“My Shining Hour” was composed by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer for the 1943 film The Sky’s the Limit. John Coltrane’s 1964 recording on Coltrane’s Sound and many bebop versions made it a jazz favorite.
The form is a 32-bar ABAC, usually in Eb major. The harmony moves through the I, ii and V chords with secondary dominants and a classic turnaround. It’s often played at a medium-up swing tempo.
For improvisation, use bebop lines over the ii-Vs and target guide tones. Coltrane’s version shows how to bring intensity to a friendly progression.
Practice at medium tempo, then speed up. Learn the melody from a vocal recording.
Section by section: the opening A section moves from the tonic through ii-V progressions, so target the third of each new chord and connect with chromatic approach notes. The B section moves toward the IV chord, a good spot for a lyrical phrase that rises to the root of IV. The C section brings a turnaround back to Eb; practice a few turnaround licks so you can end each chorus strongly. Coltrane often played the tune at a fast tempo, so build up speed gradually.
Practice tip: transcribe the melody from a vocal recording and then from Coltrane’s version. Comparing the two shows how instrumentalists reshape a melody, which is a valuable skill when you play standards.
Memorizing the My Shining Hour Lead Sheet PDF: learn the form in sections, not all at once. Play the first eight bars until you can do them with your eyes closed, then add the next section. Within a week or two you won’t need the page at all, which is the real goal of any lead sheet.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate. Recordings to study: Coltrane’s Sound and vocal versions. Learn more about the composer on Harold Arlen’s Wikipedia page, and find more standards on Minedit.