Standards

A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening chords & key

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

“A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening” is a jazz standard by Jimmy McHugh. Most bands play it in F major, ballad; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 7 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres F major, B♭ major and D minor. In this atlas it appears on 17 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — F major

B♭^maj7

G^m7C⁷

A^m7

D^m7

G^m7

C⁷

F^maj7

C^m7F⁷

F⁶

C^m7F⁷

B♭^maj7E♭⁹

A^m7D^m7

G^m7C⁷

F^maj7

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

D^m7

G⁷

C⁷C^m7F⁷

B♭^maj7

G^m7C⁷

A^m7

D^m7

G^m7

C⁷

F^maj7

C^m7F⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

7Major ii–V–I

1Minor ii–V–i

13ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

1Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

C⁷×8
G^m7×7
D^m7×5
B♭^maj7×4
A^m7×4
C^m7×4

Key centres reached by ii–V

F major, B♭ major and D minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1955	The Misty Miss Christy June Christy · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1957	The Opener Curtis Fuller · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1959	Heavenly Johnny Mathis · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1960	Wonderland by Night Louis Prima · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1970	Hello Herbie The Oscar Peterson Trio & Herb Ellis · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1978	Lou Rawls Live Lou Rawls · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1988	Louis Prima and HIs Orchestra Wonderland By Night Louis Prima
1991	Mel & George "Do" World War II George Shearing & Mel Tormé · “(This Is) A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening (Never Gonna Fall in Love Again)”
1991	As Time Goes By Chris Connor · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1993	Three Originals, Volume 2 Oscar Peterson · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
1993	Live at Michael's Pub Mel Tormé · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
2001	Keely Sings Sinatra Keely Smith · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
2004	She Loves Me / There's Love & There's Love & There's Love Jack Jones · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
2009	A Song for You Ernestine Anderson · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
2015	The Complete Hits 1943-62 Frank Sinatra · “A Lovely Way to Spend An Evening”
2024	The Unforgettable Songbird Alice Babs · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”
2026	World Tour Oscar Peterson · “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
If There Is Someone Lovelier 32%	Dietz-Schwartz	C major	ABC · 28	Ballad
I've Never Been In Love Before 31%	Frank Loesser	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Love Is The Sweetest Thing 31%	Ray Noble	D major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
You Are Too Beautiful 31%	Richard Rodgers	C major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Portrait Of Jennie 30%	Burdge-Robinson	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Strike Up The Band 30%	George Gershwin	E♭ major	ABCD · 32	Up-tempo swing
The Sweetest Sounds 29%	Richard Rodgers	F major	AB · 40	Medium-up swing
Why Do I Love You? 29%	Jerome Kern	A♭ major	AA · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening in?

A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.

Who wrote A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening?

A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening was written by Jimmy McHugh.

What is the form of A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening?

A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening?

The opening bars are Bbmaj7 | Gm7 C7 | Am7 | Dm7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.