My Man (Mon Homme): Lead Sheet / Fake Book

This lead sheet captures one of the most dramatically honest songs in the jazz repertoire. The harmonic movement supports genuine emotional expression without requiring elaborate arranging, making it ideal for singers finding their voice in standards or for pianists building fluency with mid-century popular song progressions.

Tender and aching, this song sits in that intimate space where devotion and heartbreak coexist. The melody moves with a kind of resigned acceptance, accepting its subject with clear eyes and an open heart.

Vocalists learning the jazz standard repertoire will find this essential reference material. Pianists looking to expand their comping vocabulary and understand how melody and harmony interact in classic songs will benefit from studying this lead sheet.

• Find the rubato that fits your vocalist's phrasing. The accompaniment should breathe with the melody, especially through the bridge where vulnerability peaks.
• Anchor the harmony with steady comping rather than elaborate fills; the song's power lives in its simplicity and lyrical directness.
• Pay attention to the harmony's minor and diminished movements in the B section. These shifts are what give the song its emotional landscape.
• Consider half-tempo singing in early rehearsals to absorb the harmonic progression and emotional arc before bringing the tempo up to performance speed.

Include this in a standards showcase or jazz evening alongside other classics from the same era. It pairs naturally with other torch songs for a recital or cabaret program exploring emotional restraint and vulnerability in American song.

• Reading and interpreting lead sheet notation
• Navigating jazz harmony including minor, dominant seventh, and diminished chord movement
• Balancing melody-driven phrasing with harmonic grounding
• Comping technique that supports vocal expression
• Understanding song form and emotional arc across sections