Standards · 1949

Happy Talk chords & key

Rodgers-Hammerstein II · Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Key: F major
Form: AABA
Bars: 64
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4
Year: 1949

“Happy Talk” is a jazz standard by Rodgers-Hammerstein II from 1949. Most bands play it in F major, medium swing; the tune runs 64 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 10 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 16 different chords.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — F major

×2

F⁶

F^aug

B♭⁶

G⁷

C^7sus

G^m7C⁷

F⁶

F⁶F⁷

B♭⁶

E♭⁷

F⁶

D^7♭13

D^m7G⁷

G^m7C⁷

F⁶

G^m7C^7sus

F^maj7

G^m7

C⁷

F⁶D^m7

G^m7C⁷

F^maj7

G^m7

CB♭_/D

E♭^dim7C⁷_/E

F⁶

F^aug

B♭⁶

G⁷

C^7sus

G^m7C⁷

F⁶

F⁶F⁷

B♭⁶

E♭⁷

F⁶

D^7♭13

D^m7G⁷

G^m7C⁷

F⁶

G^m7C^7sus

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

Harmonic analysis

10Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

14ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

3Dominant chains

16Different chords

Most used chords

F⁶×16
G^m7×13
C⁷×8
F^maj7×8
B♭⁶×6
G⁷×6

Characteristics

AABA song form

History

"Happy Talk" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. It is sung by Bloody Mary to the American lieutenant Joe Cable, about having a happy life, after he begins romancing her daughter Liat. Liat performs the song with hand gestures as Mary sings. Ella Fitzgerald recorded this song with Gordon Jenkins and his orchestra for Decca and it was included on her 1955 album Miss Ella Fitzgerald & Mr Gordon Jenkins Invite You to Listen and Relax.

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

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World 28%	Louis-Henderson-Young	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Why Do I Love You? 25%	Jerome Kern	A♭ major	AA · 32	Medium swing
Falling In Love With Love 24%	Richard Rodgers	B♭ major	AA · 64	Jazz waltz
52nd Street Theme 23%	Thelonious Monk	C major	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
Don't Fence Me In 23%	Cole Porter	F major	ABCD · 32	Medium swing
I Don't Want To Miss Mississippi 23%	Serger Ellis	G major	AAB · 48	Medium swing
Without A Song 23%	Vincent Youmans	E♭ major	AAB · 44	Up-tempo swing
The Blue Room 22%	Richard Rodgers	F major	AABC · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Happy Talk in?

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

Who wrote Happy Talk?

Happy Talk was written by Rodgers-Hammerstein II (1949).

What is the form of Happy Talk?

Happy Talk has 4 sections (AABA) with 64 bars in total.

How fast is Happy Talk played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Happy Talk?

The opening bars are F6 | Faug | Bb6 | G7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.