Standards

Everything Happens To Me chords & key

Key: B♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Ballad
Time signature: 4/4

“Everything Happens To Me” is a jazz standard by Matt Dennis. It is usually played in B♭ major as a ballad, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 4 minor ii–V–i, uses 19 different chords and moves between the key centres C minor, B♭ major, E♭ major and D major. In this atlas it appears on 7 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major

C^m7F⁷

D^m7D♭^dim7

C^m7F⁷

D^m7♭5G⁷

B^dim7C^m7E♭^m7A♭⁷

D^m7G⁷

C^m7F⁷

D^m7G⁷

B♭⁶

F^m7B♭^7♯9

E♭^maj7C^m7

F^m7B♭^7♭9

E♭^maj7

E^m7A^7♯9

D^maj7

G^m7C⁷

C^m7F⁷

D^m7D♭^dim7

C^m7F⁷

D^m7♭5G⁷

B^dim7C^m7E♭^m7A♭⁷

D^m7G⁷

C^m7F⁷

B♭⁶

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I

4Minor ii–V–i

24ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

19Different chords

Most used chords

C^m7×14
F⁷×10
D^m7×7
G⁷×7
D♭^dim7×3
D^m7♭5×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

C minor, B♭ major, E♭ major and D major

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1949	Charlie Parker With Strings Charlie Parker · “Everything Happens to Me”
1953	Dizzy Gillespie Plays in Paris Dizzy Gillespie · “Everything Happens to Me”
1953	Horn of Plenty Dizzy Gillespie · “Everything Happens to Me”
1957	Close to You Frank Sinatra · “Everything Happens to Me”
1958	Stay With Me Billie Holiday · “Everything Happens to Me”
1960	Hello Love Ella Fitzgerald · “Everything Happens to Me”
1973	Songs & Conversations Billie Holiday · “Everything Happens to Me”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

Everything Happens to Me Errol Garner · Adair · Dennis archive.org ↗
Everything Happens to Me Bill Harris and his New Music · Bill Harris · John LaPorta ·… · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Ceora 32%	Lee Morgan	A♭ major	ABAC · 32	Bossa nova
Billy Boy 31%	Traditional	C major	AABA · 56	Medium-up swing
It's Easy To Remember 31%	Richard Rodgers	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Don't Worry 'Bout Me 30%	Rube Bloom	A♭ major	AB · 32	Ballad
This Year's Kisses 30%	Irving Berlin	G major	AABC · 28	Medium swing
Get Me To The Church On Time 29%	Alan Lerner	G major	AAB · 54	Up-tempo swing
The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else) 29%	Isham Jones	G major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Jeannie's Song 28%	Marchel Ivery	F major	ABB · 24	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Everything Happens To Me in?

Everything Happens To Me is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.

Who wrote Everything Happens To Me?

Everything Happens To Me was written by Matt Dennis.

What is the form of Everything Happens To Me?

Everything Happens To Me has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Everything Happens To Me played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to Everything Happens To Me?

The opening bars are Cm7 F7 | Dm7 Dbdim7 | Cm7 F7 | Dm7b5 G7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.