Rescue Me by Fontella Bass
Rescue Me by Fontella Bass runs at 123 BPM in 4/4 and is in the key of A major. It is built on 4 chords — D, A, G, Em7. Released in 1965.
✓ Key sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected. See how we verify →
What to watch for
Listen for the 7th in these chords — it's the note doing most of the harmonic pull, and it's the first thing that disappears if you fret only the plain triad underneath it.
Practice at the right tempo
This song sits at 123 BPM. Start at 60% until the changes are clean — speed is a by-product of accuracy, not a goal.
Learn the theory
Play it on a live fretboard
Every shape, every voicing, and the scale that fits over them — on a board you can hear. Then just talk to it: Melody Monkey's personal music teacher controls the fretboard, so ask for a chord, a scale, a progression, or why any of it works, and watch it land under your fingers. Free to start.
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Frequently asked questions
What key is Rescue Me in?
Rescue Me is in A major, sourced from the McGill Billboard Project's expert chord annotations — not auto-detected.
What tempo is Rescue Me?
Rescue Me runs at 123 BPM (beats per minute).
What chords does Rescue Me use?
Rescue Me is built on 4 chords: D, A, G, Em7.
What tuning is Rescue Me in?
This recording sits about 15 cents flat of concert pitch (A=436.2Hz, not 440Hz). Tune to the track or you'll fight it the whole way.