Standards · 1940
In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone) chords & key
- Key
- A♭ major
- Form
- ABAC
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Year
- 1940
“In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone)” is a jazz standard by Duke Ellington from 1940. Most bands play it in A♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAC form. Harmonically it contains 2 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 12 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 10 album tracks and in 1 transcribed solo.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — A♭ major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- A♭6×6
- B♭7×5
- E♭7×4
- D♭maj7×4
- F7×4
- E♭m7×2
Characteristics
- ABAC song form
History
"In a Mellow Tone", also known as "In a Mellotone", is a 1940 jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics written later by Milt Gabler. The song's chord changes are based on the 1917 standard "Rose Room" by Art Hickman and Harry Williams, which Ellington had recorded in 1932. Ellington and his orchestra made the original recording of "In a Mellotone" (with that styling) on September 5, 1940. It features solos by bassist Jimmy Blanton, trumpeter Cootie Williams, and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, who plays in double-time. The recording is collected on The Blanton–Webster Band compilation. The version with lyrics and the better-known alternate title ("In a Mellow Tone") was first recorded by The Mills Brothers in 1955. The song has gone on to be recorded more than 400 times. Howard Stern used a recording of this song from Ellington's 1960 Blues in Orbit album as the opening theme to The Howard Stern Show from 1987 to 1994.
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Recorded on these albums
| 1953 | Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington Oscar Peterson · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 1957 | Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book Ella Fitzgerald · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 1957 | Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, Volume 2 Ella Fitzgerald · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 1959 | Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Song Book Oscar Peterson · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 1960 | Blues in Orbit Duke Ellington · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 1961 | Recording Together for the First Time Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 1977 | Tony Bennett / The McPartlands And Friends Make Beautiful Music Tony Bennett · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 2001 | Caravan Duke Ellington · “In a Mellotone” |
| 2014 | The Duke: Historically Speaking Duke Ellington · “In a Mellow Tone” |
| 2017 | Blues In Orbit + The Cosmic Scene Duke Ellington– · “In a Mellow Tone” |
Transcribed solos on In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone)
| Art Pepper clarinet | 168 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
Frequently asked questions
What key is In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone) in?
In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone) is usually played in A♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is B♭ major, for E♭ instruments F major.
Who wrote In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone)?
In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone) was written by Duke Ellington (1940).
What is the form of In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone)?
In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone) has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone) played?
The usual groove is Medium swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 168 BPM.
What are the chord changes to In A Mellow Tone (In A Mellotone)?
The opening bars are Bb7 | Eb7 | Ab6 | Ab6. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.