Standards

Can't We Be Friends chords & key

Key: E♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Can't We Be Friends” is a jazz standard by Swift-James. Most bands play it in E♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 18 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and G minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

F⁷

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7B⁷

C^m7G^mG♭^m

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

E^dim7

B♭^m7E♭⁷

A♭⁷

A^dim7

E♭⁶

B♭^m7

E♭⁷

A^m7D⁷

G^m7C⁷

F⁷

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7B⁷

C^m7G^mG♭^m

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

E^dim7

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

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I

1Minor ii–V–i

7ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

5Dominant chains

18Different chords

Most used chords

B♭⁷×6
E♭^maj7×6
F⁷×3
B⁷×3
C^m7×3
G^m×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and G minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1954	The Genius of Art Tatum Art Tatum
1956	Ella and Louis Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong · “Can’t We Be Friends”
1956	Hi Fidelity Jam Session Gene Ammons
1957	Kaleidoscope Sonny Stitt
1957	Swing's the Thing Illinois Jacquet
1959	Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers Ella Fitzgerald · “Can’t We Be Friends?”
1959	Conniff Meets Butterfield Ray Conniff meets Billy Butterfield
1960	Incomparable! Anita O’Day
1961	The Wham of Sam Sammy Davis Jr. · “Can’t We Be Friends”
1961	Jazz Pictures at an Exibition Pim Jacobs & Rita Reys feat. Kenny Clarke
1961	Buck & Buddy Buck Clayton & Buddy Tate
1962	What Kind of Fool Am I: And Other Show‐Stoppers Sammy Davis Jr. · “Can’t We Be Friends”
1971	Joe Albany at Home Joe Albany
1975	Art Tatum At The Crescendo Vol. II Art Tatum
1979	Blues in the Night Sonny Clark · “Can't We Be Friends?”
1985	The 45 Session Bennie Green
1986	Live At The Crescendo Art Tatum
1987	The Best Of Art Tatum Art Tatum
1988	Solos 1937 & Classic Piano Solos Art Tatum
1988	Dexterity George Shearing
1992	The American Songbook, Volume 1 Rita Reys
1994	Roy and Diz Roy Eldridge & Dizzy Gillespie · “Ballad Medley (I'm Through With Love, Can't We Be Friends, Don't You Think, I Don't Know Why (I Just Do), If I Had To)”
1994	Trio Sketches Rob McConnell / Ed Bickert / Neil Swainson
1994	Sweet Home Cookin’ Karrin Allyson · “Can’t We Be Friends”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

Can't We Be Friends The All Star Stompers · Wild Bill Davison · Edmond Hall · Jimmy… · 1947 archive.org ↗
Can't We Be Friends The Lester Young Quintet · Lester Young · Jessie Drake · Gene Ramey… · 1953 archive.org ↗
CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS? DOREEN HENRY · Billy Munn and His Jazz Clubmen · Swift · 1953 archive.org ↗
Can't We Be Friends Benny Carter And His Orchestra · Swift · James · Norman Granz · 1954 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
I Love Being Here With You 25%	Bill Schluger, Peggy Lee	B♭ major	AABC · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Can't We Be Friends in?

Can't We Be Friends is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Can't We Be Friends?

Can't We Be Friends was written by Swift-James.

What is the form of Can't We Be Friends?

Can't We Be Friends has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Can't We Be Friends played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Can't We Be Friends?

The opening bars are F7 | Bb7 | Ebmaj7 B7 | Cm7 Gm Gbm. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.