Standards

For Sentimental Reasons chords & key

Key
F major
Form
AABA
Bars
32
Groove
Slow swing
Time signature
4/4

“For Sentimental Reasons” is a jazz standard by William Best. It is usually played in F major as a slow swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 10 major ii–V–I cadences and 3 minor ii–V–i, uses 16 different chords and moves between the key centres F major, A minor, G minor and D minor. In this atlas it appears on 21 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — F major

A
Fmaj7Dm7
Gm7C7
Fmaj7Dm7
Gm7C7
F6Dm7
Gm7C7
1.
A7D7
G7C7
2.
F6B♭m6
F6F7
B
B♭maj7Bm7♭5E7
Am7D7
Gm7C7
Fmaj7
Em7♭5A7♭9
Dm7
G7
Gm7C7
A
Fmaj7Dm7
Gm7C7
Fmaj7Dm7
Gm7C7
F6Dm7
Gm7C7
F6D7
Gm7C7

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

Harmonic analysis

10Major ii–V–I
3Minor ii–V–i
16ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
3Dominant chains
16Different chords

Most used chords

  • C7×13
  • Gm7×12
  • Dm7×10
  • Fmaj7×7
  • F6×6
  • D7×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

F major, A minor, G minor and D minor

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1952 Unforgettable
Nat King Cole · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1961 Return of the Wildest
Louis Prima & Keely Smith · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1962 Cha Cha De Amor
Dean Martin · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1966 Fantastic Feliciano (The Voice And Guitar Of José Feliciano)
José Feliciano · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1984 For Sentimental Reasons
Al Hibbler, Hank Jones featuring Buddy Tate and the Hank Jones All-Stars
1990 Nat King Cole Collectors Series
Nat King Cole · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1991 Unforgettable: With Love
Natalie Cole · “A Medley Of: For Sentimental Reasons, Tenderly, Autumn Leaves”
1992 Unforgettable
Nat King Cole · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1992 The Unforgettable Concert
Natalie Cole · “Medley: For Sentimental Reasons, Tenderly, Autumn Leaves”
1995 At Maybeck: Maybeck Recital Hall Series Volume Forty
Monty Alexander
1995 I Like Jersey Best
John Pizzarelli
1995 Reach
Jacky Terrasson · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1996 Nat King Cole 40 Hits Volume 1
Nat King Cole · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
1996 The Jumpin' Blues
Dexter Gordon
1997 The Melody Lingers On
Etta Jones
2002 I'm Hip (Please Don't Tell My Father)
John Pizzarelli
2004 The Nat King Cole Songbook
Sammy Davis Jr.
2004 Always in Our Hearts
Etta Jones
2007 For Sentimental Reasons
Bobby Hutcherson · “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”
2008 The Unforgettable
Nat King Cole · “(I Loveyou) For Sentimental Reasons”
2022 Love Notes
Monty Alexander

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
In Love In Vain 43% Leo Robin Jerome Kern B♭ major ABAC · 32 Medium swing
Too Young To Go Steady 40% Jimmy McHugh F major AABA · 32 Ballad
Ain't Misbehavin' 38% Fats Waller C major AABA · 32 Medium swing
This Is All I Ask 37% Gordon Jenkins F major ABAC · 32 Ballad
Love Is The Sweetest Thing 36% Ray Noble D major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Don't Be That Way 34% Edgar Sampson D♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Let's Fall In Love 33% Harold Arlen C major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Put On A Happy Face 33% Charles Strouse E♭ major ABCD · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is For Sentimental Reasons in?

For Sentimental Reasons is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.

Who wrote For Sentimental Reasons?

For Sentimental Reasons was written by William Best.

What is the form of For Sentimental Reasons?

For Sentimental Reasons has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is For Sentimental Reasons played?

The usual groove is Slow swing.

What are the chord changes to For Sentimental Reasons?

The opening bars are Fmaj7 Dm7 | Gm7 C7 | Fmaj7 Dm7 | Gm7 C7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.