it in the film Jolson Sings Again (1949). Danny Winchell had a hit with his version in 1952. wikiwand

Yellow Book

Caroline In The Morning is in the The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

Ukulele Chords

C Cmaj7 C6 C#dim G7 A+ Dm7 Dm6 C#dim F A7 D7 G E7 Am C7

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

C Cmaj7 C6 C%23dim G7 A+ Dm7 Dm6 C%23dim F A7 D7 G E7 Am C7

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Caroline In The Morning is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C . The original is in the Key of A , Tempo: 138 bpm
  • Start on P5 ↓ m3. Original in the Key of C , Tempo 121 bmp.
  • ULHA-YB-52-Melody-TAB

    C Tuning, Low or High G

Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

C
Cmaj7
C6
C#dim
G7
G7
I
I#dim
V

C: C Ionian

C# Dim

Dm
Dm/C#
Dm/C
Dm/B

To Coda

Dm*
A+
Dm7
Dm6
D#dim
C
I
I#dim
I

D# Dim

A classic I ImL7 Im7 Im6 Minor Line Cliche. Basically a minor triad with, typically, a 1/2 step descending bass movement, D C# C B . The second chord in the harmonic sequence is often mis-named, based on it's shape as an augmented triad — and not its harmonic function..

F
C
F
A7
IV
I
IV

VI7
(V of II)

A Mix

D.S. al Coda

C
G
E7
Am
D7
G
I
V

III7
(V of VI)

VI

II7
(IIV of V)

V

E Mix-2-6

D Mix

Coda

G
C
C
C7
F
V
I

I7
(V of IV)

IV

C Mix

D7
G7
C
Am
C
Am
D7
G7

II7
(V of V)

V
I
VI
I
VI
II7
V

D Mix

D Mix

C
I

The Harmonic Analysis (HA)

A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an A section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a B or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • Caroline In The Morning is in 4/4, Common Time and the Key of C . The original is in the Key of A , Tempo: 138 bpm

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Caroline In The Morning.

RMA1

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor

Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues

Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

Performance Notes

Minor Line Cliche

Here is an example using Dm of the Lien Cliche.

Rb35R-Dm-DmL7-Dm7-Dm6

C Tuning, Low G

Minor Line Cliche Using Minor Triads

Three examples using the three minor triads. The 1/2 steps root movement doesn't have to the the lowest note in the voicing.

Rb35-m-mL7-m7-m6 b35R-m-mL7-m7-m6 5Rb3-m-mL7-m7-m6
art by Curt Sheller

End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

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