This ballad is an adventure through a variety of key centers, with that signature Lucky Thompson sophistication. The melody is warm and wistful; several important notes are the 7ths or upper extensions of the chords. Starting in B♭, the A section visits both D♭ and D; the bridge begins in G♭ and lands briefly in B and D in the second half. The C section is similar to the A section, but goes back to D♭ in the seventh and eighth measures before returning to B♭ for a 6-measure tag: three measures of "turnaround" (with a melody based on the beginning of the A section) and three measures of chromatically shifting triads over a tonic pedal point. Many resolutions in this song's changes are stretched or substituted. For example, Dmaj7 in the fifth measure of the A section is preceded by B♭m7—a smooth transition from D♭maj7 which is also the II of a tritone substitute II-V7. The end of the first A section contains a stretched III-VI7-II-V7 with one measure of D minor, two beats of G7 and then one beat each of F7 and its tritone substitute, B7. A chromatically descending piano countermelody is shown in the last two measures of the second A; the bass descends chromatically in the last measure of the bridge for a II-V7 of V7.
The piano intro
CLIP is shown in our lead sheets: a dramatically rising and falling line in mostly ascending triads over a B♭ pedal. The ending has similar triad/pedal figures, slightly different from the end of the head.
Our
Melody Transcription, available in B-flat and C, shows how Lucky plays the head on the recording. After the head, he solos for the two A sections; after a piano solo on the bridge, he takes the head out from C.
CLIP This last section is in our transcription. We have detailed articulations for an in-depth look at Lucky's melody interpretation. In this song he plays a lot of pickup figures of two 16th note triplets, for a slight implied double-time feel.
"Lucky Strikes" was recorded at the legendary
Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
Lucky Thompson wrote more ballads in B♭—major or minor—than any other key. For more of Lucky's B♭ ballads, check out
To A Mornin' Sunrise (major) and
Deep Passion (minor).
I Forgot To Remember was recorded in 1994 by saxophonists Mark Turner and Tad Shull for their album "Two Tenor Ballads." Bonnie Strickman recorded a vocal version in 1996 on her debut album, "Wonders Never Cease," featuring trombonist Robin Eubanks. Yet another version is by tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers, on his 2004 piano-less trio album "Violet Violets."
