The tune, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business,” as done by Freddie King is one of my favorite songs of all time.
Freddie’s playing and the Gospel infused chord progression are just some of the coolest music there is, in my humble opinion.
So in today’s video I’d like to share the chords and structure of the song with you in hopes that you might enjoy it for yourself.
Downloads
This VideoUse this link to download this video (MP4)
The Chord ChartUse this link to download a PDF of the chords and chord charts for them. I go over many more options in the video, this is just for reference.
50 replies to "Ain’t Nobody’s Business – Freddie King"
Instead of an Am or an A7 chord would a compromise using Am7 be kosher, Griff?
Cool tune! Thanks for going over it. My favorite version is by Otis Spann with the great Peter Green on guitar.
Hi..RIP BB king, no disrespect,I never liked his blues, how bout (Lutheran Allison) instead,do some (smack back)stuff on him,so the 2K’s and the (A)show you right.. I’ll be leaving now,back to your regular sponsors, bye
Opps,I meant 2K’s and the(A)
Hi..RIP BB king, no disrespect,I never liked his blues, how bout (Lutheran Allison) instead,do some (smack back)stuff on him,so the 2B’s and the (A)show you right.. I’ll be leaving now,back to your regular sponsors, bye
What a very cool tune. Excellent! And, if I may say, all of your practicing has paid off. :-). Damn you have a lot of tools in your “fretboard toolbox”. Great lesson!
Excellent stuff, Griff. Big Freddie King fan.
Maybe consider tackling another Freddie tune, “The Stumble.”
Man that comment about not playing on beat 1, really made it sink in my hard head. Great little nugget wrapped up in another great lesson!!
Awesome stuff Griff….but you tore open a wound similar to your SRV one. B.B. King always managed to make it to my area for a show. I never saw and planned on going the year he passed on.
Glad to see the chords with the root on 5th string/Low A. I downloaded one of your chord charts and there was a note about how to make them partials.
For 5th string roots, you don’t play that note., right? For example, for the E7 I would not play the E on the 7th fret of the A string and would mute both the low E (6th) and low A (5th) strings. A pinky injury is fouling up my attempts to play the dom 7 using the open C shape
Nice!
First recorded, as “‘Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness if I Do”, in 1922 by Anna Meyers, backed by the Original Memphis Five. The song features a lyrical theme of freedom of choice and a vaudeville jazz–style musical arrangement.
In 1947, the song was revived by the jump blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon as “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”. The 1947 version is the one usually used as a ‘base’ by subsequent artists. Jimmy Witherspoon won ‘Best Race Record’ of 1949.
Thanks Wikipedia
Thank you. Very, much appreciated
Just a newbie but if it’s in c wouldn’t the 4 chord be f and the 5th chord be g?
PRS, if you listen closely he says in the beginning it’s not a std. 12 or 8 bar blues format. But he does say the 4 chord is an F7, but it also uses the 3 chrd, 4#dim, and a 5 chrd-G7. Pretty complicated blues format really. he provides the chord chart. Griff says it follows more of a gospel blues format where instead of the 5, it’s using F#dim. or half diminished.
Although we discuss this progression as being in the Key of C, only the C and G7 chords are actually in the key, the I and V7, respectively.
Time for a compliment, you really mix it up, Thanks
I have always wondered how gospel style blues was played because it has so much soul, thanks for bringing me to a new level of playing. Sometimes the one, four, five progression can sound like the same songs only the lyrics are different. I’m Pretty sure this style of blues can be switched up to where you can play it and not sound the same all the time.
Am I the only one who heard “Need your love so Bad” (Peter Green/FM) in this chord progression?
Heard that too, although usually play that in A
Me too
Me three.
I worked out the bridge, instead of the G7+ at the end of the verse, use a C7 to lead to the bridge.
The Bridge is one bar each of F7, F#°7, C, C7, F7, F#°7, D7, then one strum of G7 Tacit.
Try playing it with a triplet feel,then mix it up, don’t play triplets on the C.
Hi Griff.
Great chord progression and easy to play. I listened to a few versions and love the Otis Span sound. Nice and slow and great groove. Will be playing this at a gig next Friday night.
Thanks for the great lessons although I probably have too many of them if thats possible!!
Griff,
You are the BOMB!! I feel like my whole guitar life has been working up to this particular lesson. If you remember, I asked you to do a lesson on this song back in Arrowhead in April, because it fit one of the solos in 5 more easy blues solos.
In your usual style, you have given us so much more. Thanks from your dedicated student. I will definitely be adding this to the set list for my band.
Jake
As usual a good guitar players lesson. probably over most peoples heads and a bit above mine, but not. a true difference in band playing and music as you covered. I use power cords most of the time and have studied Jazz, along with other modes.They that teach Jazz do the same as you have done, Blame it on the other guy’s cause they say its OK. Your band simple form playing is truly close to how it has been recorded. I put Freddie King on my set up, play along, ahead or behind him, Love his Texas House ripen string bend-en string style. Shire would like to no what stomp boxes he uses and amp.
That GOES ON MY WALL….VERY INTERESTING….
Absolutely brilliant lesson! What a great song and lesson. So Griff, how about a full course on Blues Classics? The BGU Blues Fakebook.
I would definitely pay for that. And if it cost a bit more due to royalty/copyright costs I would happily pay it.
So often my blues playing ends up sound inglike just another 12 bar shuffle but I know there is so much more in there to make it sound great. Yes I guess most of what we need is sprinkled through all the various (great) courses you offer, most of which I have bought, but applying them to the 20 ‘must know’ blues tunes is something that needs guidance from the master.
Please consider this, it will be the thing that draws together all the great teachings in your courses. Kind of like your jam in a box courses but structured like this lesson. Harmony, groove, options, lead, options. Just perfect. Thank you. I am off to learn this song right now!
Hey great lesson!
Any chance of getting the notes for that lead that you do at the beginning of the video?
Thanks
I like. Keep it coming.
It is a 1920s blues song that became one of the first blues standards.
It was first recorded, as “‘Tain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness if I Do”, in 1922 by Anna Meyers, backed by the Original Memphis Five. In 1947, the song was revived by the jump blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon as “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”. It was the best-selling race record of 1949 rcorded by Billie Holiday.
So now you know . . .
Great tune and so many variations to play it. I persnally like the chord arpeggios and simple rhythm comping. The lead is beyond me for now but I think it could even sound great simplified..for me anyway. Thanks Griff.. You’re a great teacher…love the BGU. (from New Zealand)
Thanks again
Great content and even greater presentation. You are a pro’s pro Griff, thank you!
Yeah, this one is nice. Great gospel vibe.
Cool lesson. Perfect amount of detail and enough theory to help me understand what is going on.
Song was written by Everett Robbins and Porter Grainger
Jimmy Witherspoon did this tune in a jazz mode, check it out
Beautiful solo, Griff – I’d love to learn it if there’s a chance you could arrange to tab it.
Cheers
Al
Although it is very tedious at first, a great way to decipher leads like this to acquire a “slow down” app like Song Surgeon (I acquired mine when Griff was promoting it and had arranged for his students to get a discount. I don’t know if that is still available) where you can slow the song down while retaining the original pitch. Then you can either hand write your own tab or acquire a guitar tab app ( I use Guitar Pro) to create the tab.
As I said, it is very tedious at first, but it also brings insight into subtleties you would otherwise miss.
Hey Griff,
One of my absolute favorite sounds as well! Yet another great thing to work on AAGGHH!I’ve gotta stop watching this stuff, it’s going to overload the system! Just kidding!😎
Say that is a 339 isn’t it? Epiphone? I have one of those and totally dig it.
Hey, thanks again Maestro!
Dave in the Adirondacks
Need a jam track…I love this tune!
Love it Griff! Great bluesy sound.
Thanks Griff, I like cool chord progressions like this one!
Originally done by Billie Holiday, it was about domestic violence. “I’d rather my man would hit me… than up and quit me.” “”I swear I won’t call no copper, if I’m beat up by my papa”
But I agree, the Freddie King version is the best.
For those who see this as veering away from standard blues, I get it because the harmonic complexity is different, and harder to follow because of the implied major/minor key changes. As Griff pointed out, it’s using a few basic jazz concepts of sometimes changing the 2, 3 and 6th minor chords to Dom 7 (in C, change Dm to D7, Em to E7, Am to A7), and adding some color chords for transitions. This and similar variations are a staple of many acoustic country blues songs, and even many folk and pop tunes. Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant is based on similar concepts, as well as dozens of traditional acoustic blues that use C E7 A7 D7 G7 progressions.
Once your ear “gets it”, it’s cool stuff. But playing a lead line against it is not for the faint of heart – it’s more major than minor, and sticking with root pentatonic will only sound “half” right on the changes. It’s hard to absorb in one video for sure.
A 18 min cord session! I can never get though’s cords to sound good! Don’t have the fingers! Griff, your a great guitar player! I will never get to that level
Don’t believe it Jeffrey. Keep at it. I have been at it since I was 16. I’m now 75 and because of Griff’s lessons I am better than ever! No progress until I started with him a few years ago, maybe 2 years. You only fail if you quit!
God bless.
Great video! Really appreciate it!
Nice one!…Similar vibe to Need your Love so Bad (Fleetwood Mac) including the dim chord. Going to suggest this to the guys for our next jam session. Thanks Griff.
Way above me, sorry l do not like the composition, too stressful.
Ken