Standards
Golden Earring chords & key
- Key
- C minor
- Form
- AABA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Golden Earring” is a jazz standard by Jay Livingston. It is usually played in C minor as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 15 different chords and moves between the key centres C minor and E♭ major.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — C minor
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Cm×9
- A♭7×8
- G7♭9×6
- Am7♭5×4
- G7×4
- G7/D×3
Key centres reached by ii–V
C minor and E♭ major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Devil May Care 24% | G minor |
| Tempus Fugit 21% | D minor |
| Why Don't You Do Right? 21% | D minor |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Golden Earring in?
Golden Earring is usually played in C minor. For B♭ instruments that is D minor, for E♭ instruments A minor.
Who wrote Golden Earring?
Golden Earring was written by Jay Livingston.
What is the form of Golden Earring?
Golden Earring has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Golden Earring played?
The usual groove is Medium swing.
What are the chord changes to Golden Earring?
The opening bars are Cm G7/D | Cm/Eb Cm7 | Am7b5 Ab7 | Dm7b5 G7b9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.