ENDEIT

Standards

Can't We Be Friends chords & key

Swift-James

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 7 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
F7
B♭7
E♭maj7B7
Cm7GmG♭m
Fm7
B♭7
E♭maj7
1.
Edim7
2.
B♭m7E♭7
B
A♭7
Adim7
E♭6
E♭6
B♭m7
E♭7
Am7D7
Gm7C7
A
F7
B♭7
E♭maj7B7
Cm7GmG♭m
Fm7
B♭7
E♭maj7
Edim7

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
  • Cm7×3
  • Gm×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and G minor

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1956 Ella and Louis
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong · “Can’t We Be Friends”
1959 Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers
Ella Fitzgerald · “Can’t We Be Friends?”
1998 That Old Black Magic
Ella Fitzgerald · “Can’t We Be Friends?”
2002 It’s Easy to Remember
Bing Crosby · “Can’t We Be Friends?”
2008 Ella & Louis (and Oscar Too)
Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong & The Oscar Peterson Trio · “Can’t We Be Friends?”
2025 Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Volume 2
Ella Fitzgerald · “Can’t We Be Friends?”
— Ella Et Louis
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong · “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.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
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.