Standards · 1938

I'll Be Seeing You chords & key

Sammy Fain · Lyrics: Irving Kahal

Key: E♭ major
Form: AB
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4
Year: 1938

“I'll Be Seeing You” is a jazz standard by Sammy Fain from 1938. Most bands play it in E♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AB form. Harmonically it contains 2 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 16 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and C minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭^maj7

G^7♭13

F^m7C^7♭13

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

D^m7♭5G^7♭9

C^m7

F^m7

B♭^7♯5

E♭^maj7

B♭^7♯5

E♭^maj7

G^7♭13

F^m7C^7♭13

F^m7

B♭⁷

G^m7♭5

C^7♭9C^7♭9

A♭^maj7

G^7♭9

C^m7

F⁷

F^m7

A♭^m6B♭^7♭9

E♭⁶

F^m7B♭⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

2Major ii–V–I

1Minor ii–V–i

7ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

16Different chords

Most used chords

F^m7×11
E♭^maj7×4
C^7♭13×4
B♭⁷×3
C^m7×3
G^7♭13×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and C minor

History

"I'll Be Seeing You" is a popular song about missing a loved one, with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Irving Kahal. Published in 1938, it was inserted into the Broadway musical Right This Way, which closed after fifteen performances. The title of the 1944 film I'll Be Seeing You was taken from this song at the suggestion of the film's producer, Dore Schary. The song is included in the film's soundtrack.

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

Recorded on these albums

1947	Billie Holiday Billie Holiday
1949	St. Valentine's Day Bing Crosby
1951	Piano Solos Erroll Garner
1957	Tony Tony Bennett · “I’ll Be Seeing You”
1959	Maynard Ferguson Plays Jazz for Dancing Maynard Ferguson
1959	Open Fire, Two Guitars Johnny Mathis · “I’ll Be Seeing You”
1959	When You're Away Carmen McRae
1959	The Night I Played 666 Fifth Avenue Paul Whiteman
1959	The Saxophones Of Sonny Stitt Sonny Stitt
1960	Dreamy Sarah Vaughan · “I’ll Be Seeing You”
1960	Young At Heart Ray Conniff
1961	I Remember Tommy Frank Sinatra
1961	Goodnight, It's Time to Go “Brother” Jack McDuff
1962	Point of No Return Frank Sinatra, arranged and conducted by Axel Stordahl
1962	Many Splendored Vibes Lionel Hampton
1963	Love on the Rocks Julie London · “I’ll Be Seeing You”
1963	Call Me Mister Acker Bilk with The Leon Young String Chorale
1965	A Man and His Music Frank Sinatra
1965	Dean Martin Hits Again Dean Martin · “I’ll Be Seeing You”
1965	The Standard Sonny Rollins Sonny Rollins
1965	Jimmy Durante's Way of Life Jimmy Durante
1966	They're Playing Our Song Al Hirt
1967	Invites You to Listen Ray Charles · “I’ll Be Seeing You”
1968	Taking A Chance On Love Guy Lombardo

Historic 78 rpm recordings

I'll Be Seeing You Louis Prima and his Orchestra · Louis Prima · Kahal · Fain · 1944 archive.org ↗
I'll Be Seeing You Nat Pierce and his Herdsmen · Noidberg · Stovall · Berger · Carl… · 1953 archive.org ↗
I'll Be Seeing You Nat Pierce and his Herdsmen · Carl Fontana · Stu Williamson · Bill… · 1953 archive.org ↗
I'LL BE SEEING YOU NAT PIERCE and his HERDSMEN · Carl Fontana · Stu Williamson · Bill… · 1953 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
In Love In Vain 36%	Leo Robin Jerome Kern	B♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Where Or When 34%	Richard Rodgers	E♭ major	AABA · 40	Medium swing
Lullaby Of Birdland 27%	George Shearing	A♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
The Good Life 26%	Sacha Distel	A♭ major	AB · 32	Ballad
If I Didn't Care 26%	Jack Lawrence	B♭ major	ABAB · 32	Medium swing
Love Me Or Leave Me 25%	Walter Donaldson	A♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Dinah 24%	Harry Akst	G major	BBA · 24	Medium-up swing
Falling In Love With Love 24%	Richard Rodgers	B♭ major	AA · 64	Jazz waltz

Frequently asked questions

What key is I'll Be Seeing You in?

I'll Be Seeing You is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote I'll Be Seeing You?

I'll Be Seeing You was written by Sammy Fain (1938).

What is the form of I'll Be Seeing You?

I'll Be Seeing You has 2 sections (AB) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is I'll Be Seeing You played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to I'll Be Seeing You?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 | G7b13 | Fm7 C7b13 | Fm7 C7b13. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.