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Some History, Sheet Music, Chords and Lyrics, and Gear and Setup

Feelin Alright was written by Dave Mason of Traffic in 1968 and appeared on the album ‘Traffic’.
The song was also released by Joe Cocker on With A Little Help From My Friends in 1969 and then covered by Grand Funk Railroad on Survival in 1971.

David Thomas Mason born on May 10, 1946 from Worcester, England. Guitarist and co-founder of Traffic. Played and recorded with a who’s who of major musicians including Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Fleetwood Mac and Michael Jackson.
He enjoyed a successful solo career with his biggest solo hit coming in 1977 with the Jim Krueger penned ‘We Just Disagree’.
Mason has also been an avid supporter of music education for children and has sat as an honorary member of Little Kids Rock Board of Directors

Joe Cocker, born John Robert Cocker, on May 24, 1944 in Sheffield, England is a blues rocker singer best known for his gritty covers of rock classics, most memorably the Beatles With A Little Help From My Friends and She Came In Through The Bathroom Window.
He made a huge splash on the music scene when he appeared at Woodstock and his follow up tour with Leon Russell produced one of my favourite live albums, Mad Dogs and Englishmen

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Sheet Music

I found one instance of the sheet music for Feelin’ Alright in the Best of Joe Cocker Sheet Music Book.

Best of Joe Cocker Sheet Music – Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook. 72 pages. Published by Cherry Lane Music.

14 songs, including: Can’t Find My Way Home • Delta Lady • Feelin’ Alright • Have a Little Faith in Me • The Jealous Kind •The Letter • Many Rivers to Cross • Sail Away • A Song for You • Up Where We Belong • When the Night Comes • With a Little Help from My Friends • You Are So Beautiful • You Can Leave Your Hat On

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Gear and Setup

Feelin Alright is a great song for jamming with a guitar and harmonica because it’s just 2 chords and easy to set up a good rhythm.
The chords are C7 and F. You can also play F7 instead of just F. Each chord lasts 1 bar or 4 beats.

If you don’t have an F harmonica, look at the table to figure out the chords for a harmonica key that you do have.

When playing a solo, I try to keep the melody of the song in my head and possibly incorporate it or the songs rhythms into the solo.

My Takamine
In the video, I am playing my Takamine EG Series Acoustic – Electric Guitar very similar to the picture to the left.
I bought this guitar in Charlotte, NC about 10 years ago. I had heard alot of good things about Takamine guitars and had tried a couple which I really liked so when I needed an affordable stage setup, I bought the guitar, hard-shell case, fender deluxe 90 amp, and an assortment of accessories for under a thousand bucks.
I like the rounded profile that is narrow at the waist and broad behind the bridge. This creates a soundboard with balanced frequency response – deep bass, clear treble, and a sweet, round midrange that projects well.
It includes 3-band graphic EQ and built-in tuner which is really handy.
From Takamine, “Built to Takamine designs in some of the most modern guitar shops in the world, G-series instruments are priced for every budget. The G-series guitar is every bit Takamine, from its acoustic performance to the latest in pickup and preamp design. These guitars are crafted from the finest handpicked tonewoods, hand-crafted by expert luthiers, all providing players with unmatched excellence and surprising affordability”
I know I’ve enjoyed every minute of mine

Hohner Special 20

The Hohner Special 20 has been my harmonica of choice for a long time. They are just easy to play, easy to bend and sound great. They are excellent harmonicas for someone just starting out but are also played by pros in all types of venues worldwide. Even right now.
From Hohner, “The Special 20 is the go-to harp for harmonica players of any style, including blues, country, folk, or rock. The Special 20 delivers the coveted Marine Band sound and offers the benefits of its plastic comb: it doesn’t absorb moisture so it won’t swell, shrink, or crack; it lasts longer and is more airtight than wood combs that can become swollen, twisted, and warped; airtight construction provides increased responsiveness; plastic provides comfort and it’s smoother on the lips, preventing chafing”.

Video Editing

I used CyberLink PowerDirector for editing the video. It works great for synching audio and video as well as adding text and transitions. And it’s fast, so you get quality videos without alot of time spent.
From PCMag.com, 12/27/2010, “CyberLink’s PowerDirector has all the speed and all the advanced features an enthusiast video editor could want. As the first consumer video editing software to support 64-bit Windows, PowerDirector is taking a lead in the field. PCMag.com, December 7, 2010”.

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Feelin’ Alright Chords and Lyrics

Feelin’ Alright music and lyrics are property and copyright of their owners and provided for educational purposes and personal use only.
The following is my transcription of my version of this awesome song. If you want how the author intended, check out the links above.

Chords – C7 for 1 bar or 4 beats, then F for 1 bar. Repeat.

Seems I got to have a change of scene
Cause every night I have the strangest dreams
Imprisoned by the way it could have been
Left here on my own or so it seems
I got to leave before I start to scream
But someone’s locked the door and took the key

Chorus
Feelin’ alright
Not feelin’ too good myself
Feelin’ alright
Not feelin’ too good myself

Boy you sure took me for one smooth ride
Even now I sit and I wonder why
And when I think of you I start myself to crying
I just can’t waste my time I must get by
Got to stop believin’ in all your lies
Cause there’s too much to do before I die

Chorus
Feelin’ alright
Not feelin’ too good myself
Feelin’ alright
Not feelin’ too good myself

Don’t get too caught up in all I say
But at the time you know I really felt that way
But that was then and now you know it’s today
I can’t get by so I guess I’m here to stay
Until someone comes along and takes my place
With a different name and a different face

Chorus
Feelin’ alright
Not feelin’ too good myself
Feelin’ alright
Not feelin’ too good myself

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I hope you enjoyed the video. Please leave a comment, give a tweet and facebook like, and subscribe to my feed.

Cheers, George

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