Standards

Bess You Is My Woman chords & key

Key: B♭ major
Form: ABBC
Bars: 46
Groove: Ballad
Time signature: 4/4

“Bess You Is My Woman” is a jazz standard by George Gershwin. It is usually played in B♭ major as a ballad, and the 46-bar ABBC form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 5 minor ii–V–i, uses 50 different chords and moves between the key centres B♭ major, D minor, F♯ minor and B♭ minor. In this atlas it appears on 17 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major

B♭⁶G^m7

C^m7F^7♯9

B♭^maj7B♭⁷

E♭^maj7A♭⁷

G^m7G^m7_/F

E^m7♭5E♭⁷

D^m7A♭⁷

D♭^maj7F⁷

B♭⁶G^m7

C^m7F^7♯9

B♭^maj7G^m7_/F

E^m7♭5A⁷

D⁶

D^m7G⁷

D^maj7

A♭^m7♭5D♭^7♭9

G♭⁶

B⁷D♭^7♯5

G♭⁶E♭^m7

C^m7♭5F^7♭9

D⁶A⁷

B^m♭6D♭^m7♭5

B^m7B♭⁷

D⁶_/A

A^7susA^7♯5

D⁶_/A

A^7susA^7♯5

D⁶D⁹_/G♭

G^maj9C⁷

D⁶_/AG⁷_/BD⁷_/CG⁷_/B

D⁶_/AA♭^dimE^m_/GD_/G♭

B♭^7♯5B♭^7♯5_/D

B⁷B^7♯5E^m7♭5A⁷

D⁶A♭^m7♭5

A⁷_/G

G♭^m7D⁷

G^maj7B♭^m6

D⁶_/AD⁷_/C

G^maj7E^m7

A⁷_/DA^7♯5

D⁶

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

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I

5Minor ii–V–i

10ii–V moves

2Tritone substitutions

1Dominant chains

50Different chords

Most used chords

D⁶×6
A⁷×5
D⁶_/A×5
G^m7×4
E^m7♭5×4
B♭⁶×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

B♭ major, D minor, F♯ minor and B♭ minor

Recorded on these albums

1950	Piano Moods Teddy Wilson · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1955	Mr. Wilson: The Fabulous Teddy Wilson at the Piano Teddy Wilson · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1959	Porgy and Bess Sammy Davis Jr. / Carmen McRae · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1959	Porgy And Bess Hank Jones · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1978	Porgy and Bess George Gershwin; Clamma Dale, Donnie Ray Albert, Houston Grand Opera Orchestra, John DeMain · “"Bess, you is my woman"”
1985	Porgy and Bess Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1989	Porgy & Bess Ray Charles & Cleo Laine · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1989	Highlights from Porgy and Bess George Gershwin; Leontyne Price, William Warfield, Skitch Henderson · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1989	Selections From Porgy and Bess George Gershwin; Royal Promenade Orchestra, Alfred Gehardt · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1992	Porgy and Bess George Gershwin · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
1997	Manhattan Rhapsody George Gershwin; Jazzogène Orchestra, Jean-Luc Fillon, Georges Rabol
1999	Great Scenes from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess Gershwin; Leontyne Price, William Warfield · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
2002	At the Hollywood Palladium / Trumpet After Midnight Harry James · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
2004	The Unreleased Sessions Jim Hall featuring Buddy Collette · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
2006	The Quintet Studio Sessions Ben Webster & Harry “Sweets” Edison · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
2012	Four Classic Albums (Stretching Out / Starring Zoot Sims / Down Home / The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess) Zoot Sims · “Bess, You Is My Woman”
—	Porgy and Bess George Gershwin · “Bess, You Is My Woman”

Frequently asked questions

What key is Bess You Is My Woman in?

Bess You Is My Woman is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.

Who wrote Bess You Is My Woman?

Bess You Is My Woman was written by George Gershwin.

What is the form of Bess You Is My Woman?

Bess You Is My Woman has 4 sections (ABBC) with 46 bars in total.

How fast is Bess You Is My Woman played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to Bess You Is My Woman?

The opening bars are Bb6 Gm7 | Cm7 F7#9 | Bbmaj7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 Ab7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.