Standards

In A Little Spanish Town chords & key

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

“In A Little Spanish Town” is a jazz standard by Wayne-Lewis-Young. It is usually played in G major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AB form has 2 sections. Harmonically it contains 4 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 8 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — G major

G^maj7

A^m7

D⁷

G⁶

A^m7D⁷

G^maj7

A♯^dim7

A^m7

D⁷

A^m7

D⁷

G^maj7

A^m7D⁷

G^maj7

A^m7

D⁷

B^7♭9

E⁷

A⁷

A♯^dim7

G^maj7

D⁷

G⁶

A^m7D⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

4Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

7ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

8Different chords

Most used chords

D⁷×10
G^maj7×7
A^m7×7
E⁷×4
G⁶×2
A♯^dim7×2

Recorded on these albums

1953	The Glory of Love The Crew-Cuts
1954	Crew Cut Capers The Crew Cuts · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1955	Jim Chapin Ensemble Featuring Phil Woods Jim Chapin Ensemble Featuring Phil Woods · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1957	The Modern Art of Jazz by Randy Weston Randy Weston · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1958	Around The World With Bing! Bing Crosby
1959	The Saxophones Of Sonny Stitt Sonny Stitt · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1959	Blowing Around the World Ruby Braff · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1960	A Touch of Tabasco Rosemary Clooney & Pérez Prado · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1960	Latinsville! Victor Feldman · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1961	Chet Atkins’ Workshop Chet Atkins · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1962	Dino Latino Dean Martin · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1962	High School Favorites The Crew Cuts · “In a Little Spanish Town (Twas on a Night Like This)”
1968	The New Sounds of the Louis Prima Show Louis Prima · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1976	The Doctor Is In ...And Out Yusef Lateef · “In a Little Spanish Town (T'was on a Night Like This)”
1984	Jumpin' At The Savoy Ballroom Lester Young
1988	Swingin' the '20s Benny Carter · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1991	Once When I Was Very Young Dave Brubeck · “In a Little Spanish Town”
1999	In Hollywood Stan Kenton · “In a Little Spanish Town”
2007	Live at Birdland Lester Young · “In a Little Spanish Town”
2008	Into The Fifties Lawrence Welk
2014	Some Fine Old Chestnuts Bing Crosby with Buddy Cole & His Trio · “In a Little Spanish Town”
2019	Caravan Jo Jones
2020	Anthology: The Deluxe Collection (Remastered) Benny Carter · “In a Little Spanish Town (Remastered)”
—	There Are Such Things Tommy Dorsey · “In a Little Spanish Town”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

IN A LITTLE SPANISH TOWN GLENN MILLER & His Orchestra · 1935 archive.org ↗
IN A LITTLE SPANISH TOWN BUNNY BERIGAN and his Boys · Bunny Berigan · Red Jessup · Toots… · 1936 archive.org ↗
In a Little Spanish Town Raffael Mendez, his Trumpet and His All-Star Jazz Orchestra · D… · 1945 archive.org ↗
In a Little Spanish Town Tab Smith his Fabulous Alto and Orchestra · Lewis · Young · Wayne · 1954 archive.org ↗
In a Little Spanish Town Russ Carlyle & His Orchestra · Wayne · Lewis · Young · 1954 archive.org ↗
IN A LITTLE SPANISH TOWN TAB SMITH His Fabulous Alto and Orchestra · Lewis · Young · Wayne · 1954 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
That's Amore (That's Love) 53%	Warren-Brooks	B♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Robbin's Nest 35%	Thompson-Jacquet	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Fascination 29%	Fernando-Dante Marchetti	C major	ABAC · 32	Jazz waltz
You Made Me Love You 29%	James Monaco	C major	AB · 32	Medium swing
A Blossom Fell 28%	Barnes-Cornelius	B♭ major	AB · 20	Ballad
I Left My Heart In San Francisco 26%	George Cory	C major	ABA · 32	Ballad
Frenesi 25%	Alberto Dominguez	A♭ major	AABA · 32	Latin
Call Me Irresponsible 24%	Jimmy Van-Heusen	F major	ABB · 28	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is In A Little Spanish Town in?

In A Little Spanish Town is usually played in G major. For B♭ instruments that is A major, for E♭ instruments E major.

Who wrote In A Little Spanish Town?

In A Little Spanish Town was written by Wayne-Lewis-Young.

What is the form of In A Little Spanish Town?

In A Little Spanish Town has 2 sections (AB) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is In A Little Spanish Town played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to In A Little Spanish Town?

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