We've Only Just Begun: Lead Sheet / Fake Book

This lead sheet captures one of the most lyrical and singable melodies in American popular song. The changes are jazz-informed without being obtuse, making it accessible for students learning to read and interpret chord symbols while maintaining enough harmonic interest to reward careful voicing choices.

Gentle and hopeful, with warmth that comes from well-crafted melody and supportive harmony. The song unfolds like a conversation, intimate and unhurried, with enough sophistication in the chord movement to feel substantial without ever sounding heavy.

Pianists and keyboardists reading from lead sheets, singers developing their repertoire of standards, and jazz students building fluency with chord symbol interpretation. This is equally useful in wedding or event contexts and in educational settings where students are learning the language of jazz and pop composition.

• Allow the melody to breathe by keeping accompaniment textures light in the opening section. The lyrical quality depends on space as much as notes.
• Voice the chords to emphasize the descending bass line and the melody's contour; this collaboration between harmony and line drives the song's emotional arc.
• Match the vocal phrasing to the natural speech rhythm of the text rather than forcing the melody into metronomic placement.

Pair this with other lead sheets from the Great American Songbook or contemporary standards to build a set that demonstrates how popular song can sit alongside jazz repertoire. It also works as a bridge piece in programs mixing classical, jazz, and commercial music.

• Reading chord symbols and understanding jazz nomenclature
• Realizing lead sheets with idiomatic voicings for piano or keyboard
• Phrase shaping and breath placement in melodic singing
• Harmonic analysis of diatonic progressions with chromatic movement