Standards · 1930

Bidin' My Time chords & key

George Gershwin · Lyrics: Ira Gershwin

Key: E♭ major
Form: ABA
Bars: 24
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4
Year: 1930

“Bidin' My Time” is a jazz standard by George Gershwin from 1930. Most bands play it in E♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 24 bars in ABA form. Harmonically it contains 7 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and C major. In this atlas it appears on 3 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭^maj7C^7♭13

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭^maj7C^7♭13

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶C⁷

F^m7A♭^m7

E♭^maj7_/B♭F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶

G⁷C^maj7

D^m7G⁷

C^maj7

B♭⁷E♭^maj7

C^m7F⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭^maj7C^7♭13

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭^maj7C^7♭13

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶C⁷

F^m7A♭^m7

E♭^maj7_/B♭B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

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

Harmonic analysis

7Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

8ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

B♭⁷×9
F^m7×8
E♭^maj7×7
C^7♭13×4
E♭⁶×3
G⁷×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and C major

History

"Bidin' My Time" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was introduced by The Foursome ( Del Porter, Ray Johnson, J. Marshall and Dwight Snyder) in the 1930 musical Girl Crazy. Not to be confused with the Anne Murray song Bidin' My Time from 1969 written by Gene MacLellan.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Recorded on these albums

1959	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book Ella Fitzgerald · “Bidin’ My Time”
1964	Let’s Face the Music! Nat King Cole · “Bidin’ My Time”
1978	The George And Ira Gershwin Songbook Ella Fitzgerald

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Fools Rush In 29%	Rube Bloom	C major	ABAC · 32	Slow swing
People Will Say We're In Love 24%	Richard Rodgers	C major	AABD · 48	Medium swing
I May Be Wrong 23%	Henry Sullivan	E♭ major	AABC · 32	Medium swing
You Better Go Now 22%	Reichner-Graham	E♭ major	ABC · 24	Medium swing
After You 21%	Cole Porter	C major	ABC · 32	Ballad
Daybreak 21%	Adamson-Grofe	E♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
This Time The Dream's On Me 21%	Harold Arlen	G major	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
Valse Hot 21%	Sonny Rollins	A♭ major	A · 16	Jazz waltz

Frequently asked questions

What key is Bidin' My Time in?

Bidin' My Time is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Bidin' My Time?

Bidin' My Time was written by George Gershwin (1930).

What is the form of Bidin' My Time?

Bidin' My Time has 3 sections (ABA) with 24 bars in total.

How fast is Bidin' My Time played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Bidin' My Time?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 C7b13 | Fm7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 C7b13 | Fm7 Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.