Chords | The Chicken
Intro/tag
||: Bb7 Eb7 :|| x4
Verse
| Bb7 (Em7b5 Dm7b5) | Bb7 | Bb7 | Bb7 |
| Eb7 (Am7b5 Gm7b5) | Eb7 | D7 | G7 |
| C7 | C7 | C7 | Bb (minor pentatonic riff) |
The Chicken Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find backing tracks to use when learning The Chicken. I’ve used stem separation to extract the guitar while keeping the drums, bass, keys, and horns. In the second half of each backing track, there is also a version without horns.
After studying the chords and TAB, use my backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Should you want to play along with the original recording instead, you need to tune your guitar sharp to 444Hz. In the backing tracks, I’ve done this job for you by tuning it to 440Hz.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
To spice up the chords, you can incorporate sliding m7b5 substitutions, much like T-Bone Walker did on Call It Stormy Monday and Papa Ain’t Salty decades earlier, and B.B. King on Paying The Cost To Be The Boss around the same time.
To begin, imagine the dominant 7th chord you wish to substitute, then start your m7b5 chord on the 3rd.
For example, with a Bb7, start on the D. This creates a dominant 9th extension.
For an even more flavorful variation, start a tone above, on an Em7b5, and slide down to the Dm7b5. In relation to the Bb, this results in a Bb13b5 chord. The intervals, as illustrated in the diagram, are as follows:
| Root | 2/9 | 3 | 4 | b5 | 5 | 6/13 | b7 | root | 2/9 | 3 | |
| Bb7 | Bb | D | F | Ab | |||||||
| Dm7b5 | D | F | Ab | C | |||||||
| Em7b5 | E | G | Bb | D |
Here’s a chord chart you can bring to the gig or keep in your back pocket, thanks to your extensive practice of The Chicken’s chords!
The Chicken Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
II could have made this chart easier to read by using larger bars, but that would have meant it wouldn’t fit on one page. If you’d like to download the chart, here’s a PDF link: The Chicken chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iReal Pro. You can access the file here: The Chicken iReal Pro.
Using iReal Pro, you can change the key — a great option if you’d like to try playing it in all 12 keys!
For best results, record the chords to a loop pedal, then play the theme followed by a solo. Once you’re comfortable, try changing the key to challenge yourself!
The Chicken | TAB
Let’s start with The Chicken’s signature bass line. It might annoy the bass player if you double up on it—but even so, you should learn it so you know exactly what’s going on.
The last beat of this section leads directly into the melody of the main theme, which looks like this in TAB:
I’ve added a few extra bits here—mainly those sliding min7b5 chords. I just couldn’t help myself… or maybe it just helps you know when the melody returns? You decide.
In the second-to-last bar, I’ve included the horn section’s response to the melody. You could throw that in earlier—maybe twice—or skip it altogether.
The final line is a Bb minor pentatonic riff. Compare it to what happens in Think, and then do your best not to mix the two up!
I was going to transcribe the original James Brown guitar part… but decided I should probably hold something back—just in case this turns into an 8-part step-by-step series. Honestly, it feels inevitable.
Anyway, you should try all this using the three backing tracks above!
Jaco Pastorius’s signature song
Originally written by Pee Wee Ellis, The Chicken was first released in 1969 as the B-side to James Brown’s hit Popcorn.
Over the years, the song has been covered by various artists, with saxophonist Dave Liebman recording a version in 1977 under the title Chicken Soup. However, it was Jaco Pastorius—who famously dubbed himself “the world’s greatest bass player”—who turned The Chicken into a jazz-funk fusion standard with his 1983 live recording.
Another great version is Maceo Parker’s 1991 recording.
As a standard, knowing The Chicken’s chords is essential—especially if the singer suddenly steps offstage, leaving the band to carry on instrumentally. Once you’ve played it a few times with a saxophonist taking the melody and solos, challenge yourself by learning the melody and, eventually, the solo!
The Chicken Chords: Continue Learning
Step-by-step Guitar Courses
Master guitar by studying real tunes. Build your skills with video lessons, eBooks and practice routines that connect theory with the music you love!
Explore SpyTunes step-by-step Guitar Courses.
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
