Do Re MiC D E

Come Back Baby

Ray Charles (Mance Lipscomb)4/4slow-blues

Chord Diagrams — Come Back Baby in G (Guitar)

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Come Back Baby in G

Key of G

G major is the singer-songwriter's key. The open G, B, and D strings spell out the full G major triad with zero fretting. Add the open high E for a Gadd6 shimmer. Nearly every diatonic chord (Em, Am, C, D) has a comfortable open voicing. G is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open G, B, and D strings form a complete G major triad without fretting a single note, and the open low E adds a rich 6th color. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to A# (descending whole step), A# to A (descending half step), A to C# (ascending major third), C# to G (ascending tritone), G to G (ascending unison), G to E (descending minor third), E to D (descending whole step), D to C (descending whole step), C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to D (descending perfect fourth), D to G# (ascending tritone). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from G# to G by half step.

Scales for Improvisation

G major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, G Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.

slow-blues4/4 · 16 bars · Form: A

Chords: G7, C9, A♯7, A7, C♯dim, G/B♭, G/B, Em7, D13, C, G, D7♯5, G♯9.

Scales for Improvisation G bebop, G bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of G