Standards · 1959

Better Git It In Your Soul chords & key

Key
F major
Form
AABA
Bars
38
Groove
Up-tempo swing
Time signature
6/4
Year
1959

“Better Git It In Your Soul” is a jazz standard by Charles Mingus from 1959. Most bands play it in F major, up-tempo swing; the tune runs 38 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains no major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 6 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 12 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — F major

A
F7
B♭7
F7
B♭7
F7
B♭7
Gm7
C7
1.
F7C7
Gm7C7
2.
F7C7
F7
B
B♭7
F7
B♭7
F7
B♭7
Am7D7
Gm7
C7
A
F7
B♭7
F7
B♭7
F7
B♭7
Gm7
C7
F7C7
F7

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

Harmonic analysis

0Major ii–V–I
1Minor ii–V–i
6ii–V moves
1Tritone substitutions
19Dominant chains
6Different chords

Most used chords

  • F7×16
  • B♭7×12
  • C7×8
  • Gm7×5
  • Am7×1
  • D7×1

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1959 Mingus Ah Um
Charles Mingus · “Better Git It in Your Soul”
1963 Encore: Woody Herman – 1963
Woody Herman · “Better Get It in Your Soul”
1964 Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
Charles Mingus · “Better Get Hit in Yo’ Soul”
1964 Plays the Compositions of Charlie Mingus
Pepper Adams · “Better Git in Your Soul”
1976 Mingus at Antibes
Charles Mingus · “Better Git Hit in Your Soul”
1977 Three or Four Shades of Blues
Charles Mingus · “Better Git Hit in Your Soul”
1979 Woody and Friends: Monterey Jazz Festival 1979
Woody Herman · “Better Git It in Your Soul”
1990 Epitaph
Charles Mingus · “Better Get It in Your Soul”
1990 Roots Revisited
Maceo Parker · “Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul”
1991 Old Feeling
George Adams · “Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul”
1995 I'll Be Over You
Larry Coryell · “Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul”
2015 Simpler Times
Chester Thompson Trio · “Better Git It in Your Soul”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
You Better Leave It Alone 35% Clifford Jordan B♭ major AA · 32 Medium-up swing
Chasin' The Trane 31% John Coltrane F major A · 12 Up-tempo swing
Bags' Groove 28% Milt Jackson F major A · 12 Medium swing
Sandu 28% Clifford Brown E♭ major A · 12 Medium swing
Straight No Chaser 27% Thelonious Monk B♭ major A · 12 Medium-up swing
Barbados 25% Charlie Parker F major A · 12 Latin
Parker's Mood 25% Charlie Parker B♭ major A · 12 Medium swing
Tenor Madness 25% Sonny Rollins B♭ major A · 12 Medium-up swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Better Git It In Your Soul in?

Better Git It In Your Soul is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.

Who wrote Better Git It In Your Soul?

Better Git It In Your Soul was written by Charles Mingus (1959).

What is the form of Better Git It In Your Soul?

Better Git It In Your Soul has 4 sections (AABA) with 38 bars in total.

How fast is Better Git It In Your Soul played?

The usual groove is Up-tempo swing.

What are the chord changes to Better Git It In Your Soul?

The opening bars are F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.