Standards

A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing chords & key

Key: D♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Ballad
Time signature: 4/4

“A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing” is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn. It is usually played in D♭ major as a ballad, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains no major ii–V–I cadences and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 18 different chords and moves between the key centres C♯ minor and D minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — D♭ major

×2

B^7♯11

B♭^7♭13E♭⁷

A♭^7♭13D♭⁷

D^maj7E♭⁷D

D♭⁶

E♭^m7♭5A♭^7♯5

D♭^maj7

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

D^maj7

D^maj7_/AA♭^m7♭5

D^maj7_/A

A♭^7♯11G^7♯11

G♭^maj7A♭^7♯11

B^7♯11

B♭^7♭13E♭⁷

A♭^7♭13D♭⁷

D^maj7E♭⁷D

D♭⁶

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

0Major ii–V–I

2Minor ii–V–i

2ii–V moves

4Tritone substitutions

9Dominant chains

18Different chords

Most used chords

B^7♯11×12
E♭⁷×6
D^maj7×4
B♭^7♭13×3
A♭^7♭13×3
D♭⁷×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

C♯ minor and D minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1955	Creamy Johnny Hodges · “Passion Flower”
1959	A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing Ray Nance, Cat Anderson · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1963	The Peaceful Side of Jazz Billy Strayhorn · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1964	Everybody Knows Johnny Hodges · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1966	Ella at Duke’s Place Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1969	Left & Right Roland Kirk · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1976	Lena, a New Album Lena Horne · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1978	Maple Leaf Rag Archie Shepp · “A Flower Is a Lonesome Thing”
1979	Unknown Session Duke Ellington · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1982	Ellingtonia William "Cat" Anderson · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1983	African Dawn Abdullah Ibrahim · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1986	Songs of Love and Regret Mal Waldron / Marion Brown · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1987	Reunion Horace Parlan & Archie Shepp Duo · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1987	Marian McPartland Plays the Music of Billy Strayhorn Marian McPartland · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1987	Sempre amore Mal Waldron & Steve Lacy · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1990	Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz Marian McPartland with guest Dick Hyman · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1992	Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn Joe Henderson · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1993	It Don't Mean a Thing Elvin Jones · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing, Ask Me Now”
1994	We’ll Be Together Again Lena Horne · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1997	Something to Live For Archie Shepp · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1998	A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing Bud Shank & Bob Cooper, Netherlands Metropole Orchestra · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1999	Voice in the Night Charles Lloyd · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
1999	Do Nothing Till You Hear From Us! Buddy DeFranco & Dave McKenna with Joel Cohn · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”
2000	The Bassist: Homage to Diversity Richard Davis · “A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing”

Frequently asked questions

What key is A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing in?

A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing is usually played in D♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is E♭ major, for E♭ instruments B♭ major.

Who wrote A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing?

A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing was written by Billy Strayhorn.

What is the form of A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing?

A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing?

The opening bars are B7#11 | B7#11 | B7#11 | B7#11. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.