Jazz lead sheet · Intermediate
Song for My Father
A bossa-flavoured minor tune in F minor with two A sections and a dominant bridge.
- Composer
- Horace Silver
- Form
- AAB, 24 bars
- Key
- F minor
- Style
- Latin
- Length
- 24 bars
A1F minor
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
A2
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
♭VII7E♭ Lydian ♭7
B
subV7/VD♭ Lydian ♭7
subV7/VD♭ Lydian ♭7
V7C Phryg. dom.
V7C Phryg. dom.
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
i7F Dorian
For students
What to notice
- The A section is a static vamp: four bars of Fm7, then four of E♭7.
- E♭7 is ♭VII7, a modal turnaround that keeps the minor colour without resolving.
- The bridge steps to D♭7 (♭VI7) and then C7 (V7), the one clear dominant cadence in the tune.
Practice plan
Three steps to improvising
- Play F minor pentatonic over the A sections and feel the two-chord vamp.
- On the bridge, follow D♭7 to C7 to Fm7 and hear the V7 pull.
- Improvise with space; the tune leaves plenty of room for a relaxed solo.
For teachers
Using this chart in class
- Project the chart with Play along running and loop one section while students find the guide tones.
- Choose Practice → Name the numerals for a whole-class quiz: students vote, then reveal the explanation.
- Mixed ensemble? Print the worksheet once per transposition: B♭, E♭, F and bass clef parts all line up bar for bar.
- Share a link: the key, instrument and view you choose are saved in the address bar.
Chord changes are common performance versions written out by Music Theory Lessons. No melodies or lyrics are reproduced. Names of songs and composers are used only to identify each tune.