Written by Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas in 1963, also recorded famously by Nina Simone, it became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement in the sixties.
"I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that I should say
Say them loud, say them clear
For the whole round world to hear
I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart
Remove all the bars that keep us apart
I wish you could know what it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
That every man should be free"
Billy Taylor recorded it in F, and there's a key change to Ab major, so I've arranged it for jazz fingerstyle guitar simply in C, and then it changes to Eb. It's very easy to play in C major....
The chords are G9sus4 ( which is simply a G chord with an A and a C - looking like a F chor with a G in the bass) - C - E7 - Am C -F - G9sus4 - C - G9 - C - C7 G - G7.
G9 - C - E7 -Am - C -F - G9 - C, F# dim - C - E7 - Am - F# dim -C -G9 - C
I've used split screen multi tracking for the first time recording some improvisation.
And why not? (and the first person who comments, getting that joke gets full brownie points)
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