ENDEIT

Standards

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter chords & key

Fred Ahlert

Key
G major
Form
AA
Bars
32
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter” is a jazz standard by Fred Ahlert. Most bands play it in G major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AA form. Harmonically it contains 2 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 11 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — G major

In
Gmaj7
G♯dim7
Am7
D7
A
Gmaj7
Gmaj7D7
Gmaj7
Gmaj7
Gmaj7
B7
CE7
Am7
1.
Am7
D7
Gmaj7
Dm7E7
A7
A7
D7
D7
2.
Cmaj7
Cm7
Gmaj7Dm7
E7
A7
D7
Gmaj7
Gmaj7

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

Harmonic analysis

2Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
2ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
4Dominant chains
11Different chords

Most used chords

  • Gmaj7×15
  • D7×7
  • Am7×4
  • E7×4
  • A7×3
  • B7×2

Recorded on these albums

1946 Fats Waller Favorites
James P. Johnson · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1954 Swing Easy!
Frank Sinatra · “I'm Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1955 Wein, Women & Song
George Wein · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1955 Ball at Bethlehem With Braff
Ruby Braff · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1956 Fatha Plays Fats
Earl Hines · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter”
1957 Bing With a Beat
Bing Crosby with Bob Scobey’s Frisco Jazz Band · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1957 A Ruby Braff Omnibus
Ruby Braff · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1959 The Night I Played 666 Fifth Avenue
Paul Whiteman · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself A Letter”
1960 Gone
Scatman Crothers · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself A Letter”
1961 Sing to Me Mr. C
Perry Como · “Medley: You Alone (Solo Tu) / I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter / A Portrait of My Love”
1961 Thinking Of You
André Previn · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter”
1961 Palladium Jazz Date
Cleo Laine & Tubby Hayes · “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1961 Jazz Pictures at an Exibition
Pim Jacobs & Rita Reys feat. Kenny Clarke · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1962 Star Collection - Frank Sinatra With Count Basie
Frank Sinatra and Count Basie and his Orchestra · “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1963 Jazz Sir
Rita Reys & The Dutch Swing College Band · “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1964 Let’s Face the Music!
Nat King Cole · “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1965 La sera a casa con te
Franco Cerri · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1966 Arthur Prysock / Count Basie
Arthur Prysock / Count Basie · “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1969 It's My Way
Dizzy Gillespie · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1972 The McPartlands Live At The Monticello
Marian & Jimmy McPartland · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter”
1973 I Am a Song
Cleo Laine · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1974 Another Monday Date
Earl Hines · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”
1975 Art Tatum At The Crescendo Vol. II
Art Tatum · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter”
1975 Back to the Roots
Kay Starr · “I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER Doc Evans · Al Jenkins · Art Myers · Mel Grant · Micky Stienke ·… archive.org ↗
  • "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter" BOB ANDERSON'S OSHKOSH SERENADERS · JOE RUSHTON · BOB ANDERSON ·… · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
I Love Being Here With You 29% Bill Schluger, Peggy Lee B♭ major AABC · 32 Medium swing
Ain't She Sweet 25% Milton Ager E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium-up swing
Moonlight Becomes You 23% Jimmy Van-Heusen F major AABA · 34 Ballad
Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home 22% Hughie Cannon G major ABAC · 32 Medium-up swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter in?

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter is usually played in G major. For B♭ instruments that is A major, for E♭ instruments E major.

Who wrote I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter?

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter was written by Fred Ahlert.

What is the form of I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter?

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter has 2 sections (AA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter?

The opening bars are Gmaj7 | G#dim7 | Am7 | D7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.