Level: 2
Tuning: Standard

Time to start raggin' the blues. Once you feel confident in playing the alternating bass we can go beyond first position chords. This arrangement is in the key of D and is a variation of "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate." It's an up-tempo jazz dance song, written by Clarence Williams and Armand Piron, and published in 1919. It is variously believed to be based on a bawdy tune by Louis Armstrong (about Kate Townsend, a murdered brothel madam) or transcribed from a version performed by Anna Jones and Fats Waller. The lyrics of the song are narrated first person by Kate's sister, who sings about Kate's impressive dancing skill and her wish to be able to emulate it. She laments that she's not quite "up to date," but believes that dancing like "Sister Kate" will rectify this, and she will be able to impress "all the boys in the neighborhood" like her sister. You need to keep in mind that you're playing a dance tune. Your alternating bass needs to be solid and rhythmic. Practice this arrangement slowly and bring the tempo up to dance speed gradually.