ENDEIT

Standards

A Ghost Of A Chance chords & key

Victor Young

Key
C major
Form
AB
Bars
32
Groove
Ballad
Time signature
4/4

“A Ghost Of A Chance” is a jazz standard by Victor Young. It is usually played in C major as a ballad, and the 32-bar AB form has 2 sections. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 6 minor ii–V–i, uses 18 different chords and moves between the key centres C major, F minor, D minor and E minor. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

·
Cmaj7
D♭7♯11
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
Em7E♭dim7
Dm7G7
1.
E7A7
Dm7G7
2.
Cmaj7
Em7♭5A7♭9
A
Dm7
G7♯5
Cmaj7G7
Cmaj7Am7
G♭m7♭5
B7♭9
Em7A7
Dm7G7♯5
B
Cmaj7
D♭7♯11
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
Em7E♭dim7
Dm7G7
Cmaj7Am7
Dm7G7

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I
6Minor ii–V–i
16ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
1Dominant chains
18Different chords

Most used chords

  • Cmaj7×7
  • Dm7×7
  • G7×6
  • Em7×4
  • D♭7♯11×3
  • Gm7×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major, F minor, D minor and E minor

Recorded on these albums

1958 Lady in Satin
Billie Holiday · “A Ghost of a Chance”
2002 It’s Easy to Remember
Bing Crosby · “(I Don’t Stand A) Ghost of a Chance (With You)”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • GHOST OF A CHANCE "Red" Norvo · Remo Palmiero · Slam Stewart · "Specs" Powell · Young… archive.org ↗
  • Ghost of a Chance Herb Lance · H. Lance archive.org ↗
  • A GHOST OF A CHANCE THE BILL DAVISON SIX · Wild Bill Davison · Garvin Bushell · Jimmy… · 1947 archive.org ↗
  • GHOST OF A CHANCE DEXTER GORDON · JIMMY ROWELLS · RED CALLENDER · ROY PORTER · 1948 archive.org ↗
  • Ghost of a Chance The Charlie Venturo Sextette · Charlie Venturo · Howard McGhee ·… · 1949 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
The Folks Who Live On The Hill 28% Jerome Kern C major AABA · 44 Ballad
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off 24% George Gershwin G major AABA · 34 Medium swing
Down In The Depths 23% Cole Porter G major AAB · 54 Medium swing
For Sentimental Reasons 23% William Best F major AABA · 32 Slow swing
Haunted Heart 23% Arthur Schwartz E♭ major ABAC · 36 Ballad
I'm In The Mood For Love 23% Jimmy McHugh C major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Lullaby Of Birdland 23% George Shearing A♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' 23% Richard Rodgers E♭ major ABB · 52 Jazz waltz

Frequently asked questions

What key is A Ghost Of A Chance in?

A Ghost Of A Chance is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote A Ghost Of A Chance?

A Ghost Of A Chance was written by Victor Young.

What is the form of A Ghost Of A Chance?

A Ghost Of A Chance has 2 sections (AB) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is A Ghost Of A Chance played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to A Ghost Of A Chance?

The opening bars are Cmaj7 | Db7#11 | Gm7 C7 | Fm7 Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.