Standards · 1946

Don't Explain chords & key

Billie Holiday · Lyrics: Billie Holiday

Key: D minor
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Ballad
Time signature: 4/4
Year: 1946

“Don't Explain” is a jazz standard by Billie Holiday from 1946. Most bands play it in D minor, ballad; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 5 minor ii–V–i, uses 10 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor and F major. In this atlas it appears on 3 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — D minor

×2

D^m

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

D^m

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

E♭^7♯11

D♭^7♯11G^m7C⁷

F^maj7

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

D^mG^m7

C⁷F^maj7

B♭^maj7E^m7♭5

B♭⁷A^7♭9

D^mG^m7

C⁷F^maj7

B♭^maj7E^m7♭5

B♭⁷A^7♭9

D^m

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

D^m

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

E♭^7♯11

D♭^7♯11G^m7C⁷

F^maj7

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I

5Minor ii–V–i

14ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

10Different chords

Most used chords

E^m7♭5×11
A^7♭9×11
D^m×8
G^m7×5
C⁷×5
F^maj7×5

Key centres reached by ii–V

D minor and F major

Characteristics

AABA song form

History

"Don't Explain" is a song written by jazz singer Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr. It was Holiday's final song.

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

Recorded on these albums

1958	Lady in Satin Billie Holiday · “Don’t Explain”
1965	Let It All Out Nina Simone · “Don’t Explain”
2003	Les Plus Beaux Moments Jazz Billie Holiday · “Don't explain”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Autumn Leaves 35%	Joseph Kosma	G minor	AABC · 32	Medium swing
Serenade To A Cuckoo 29%	Roland Kirk	F minor	AB · 16	Medium swing
Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 27%	Sigmund Romberg	C minor	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Beautiful Love 26%	Victor Young	D minor	AA · 32	Medium swing
Manha De Carnaval (Black Orpheus) 25%	Luiz Bonfa	A minor	AB · 37	Bossa nova
Dear Old Stockholm 24%	Traditional	D minor	AABC · 43	Medium swing
Diverse 22%	Charlie Parker	B♭ minor	ABA · 26	Up-tempo swing
Segment 22%	Charlie Parker	B♭ minor	ABA · 26	Up-tempo swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Don't Explain in?

Don't Explain is usually played in D minor. For B♭ instruments that is E minor, for E♭ instruments B minor.

Who wrote Don't Explain?

Don't Explain was written by Billie Holiday (1946).

What is the form of Don't Explain?

Don't Explain has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Don't Explain played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to Don't Explain?

The opening bars are Dm | Em7b5 A7b9 | Dm | Em7b5 A7b9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.