Paul | Guitar Lessons and Performance - Paul Elwood

How High The Moon

“How High the Moon” is a jazz standard with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton and music by Morgan Lewis. It was first featured in the 1940 Broadway revue Two for the Show, where it was sung by Alfred Drake and Frances Comstock.

The earliest recorded hit version was by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra, featuring vocalist Helen Forrest. It was recorded on February 7, 1940, and released by Columbia Records as catalog number 35391, with the flip side “Fable of the Rose”. The Les Paul Trio recorded a version released as V-Disc 540B with a spoken introduction which was issued in November 1945 by the U.S. War Department. In 1948, bandleader Stan Kenton enjoyed some success with his version of the tune. The recording, with a vocal by June Christy, was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 911 (with the flip side “Willow, Weep for Me”) and 15117 (with the flip side “Interlude”). It reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on July 9, 1948, its only week on the chart, at #27.

A recording of the song by Les Paul and Mary Ford was made on January 4, 1951, in their apartment’s home studio in Jackson Heights, Queens. This version featured Paul on all […]

Paul2026-04-16T14:05:24-04:00

Dream Lover

download a pdf chord and lyric sheet here
“Dream Lover” is a song written by American musician Bobby Darin. Darin recorded his composition on March 5, 1959 and released it as a single the following month. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd.

In addition to Darin’s vocal, the song features Neil Sedaka on piano. While recording it Darin decided to stretch out some chord changes he found on the piano and add strings and voices. A picture sleeve, featuring a portrait of Darin, was also issued for this record in the U.S.

“Music brings a warm glow to my vision, thawing mind and muscle from their endless wintering.” – Haruki Murakami

Paul2026-04-15T07:50:14-04:00

Beyond The Sea

Beyond the Sea

“Beyond the Sea” has been recorded by many artists, but Bobby Darin‘s version released in late 1959 is the best known, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 15 on the US R&B Chart, No. 7 in Canada (co-charted with “That’s The Way Love Is”), and No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart in early 1960.

Before Bobby Darin’s version, two instrumental recordings reached the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Benny Goodman‘s version charted in 1948, and was featured in the Cary Grant/Betsy Drake romantic comedy Every Girl Should Be Married. Roger Williams’ recording reached No. 37 in 1955.

The first recording of “Beyond the Sea” was by Harry James and His Orchestra on December 22, 1947, and the first recording of “La Mer” was by French musician Roland Gerbeau in December 1945 (the song’s author, Charles Trenet, did not record it until the following year).

American R&B singer George Benson recorded an R&B version of the song under the title “Beyond the Sea (La Mer)”. It was released on Warner Bros. This version entered the UK Singles Chart on 20 April 1985. It peaked at No. 60 and remained on the chart for three weeks.

“The only love affair I have ever had was with music.” – Maurice Ravel

Paul2026-04-13T11:57:05-04:00

Moon River

Moon river

“Moon River” is a song composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was originally performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song also won the 1962 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. In 1999, Mancini’s recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The song has been recorded by many other artists. It became the theme song for Andy Williams, who first recorded it in 1962 (and performed it at the Academy Awards ceremony that year). He sang the first eight bars of the song at the beginning of each episode of his eponymous television show and named his production company and venue in Branson, Missouri, after it; his autobiography is called “Moon River” and Me. Williams’ version was included in a LP that he recorded for Columbia on a hit album of 1962, Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes. In 2022, Williams’ rendition of the song was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress.

The song’s success was responsible for relaunching Mercer’s career as a songwriter, which had stalled in the mid-1950s because rock and roll had replaced jazz standards as the popular music of the time. The […]

Paul2026-04-20T15:36:56-04:00

Why Don’t You Do Right?

Lead sheet for “Why dont you do right?”

“Why Don’t You Do Right?” (originally recorded as “Weed Smoker’s Dream” in 1936) is an American blues and jazz-influenced pop song usually credited to Kansas Joe McCoy. A minor key twelve-bar blues with a few chord substitutions, it is considered a classic “woman’s blues” song and has become a standard. Singer Lil Green recorded a popular rendition in 1941, which Peggy Lee recorded the next year – accompanied by Benny Goodman – and made one of her signature songs.

The song appeared in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, performed by actress Amy Irving as the singing voice of Jessica Rabbit.

Composition and lyrics

In 1936, the Harlem Hamfats jazz band recorded “The Weed Smoker’s Dream”. The original Decca Records release listed the songwriters as “McCoy-Moran” (Kansas Joe McCoy and Herb Morand were members of the band). McCoy later rewrote the song, refining the composition and lyrics. The new tune, titled “Why Don’t You Do Right?”, was recorded by Lil Green in 1941, with guitar by William “Big Bill” Broonzy. The recording was an early jazz and blues hit.

The song has its roots in blues music and originally dealt with a marijuana smoker reminiscing about lost financial opportunities. As it was rewritten, it takes […]

Paul2026-05-03T13:44:04-04:00

Practicing with a metronome

Practicing with a metronome: timing is everything! Using a metronome to help you get a handle on tempo is just smart.

If there is a piece you are working on but you can’t play it accurately at speed, it just takes some practice to get “up to speed” with the correct notes and the correct timing. Use a metronome to slow the piece down. Slow down till you can find your one beat consistently. The metronome helps you play the correct notes in the correct order and slowly bring the work up to speed as you increase the tempo.

Start as slowly as you need to in order to play the work correctly! That is, play the part exactly the same way you will when you do it at speed; it should sound just how it’s supposed to, but slower (if that makes any sense).

Perhaps start at half speed. If a song is supposed to be played at 160 bpm then start your metronome at 80 bpm. If that speed is still too fast, slow down a bit more. Once you get the song under your hand at the speed of the metronome, speed up by 5-10 bpm. Then, practice at that speed. If you can play that, continue speeding up. If not, go back down and practice until you […]

Paul2026-04-15T07:58:47-04:00

People are Strange

“People Are Strange” is a song by the American rock band the Doors. It appears on the band’s second studio album, Strange Days, released in September 1967. The song was written by the Doors’ vocalist Jim Morrison and guitarist Robby Krieger, although all of the band are credited on the sleeve notes.

The track was first released with “Unhappy Girl” as the B-side. It peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.The song’s composition started in early 1967. According to Doors drummer John Densmore, he and guitarist Robby Krieger, who had then been roommates, were visited by Jim Morrison who appeared to be “deeply depressed”. At Krieger’s suggestion, they took a walk along Laurel Canyon in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles. Morrison returned from the walk “euphoric” with the early lyrics of “People Are Strange”. Intrigued by the lyrics, Krieger was convinced that the song was a hit upon hearing the vocal melody:

Morrison said “Yeah, I feel really good about this one. It just came to me all of a sudden … in a flash – as I was sitting up there on the ridge looking out over the city.” His eyes were wild with excitement. “I scribbled it down as fast as I could. It felt great to be writing again.” […]

Paul2026-04-13T12:08:34-04:00

Every Time We Say Goodby

ev’ry time we say goodby

“Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” is a popular jazz song with lyrics and music by Cole Porter. Part of the Great American Songbook, it was published by Chappell & Company and introduced by Nan Wynn and Jere McMahon in 1944 in Billy Rose’s musical revue Seven Lively Arts.

The lyrics celebrate how happy the singer is in the company of the beloved, but suffering equally whenever the two separate. Describing it by analogy as a musical “change from major to minor”, Porter begins with an A♭ major chord and ends with an A♭ minor chord, matching the mood of the music to the words.

The Benny Goodman Quintet (vocal by Peggy Mann) enjoyed a hit record with the song in 1945.

“The easiest way to avoid wrong notes is to never open your mouth and sing. What a mistake that would be.” – Pete Seeger

Paul2026-04-13T12:11:40-04:00

Diminished Chords

Diminished Chords for Guitar Players

Ah, diminished chords. I knew this question was going to come up eventually. Have a seat.

You see, after a major chord has flourished for a while, it begins to lose its luster. It’s just not as shiny as it was when it was new! And it starts to get a little soft, particularly around the 3 and 5. Eventually of course, the 3 and 5 each slip completely down a half step, and we shake our heads and say the chord is half diminished.

It is still strong though, never doubt it! Its character has just changed. It moves with more nuance, has greater gravitas and I believe, a greater appreciation for the chords and notes around it, generally speaking.

Eventually it’s 7 also flattens out, and we say that it is completely diminished. It certainly looks and sounds different than it did when it was a sprightly young major chord, but it has attained a more profound way of communicating its essence that it ever would have been able to, had it not reached this certain level of maturity.

Respect your diminished chords!
They have been around the block, and can show you a thing or two.

Diminished chords need a place to […]

Paul2026-03-17T17:34:27-04:00

Dream Dream Dream

Download the PDF: Dream Dream Dream

The best-known version was recorded by the Everly Brothers at RCA Studios Nashville and released as a single in April 1958. It was recorded by them in only two live takes on March 6, 1958, and features Chet Atkins on guitar. It was the only single ever to be at number one on all of the Billboard singles charts simultaneously. On May 12, 1958, it became number one on the “Best Sellers in Stores” chart, then it reached number one on the “Most played by Jockeys” and “Top 100” charts on May 19, 1958, and remained at the top on each chart for four, five, and three weeks, respectively. With the August 1958 introduction of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song ended the year at number two. “All I Have to Do Is Dream” also hit number one on the rhythm and blues chart, and became the Everly Brothers’ third chart topper on the country chart. The Everly Brothers briefly returned to the Hot 100 in 1961 with this song.

Outside the United States, “All I Have to Do Is Dream” had massive success in various countries, most notably the United Kingdom, where it topped the UK’s New Musical Express chart in June 1958 and remained there for seven weeks (including one week […]

Paul2026-04-25T19:25:50-04:00

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Composition and lyrics

Diminished Chords for Guitar Players