Standards · 1933

Heat Wave chords & key

Irving Berlin · Lyrics: Irving Berlin

Key: G major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4
Year: 1933

“Heat Wave” is a jazz standard by Irving Berlin from 1933. It is usually played in G major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres C major and G major. In this atlas it appears on 5 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — G major

×2

G^maj7A^m7

B^m7A^m7

G^maj7A^m7

B^m7A^m7

G^maj7G⁷

C^maj7F⁷

E^m7A⁷

D⁷G⁶G⁶

C^maj7A^m7

D^m7G⁷

C⁶A^m7

D^m7G⁷

C⁶A^m7

D⁷

G⁶

D^7susD⁷

G^maj7A^m7

B^m7A^m7

G^maj7A^m7

B^m7A^m7

G^maj7G⁷

C^maj7F⁷

E^m7A⁷

D⁷G⁶G⁶

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

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

6ii–V moves

3Tritone substitutions

3Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

A^m7×15
G^maj7×9
G⁶×7
B^m7×6
G⁷×5
D⁷×5

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major and G major

Characteristics

AABA song form

History

"Heat Wave" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the 1933 musical As Thousands Cheer, and introduced in the show by Ethel Waters.

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

Recorded on these albums

1956	Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings Bing Crosby & Buddy Bregman
1958	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book Ella Fitzgerald
1985	For All Seasons Yehudi Menuhin & Stephane Grappelli
1988	Menuhin & Grappelli Play Berlin, Kern, Porter & Rodgers and Hart Yehudi Menuhin & Stéphane Grappelli
2010	Going Back Phil Collins · “(Love Is Like a) Heatwave”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

Heat Wave The Barney Kessel Quartet · Barney Kessel · Shelly Manne · Jimmy… · 1953 archive.org ↗
HEAT WAVE HUMPHREY LYTTELTON AND HIS BAND · Berlin · 1955 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Easy Does It 24%	Oliver-Young	C major	ABA · 24	Medium swing
Just You, Just Me 24%	Jesse Greer	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 23%	Harold Arlen	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
It's Easy To Remember 22%	Richard Rodgers	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
The Love Nest 21%	Louis Hirsch	E♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Easter Parade 20%	Irving Berlin	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
My Funny Valentine 20%	Richard Rodgers	E♭ major	AABC · 36	Ballad
When Lights Are Low 20%	Benny Carter	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Heat Wave in?

Heat Wave is usually played in G major. For B♭ instruments that is A major, for E♭ instruments E major.

Who wrote Heat Wave?

Heat Wave was written by Irving Berlin (1933).

What is the form of Heat Wave?

Heat Wave has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Heat Wave played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Heat Wave?

The opening bars are Gmaj7 Am7 | Bm7 Am7 | Gmaj7 Am7 | Bm7 Am7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.