Standards
Danny Boy chords & key
- Key
- C major
- Form
- ABC
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Danny Boy” is a jazz standard. Most bands play it in C major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABC form. Harmonically it contains 6 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 13 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 1 album track.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — C major
A
B
C
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
6Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
8ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
13Different chords
Most used chords
- C×10
- Dm7×8
- G7×8
- F×6
- Am×4
- C/G×2
Recorded on these albums
Historic 78 rpm recordings
- DANNY BOY PHIL MOORE FOUR · Phil Moore Quartet · Fred Weatherly · 1946 archive.org ↗
- Danny Boy Al Hibbler · Billy Kyle · 1950 archive.org ↗
- Danny Boy Bobby Smith And Orchestra · 1950 archive.org ↗
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Big Nick 31% | G major |
| High Hopes 31% | F major |
| Airmail Special 27% | C major |
| You Keep Coming Back Like A Song 27% | E♭ major |
| Cotton Tail 26% | B♭ major |
| Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin 25% | A♭ major |
| L.O.V.E. 25% | G major |
| Bewitched 23% | C major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Danny Boy in?
Danny Boy is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.
What is the form of Danny Boy?
Danny Boy has 3 sections (ABC) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Danny Boy played?
The usual groove is Medium swing.
What are the chord changes to Danny Boy?
The opening bars are C | C C7 | F | F. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.