Standards

Black And Blue chords & key

Key: C major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Slow swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Black And Blue” is a jazz standard by Fats Waller. It is usually played in C major as a slow swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 14 different chords and moves between the key centres C major and A minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

A^m7

D^m7

A^m7

D⁷D♭⁷

C⁶A⁷

D^m7G⁷

C^maj7

B^m7♭5E^7♭9

C⁶F⁷

C⁶

A♭⁷

C⁶D^m7

E^m7C⁶

A♭⁷

C⁶F⁷

B^m7♭5E^7♭9

A^m7

D^m7

A^m7

D⁷D♭⁷

C⁶A⁷

D^m7G⁷

C⁶F⁷

C⁶B^m7♭5E⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I

2Minor ii–V–i

9ii–V moves

3Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

14Different chords

Most used chords

C⁶×10
D^m7×7
A^m7×6
A♭⁷×4
D⁷×3
D♭⁷×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major and A minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1947	Frankie Laine Sings Frankie Laine · “Black and Blue”
1952	Sidney Bechet Sidney Bechet · “Black and Blue”
1955	Satch Plays Fats: A Tribute to the Immortal Fats Waller Louis Armstrong · “(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue”
1956	Fatha Plays Fats Earl Hines
1958	André Previn Plays Fats Waller André Previn · “Black and Blue”
1959	Like Blue André Previn and David Rose · “(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue”
1963	Black and Blue Lou Rawls · “Black and Blue”
1963	Exultation! Booker Ervin · “Black and Blue”
1964	Pete's Place Pete Fountain · “(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue”
1968	Sweet Emma The Bell Gal And Her New Orleans Jazz Band At Heritage Hall “Sweet Emma” Barrett · “Black and Blue”
1974	Another Monday Date Earl Hines · “Black and Blue”
1977	A Pauper in Paradise Gino Vannelli · “Black and Blue”
1979	Ain't Misbehavin' Clark Terry · “(What Did I Do To Be So) Black And Blue”
1980	I Remember Harlem Roy Eldridge · “Black and Blue”
1985	The Fats Waller Songbook Dinah Washington · “Black and Blue”
1987	Ain’t Misbehavin’ Fats Waller · “Black and Blue”
1988	Fine and Mellow (live at Birdland West) Carmen McRae · “Black and Blue”
1989	Blues for Thomas Waller Teddy Wilson · “Black and Blue”
1990	Satchmo Louis Armstrong · “(What Did I Do To Be So) Black And Blue”
1990	Basin Street Blues Earl Hines · “(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue”
1991	The Complete Dinah Washington On Mercury Vol.5 (1956–1958) Dinah Washington
1991	Blues for Two Zoot Sims / Joe Pass · “(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue”
1991	Plays Blues and Ballads Ray Bryant · “Black and Blue”
1992	Mental Strain at Dawn: A Modern Portrait of Louis Armstrong David Murray & Doc Cheatham · “Black and Blue”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

BLACK AND BLUE JIMMY JAMES JAS BAND · GEORGE ZACK · Jimmy James · Freddie Flynn ·… archive.org ↗
BLACK AND BLUE NAT JAFFE · Waller · Razaf · 1944 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So 22%	Duke Ellington	G major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Fly Me To The Moon 20%	Bart Howard	C major	AB · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Black And Blue in?

Black And Blue is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote Black And Blue?

Black And Blue was written by Fats Waller.

What is the form of Black And Blue?

Black And Blue has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Black And Blue played?

The usual groove is Slow swing.

What are the chord changes to Black And Blue?

The opening bars are Am7 | Dm7 | Am7 | D7 Db7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.