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6.13.9 Chords to "Lovesick Blues": Relative Keys; How the Chord Progression Works
Hank Williams Sr. recorded 'Lovesick Blues' in the key of F, but it's easier to play the chords on guitar if you put a capo on the third fred and play key of D shapes, as on the chord map below. Hank did not write “Lovesick Blues,” which became one of his greatest hits. It was written a full generation before Hank recorded it.
Remarkably, “Lovesick Blues” has 11 chords—probably the most chords Hank ever played in one song. But none are fancy. They’re just major triads, minor triads, and dominant sevenths (Figure 112).
“Lovesick Blues” has several instances of well-placed secondary dominants (B7 – E7 – A7).
FIGURE 112: Chord Map of “Lovesick Blues” (Words and Music by Irving Mills and Cliff Friend, 1922)
In the bridge, “Lovesick Blues” modulates to the relative minor key, the key of B minor. This provides a welcome contrast, as the verse has no minor chords.