Da Ya Think I'm Sexy: Lead Sheet / Fake Book

This tune sits at the sweet spot where accessible pop melody meets genuine rhythmic sophistication. Students encounter real jazz voicings and funk-inflected rhythms without drowning in complexity, and the song's irrepressible groove makes rehearsal feel like less work and more fun.

Smooth, swaggering, and unapologetically fun. The groove has enough sophistication to reward careful listening, but its surface charm is instantly recognizable. There's a wink in every phrase, making it feel both confident and playful.

Keyboardists and singers building comfort with jazz voicings in a pop context, plus any ensemble needing a contemporary crowd pleaser with real musical substance. This works beautifully for students who think they only like classical or contemporary classical music until they hear how a well-written pop tune can teach the same concepts.

• Lock into the swing feel early. The disco pulse sits on top of subtle syncopation, so establish the pocket with your rhythm section before layering the melody.
• Treat the vocal line conversationally rather than operatically. Stewart's delivery is cool and slightly detached, which actually makes the cheekiness of the lyric land harder.
• Emphasize the chromatic movement in the bass line and chord changes. They're the engine of this arrangement, and clarity here makes everything else sit better.
• Don't oversell the funk; underplay it. The confidence of the groove comes from restraint, not from pushing or overinterpreting the rhythm.

Drop this into a jazz or contemporary music concert to bridge audiences and show students how vernacular music and serious musicianship coexist. It's equally at home as an encore or as part of a program exploring how pop songwriting from the 1970s still teaches modern voice leading and harmonic thinking.

• Reading and performing jazz chord voicings in a pop context
• Groove and pocket playing with syncopated rhythms
• Translating conversational vocal delivery into instrumental phrasing
• Understanding funk and disco rhythmic feels on keyboard