Standards · 1942
Baltimore Oriole chords & key
“Baltimore Oriole” is a jazz standard by Hoagy Carmichael from 1942. It is usually played in G minor as a ballad, and the 36-bar AB form has 2 sections. Harmonically it contains no major ii–V–I cadences and 5 minor ii–V–i, uses 15 different chords and moves between the key centres G minor and C minor.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — G minor
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Gm7×13
- Am7♭5×6
- Gm7/F×4
- Cm7×4
- C9×4
- E♭7×4
Key centres reached by ii–V
G minor and C minor
History
"Baltimore Oriole" is a 1942 song written by American composer Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster and Carmichael. Like those of Carmichael's composition "Skylark", the lyrics of "Baltimore Oriole" convey a love affair in terms of a bird–in this case the Baltimore oriole. In the description of his biographer Richard Sudhalter, the song is "one of Carmichael's most evocative of the time" and addresses "the effects of a wayward eye on an avian love relationship". The song was one of three Carmichael compositions due to be featured in the 1944 film To Have and Have Not, starring Humphrey Bogart, Carmichael and Lauren Bacall. According to Bacall, Howard Hawks, the film's director, envisioned the song becoming her signature tune. Instead, Bacall sang the less vocally demanding "How Little We Know", and "Baltimore Oriole" was relegated to serving as background music in the film.
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Frequently asked questions
What key is Baltimore Oriole in?
Baltimore Oriole is usually played in G minor. For B♭ instruments that is A minor, for E♭ instruments E minor.
Who wrote Baltimore Oriole?
Baltimore Oriole was written by Hoagy Carmichael (1942).
What is the form of Baltimore Oriole?
Baltimore Oriole has 2 sections (AB) with 36 bars in total.
How fast is Baltimore Oriole played?
The usual groove is Ballad.
What are the chord changes to Baltimore Oriole?
The opening bars are Gm7 Gm7/F | C9/E Cm6/Eb | Gm7 | Dm7 G7b9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.