Besamé Mucho

[Dave Horne]

I hope I spelled that correctly.

 

I've worked with a singer and a bass player who sings and they both sing Besamé Mucho in the form AABA. The A section is 16 bars and the B section 8 bars.

 

I personally believe the form is ABA and the length of the tune is 40 bars.

 

Is this one of those things where it was recorded one way but written another? What is the form of this tune? (My money is with ABA, but if the 'accepted' form is AABA, I'll pay.) Tom, the beer's on me.

[cnegrad]

Dave,

 

I agree; ABA.

[StillFightingIt]

I just had a listen to it, ABA recorded. And I thought it was written ABA also

[marino]

I couldn't stand that song until I heard it from Michel Petrucciani. I seem to remember that he played it AABA, but I can't be sure. As for the original, I'm almost positive that it was ABA.

[kanker.]

The only chart I have on it is ABA.

[SilverDragonSoun]

I actually did a cover of this song for my mom. I played it and thought it was written in ABA.

[Dreamer]

Yes, it's definitely ABA.

[Dave Horne]

Originally posted by marino:

I couldn't stand that song until I heard it from Michel Petrucciani. I seem to remember that he played it AABA, but I can't be sure. As for the original, I'm almost positive that it was ABA.

I know what you mean. I always hated the song until I heard Diana Krall sing it. It was too much of a Holiday Inn lounge act staple.

 

I'll have to check out the CD from Petrucciani.

[guestuserguestuser.com]

Originally posted by Dave Horne:

Originally posted by marino:

I couldn't stand that song until I heard it from Michel Petrucciani. I seem to remember that he played it AABA, but I can't be sure. As for the original, I'm almost positive that it was ABA.

I know what you mean. I always hated the song until I heard Diana Krall sing it. It was too much of a Holiday Inn lounge act staple.

 

I'll have to check out the CD from Petrucciani.

In my experience, ABA is correct way.

 

How does Diana Krall do it? ABA?

[Manhunter]

I'm pretty sure that Art Pepper did it AABA and this is the version I've always played. Not sure how ABBA would have done it?

 

Dave

[Dave Horne]

How does Diana Krall do it? ABA?

I'm pretty sure she does it ABA.

 

It would be interesting to know who first made Besamé Mucho a hit what form they used.

 

This is reminds me of Lover Man. It gets recorded one way and then that becomes the standard. I believe Billy Holiday recorded Lover Man and changed the melody. Now that changed melody has become the standard melody for performance. If you play the original melody from the original lead sheet, you're playing it wrong.

 

Another idea for an article for Keyboard.

[Garrafon]

Why does the form matter? Aren't musicians allowed to alter songs to their own liking? I might be even cooler if someone added a new "C" part.

[cnegrad]

garrafon,

 

It only really matters from a couple of standpoints:

 

1) If one desires to stay true to the intent of the original composer, or

 

2) If you're playing in a "pick up band", where rehearsal isn't a possibility, and you expect there to a "standard" way of playing it.

[guestuserguestuser.com]

Originally posted by cnegrad:

garrafon,

 

It only really matters from a couple of standpoints:

 

1) If one desires to stay true to the intent of the original composer, or

 

2) If you're playing in a "pick up band", where rehearsal isn't a possibility, and you expect there to a "standard" way of playing it.

2b) variation on 2: playing in a pick-up band, someone calls besame mucho; you get to the end of the first A section, at least you're aware of the fact that the person playing or singing the melody might either repeat the A section or go to the bridge. Or, you could ask before the song starts: "are we going to play this ABA or AABA?"

[cnegrad]

Or, you could ask before the song starts: "are we going to play this ABA or AABA?"

 

But often discussion is not possible.

[guestuserguestuser.com]

Originally posted by cnegrad:

Or, you could ask before the song starts: "are we going to play this ABA or AABA?"

 

But often discussion is not possible.

Exactly. In that case, just keep ears open, and go with the flow. Or, try to direct the flow.

[cnegrad]

Hence Dave's question; trying to get a majority opinion.

[Garrafon]

But a majority opinion will not answer the question, because you never know what an individual performer might do. I suppose you could play the odds, but I'm not a gambling man.

[cnegrad]

Now you're just being argumentative.

[Garrafon]

I'm really not trying to be. Admittedly, at first I was not thinking of the performance issue, but why, from an artistic standpoint, it mattered. That's why I said a part "C" would be nice. Because I am all for people putting their own touches into other's music.

 

But, then, hearing the explanations from a performance standpoint (i.e. sitting in), it still doesn't make sense to me. If you KNOW there are different versions floating out there and you are going to play with someone without the ability of talking about the arrangement first, taking the risk that the artist will play the "majority" way seems to be a big risk. I think I'd prefer to find the 3 seconds it takes to ask "ABA" or "AABA" or whatever.

[cnegrad]

Originally posted by garrafon:

But, then, hearing the explanations from a performance standpoint (i.e. sitting in), it still doesn't make sense to me. If you KNOW there are different versions floating out there and you are going to play with someone without the ability of talking about the arrangement first, taking the risk that the artist will play the "majority" way seems to be a big risk. I think I'd prefer to find the 3 seconds it takes to ask "ABA" or "AABA" or whatever.

Garrafon,

 

I realize that from your standpoint it makes sense. But the reality on my gigs (but not necessarily Dave's), is that I'll be working with musicians I've never met before, and there's no discussion or preparation whatsoever. And this isn't "sitting in"; this is just the nature of my business. And at any given time, I might have to play any standard song without any forethought or preparation. Everything is done "on the fly", and the musicians are expected to know "the standard way of doing things" in all possible keys. So from that standpoint, Dave asked a reasonable question.

 

Most songs have a standard form that one can depend on, but there are others that seem to vary from player to player, and Besame Mucho is one of those.

 

The bottom line as was mentioned earlier, be prepared for either contingency and follow the peson playing or singing melody.

[cnegrad]

Additional explanation:

 

On my gigs, there are no song lists. We call different songs on the fly, watching what the audience responds to. And most songs are performed as segues, without stopping before or after. There's simply no time to talk about anything.

[Dreamer]

For what is worth, Besame mucho was recorded also by... The Fabulous Four.

Don't you trust me?

Follow this link:

[guestuserguestuser.com]

Good explanation, cnegrad. If there's no time to discuss the form, I think an astute, considerate leader, if they are aware that there is a possible confusion around the form of BM, should indicate the form in some way, if possible. This can be done while playing the tune. Do you agree?

[cnegrad]

I do my best in my situation, with hand signals. Dave, what do you do?

[Garrafon]

Best I can tell, we are all on the same wave length...we just don't want to admit it.

 

We all seem to agree that, in tunes that vary from performance to performance (e.g. Besame Mucho), you can't rely on any standard because of the unknown, rather you need to either: (1) discuss before hand if possible; or (2) go with the flow and do your best.

 

I entirely agree with what everyone is saying and your statement that "The bottom line as was mentioned earlier, be prepared for either contingency and follow the peson playing or singing melody." If that's true, then, I ask again, what difference does it make...you need to go with the flow.

 

UNLESS, perhaps (and I'm giving you your ammo now), there is that fleeting moment's time to talk (or your in the middle of the song) and the band leader's response is "play it the standard way"....in which case you all have me beat, because you better know which was is standard (if there is such a thing)

 

Ok, I'm done being difficult....for now

[kanker.]

I follow the better safe than sorry method. There are tunes out there like My One And Only Love or Round Midnight that everyone has their own set of changes to. Unless someone is willing to take the time to lay down a chart of the changes that are going to happen right then, then you just don't play the tune. If you can't come to a consensus on the form of a tune that someone calls or you just don't know if everyone is on the same page with regards to the form, you either don't do it, talk about it that moment, or talk about it on a break.