Speak Low - Vanessa Rubin cs

“Speak Low” was written in 1943 by composer Kurt Weill. It was first featured on the musical comedy “One Touch of Venus”. Ogden Nash wrote lyrics to this piece. Speak Low has been widely recorded and performed amongst jazz musicians and is an important tune to add to your repertoire. There is a set of popular hits during the head that are worth checking out. An example of this is a recording of Ahmad Jamal which you can find in “The Complete Ahmad Jamal Argo Trio Sessions”. This tune is most commonly played in the key of F major.

Speak Low

Words & Music by Ogden Nash & Kurt Weill
Recorded by Frank Sinatra, 1945

A7+5  Em7/9 A7  Em7/9 A7/9            Em7/9   A7   Em7/9
Speak low             when you speak, love,

A7/9       Em7/9  A7/9       Em7/9  A7   D6   A7   B7
Our summer  day   withers a - way   too soon, too soon.

 Cdim  A7  Em7  A7  Em7             Cdim
Speak low           when you speak, love

    Edim       D      F#7            A7   Em7  Edim     D
Our moment is swift, like ships a - drift we're swept apart.


A7+5  Em7/9 A7  Em7/9 A7/9         Em7/9   A7   Em7/9
Speak low,            darling speak low,

A7/9      Em7/9 A7/9       Em7/9  A7   D7   A7   B7
Love is a spark lost in the dark, too soon, too soon,

Cdim A7/6 Em7  A7    Edim    Em7/9   Edim       D
 I   feel     that wherever I go   tomorrow is near, 

  Cdim       A7       Edim       D
Tomorrow is here and always too soon.


Em7    Cdim  G  G/F# Em7      A7
Time is so  old and love so brief,

 D   G   A7  DM7  F#m Edim    F#7
Love is pure gold and time a thief.


A7+5  Em7/9 A7  Em7/9 A7/9           Em7/9   A7   Em7/9
We're late           darling,  we're late,

    A7/9         Em7/9  A7/9       Em7/9   A7  D6   A7   B7
The curtain des - cends, ev'rything ends  too soon, too soon,

  G9   Edim        D    F#7   B7  
I wait darling, I wait

 D   F#m  Bm    E     Edim  Gdim         A7 A7+5 D6
Will you speak love to me, speak love to me and soon.