Standards

I Want To Be Happy chords & key

Key: C major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium-up swing
Time signature: 4/4

“I Want To Be Happy” is a jazz standard by Vincent Youmans. Most bands play it in C major, medium-up swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 3 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres C major, D minor and F major. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

C^maj7F⁷

E^m7A⁷

D^m7

G⁷

D^m7

G⁷

C⁶A^m7

D^m7G⁷

C⁶

G^m7

C⁷

F^maj7

B♭⁷

E^m7

A⁷

D⁷

G⁷

C^maj7F⁷

E^m7A⁷

D^m7

G⁷

D^m7

G⁷

C⁶A^m7

D^m7G⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I

3Minor ii–V–i

13ii–V moves

3Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

G⁷×9
D^m7×8
E^m7×4
A⁷×4
C⁶×4
C^maj7×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major, D minor and F major

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1940	I Want to Be Happy / Johnson Rag Glenn Miller and His Orchestra · “I Want to Be Happy”
1954	The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 2 Bud Powell · “I Want to Be Happy”
1954	Toshiko’s Piano Toshiko Akiyoshi · “I Want to Be Happy”
1954	Vibist Cal Tjader · “I Want to Be Happy”
1955	Paul Bley Paul Bley · “I Want to Be Happy”
1956	Sonny Stitt Bud Powell J.J. Johnson Sonny Stitt, Bud Powell & J.J. Johnson · “I Want to Be Happy”
1956	Vib-Rations Cal Tjader / Don Elliott · “I Want to Be Happy”
1957	Stan Getz and The Oscar Peterson Trio Stan Getz & The Oscar Peterson Trio · “I Want to Be Happy”
1957	Fair and Warmer! June Christy · “I Want to Be Happy”
1962	Lovely & Alive Lena Horne · “I Want to Be Happy”
1963	Pete Fountain's New Orleans at Midnight Pete Fountain · “I Want to Be Happy”
1966	Pow! Sonny Stitt
1967	Sassy Swings Again Sarah Vaughan · “I Want to Be Happy”
1968	The Piano Soul of Nat King Cole Nat King Cole
1968	The Board of Directors The Mills Brothers, Count Basie · “I Want to Be Happy”
1970	Birthday Party for H.G.B.S. Milt Buckner · “I Want to Be Happy”
1971	Love Story Tony Bennett · “I Want to Be Happy”
1971	Get Happy With the London Philharmonic Orchestra Tony Bennett with London Philharmonic Orchestra · “I Want to Be Happy”
1971	For All We Know Charlie Byrd · “I Want to Be Happy”
1972	Sammy Davis Jr. Now Sammy Davis Jr. · “I Want to Be Happy”
1973	Happy Hammond James Last · “You Do Something to Me / Three Little Words / I Want to Be Happy”
1975	Sixteen Great Performances Count Basie & The Mills Brothers
1975	Gems Joe Venuti and George Barnes · “I Want to Be Happy”
1977	The Main Man Jo Jones · “I Want to Be Happy”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

I Want to be Happy "Little Jazz" and his Trumpet Ensemble · "Little Jazz" · Emmett… · 1944 archive.org ↗
I Want to Be Happy "Little Jazz" and his Trumpet Ensemble · "Little Jazz" · Emmett… · 1944 archive.org ↗
I Want to Be Happy Teddy Wilson Octet · Youmans · Caesar · T. Wilson · B. Clayton · D… · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
But Not For Me 56%	George Gershwin	E♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium-up swing
Deed I Do 43%	Hirsch-Rose	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Rockin' Chair 42%	Hoagy Carmichael	E♭ major	ABA · 32	Medium swing
Again 40%	Lionel Newman	G major	AABC · 32	Ballad
Oh, Lady Be Good 40%	George Gershwin	G major	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
Samba De Orfeu 39%	Luiz Bonfa	C major	AAB · 40	Bossa nova
Diane 37%	Rapee-pollack	E♭ major	ABAB · 32	Medium swing
Strollin' 37%	Horace Silver	D♭ major	AA · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is I Want To Be Happy in?

I Want To Be Happy is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote I Want To Be Happy?

I Want To Be Happy was written by Vincent Youmans.

What is the form of I Want To Be Happy?

I Want To Be Happy has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is I Want To Be Happy played?

The usual groove is Medium-up swing.

What are the chord changes to I Want To Be Happy?

The opening bars are Cmaj7 F7 | Em7 A7 | Dm7 | G7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.