Standards
Isn't It A Pity chords & key
“Isn't It A Pity” is a jazz standard by George Gershwin. Most bands play it in C major, ballad; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 10 major ii–V–I cadences and 8 minor ii–V–i, uses 20 different chords and moves between the key centres C major, E minor, D minor and F major. In this atlas it appears on 3 album tracks.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — C major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Em7×9
- Dm7×8
- G7×8
- Cmaj7×7
- G♭m7♭5×5
- A7×5
Key centres reached by ii–V
C major, E minor, D minor and F major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Recorded on these albums
| 1959 | Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book Ella Fitzgerald · “Isn’t It a Pity?” |
| 1978 | The George And Ira Gershwin Songbook Ella Fitzgerald · “Isn't It a Pity?” |
| 1999 | A Love Like Ours Barbra Streisand · “Isn’t It a Pity?” |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Rockin' Chair 36% | E♭ major |
| This Is All I Ask 32% | F major |
| These Foolish Things 30% | E♭ major |
| Jeepers Creepers 27% | B♭ major |
| I'm An Old Cowhand 26% | E♭ major |
| I'm Getting Sentimental Over You 26% | F major |
| The Masquerade Is Over 26% | E♭ major |
| Del Sasser 25% | E♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Isn't It A Pity in?
Isn't It A Pity is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.
Who wrote Isn't It A Pity?
Isn't It A Pity was written by George Gershwin.
What is the form of Isn't It A Pity?
Isn't It A Pity has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Isn't It A Pity played?
The usual groove is Ballad.
What are the chord changes to Isn't It A Pity?
The opening bars are Cmaj7 Am7 | Gbm7b5 B7b9 | Em7 A7 | Dm7 G7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.