Pretty Ballerina

This, the Left Banke's followup to 'Walk Away Renee', reached #15 in early

1967. The melody, with elements of the Lydian (raised fourth) and Mixolydian

(flatted seventh) modes, attracted the attention of Leonard Bernstein, who

analyzed it on his 'Anatomy of Pop' TV special around that time.

"Pretty Ballerina"

(Michael Brown)

/ / / / / / / / [2X]

Verse 1:

I had a date with a pretty ballerina

Her hair so brilliant that it hurt my eyes

I asked her for this dance and then she obliged me

Was I surprised, yeah

Was I surprised, no not at all

Verse 2:

I called her yesterday, it should have been tomorrow

I could not keep the joy that was inside

I asked for her to tell me if she really loved me

Somewhere a mountain is moving

Afraid it's moving without me

Instrumental break:

/ / / / / / / /

(string quartet arr. for three guitars and bass; note that top

two voices are doubled in octaves):

v v v v v

-7---6---5---5---5---5---|-5---

-------------------------|-----

-4---3---2---2---2---2---|-2---

-6---5---3---2---1---2---|-2---

-------------------------|-----

-------------------------|-----

^ 1/4 note triplets ^

v v v v v v v v

-------------------------|-----5-------5---|-----

-2---1---0---------------|---7---77--7---77|--%--

-------------4---3---4---|-5-------5-------|-----

-------------------------|-----------------|-----

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Dm Am Em Gm Am [rit.]

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

la la la la la

Verse 3:

And when I wake on a dreary Sunday morning

I open up my eyes to find that there's rain

And something strange within says, "Go ahead and find her

Just close your eyes, yeah

Just close your eyes and she'll be there"

Coda (repeat to fade):

She'll be there...

-- another ace 60's tab from Andrew Rogers