What Did I Have That I Don't Have? (from On A Clear Day You Can See Forever): Lead Sheet / Fake Book

This lead sheet captures a song that sits perfectly at the intersection of Broadway elegance and jazz vocabulary. The harmonic movement rewards thoughtful interpretation, and the melody's gentle contour makes it accessible for singers while remaining substantially interesting for musicians who dig into the changes.

Wistful and introspective, with a touch of melancholy underneath its Broadway polish. The song unfolds gently, inviting contemplation rather than declaration, and its harmonies carry the emotional weight more than any dramatic gesture.

Jazz pianists and singers looking for a standard with genuine harmonic substance, and music educators seeking repertoire that connects Broadway songwriting tradition to jazz improvisation. Works equally well in jazz combo settings or as a feature for a trained vocalist in a contemporary music program.

• Study the original recording to hear how the melody breathes; this song resists rushing and gains its power from restraint.
• Voice the chord extensions as you comp underneath a melody line. Lane's harmonies deserve to be heard, not buried.
• Shape phrases around the lyric's emotional arc rather than measure lines, allowing the natural speech patterns to guide your phrasing.

Feature this in a jazz standards repertoire showcase or pair it with other mid-century Broadway selections to explore how composers of that era brought jazz sensibility into musical theater. It also works as an encore piece when you want something sophisticated and brief.

• Analyzing extended jazz harmonies (sevenths, ninths, alterations) within a song context
• Lyric-driven phrasing and breathing in melody interpretation
• Accompanying singers with comped voicings that enhance rather than overshadow the line
• Recognizing and performing the difference between swing era standards and mid-century Broadway jazz-influenced writing