Standards

It Had To Be You chords & key

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

“It Had To Be You” is a jazz standard by Isham Jones. Most bands play it in G major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAC form. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 19 different chords and moves between the key centres E minor, D minor and C major. In this atlas it appears on 10 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — G major

G^maj7D^7♯5

G^maj7F⁷

E⁷B^m7

E⁷

A⁷E^m7

A⁷

D⁷

F♯^m7♭5B^7♭9

E^m7B^7♭9

E^m7A♯^7♯11

A⁷E^m7

A⁷

A^m7

D⁷D^7♯5

G^maj7D^7♯5

G^maj7F⁷

E⁷B^m7

E⁷

A⁷E^m7

A⁷D^m7G⁷

C^maj7

F⁷

G^maj7B^7♭9

E^m7A♯^dim7

D⁷_/AG♯^dim7

D⁷_/AD⁷

G⁶E⁷

A^m7D⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

1Major ii–V–I

2Minor ii–V–i

13ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

3Dominant chains

19Different chords

Most used chords

A⁷×10
E^m7×10
G^maj7×5
E⁷×5
D⁷×4
D^7♯5×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E minor, D minor and C major

Characteristics

ABAC song form

Recorded on these albums

1955	Music for Torching Billie Holiday · “It Had to Be You”
1957	Tony Tony Bennett · “It Had to Be You”
1959	The Genius of Ray Charles Ray Charles · “It Had to Be You”
1964	The Third Album Barbra Streisand · “It Had to Be You”
1964	When Lights Are Low Tony Bennett with The Ralph Sharon Trio · “It Had to Be You”
1974	Meets The Master Saxes - Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet Nat Cole · “It Had to Be You”
1980	Trilogy: Past Present Future Frank Sinatra · “It Had to Be You”
1994	WWII Radio Broadcast: March 9, 1944 and June 29, 1944 Bing Crosby · “It Had to Be You”
2014	Partners Barbra Streisand · “It Had to Be You”
2019	The Platinum Collection Ray Charles · “It Had to Be You”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

IT HAD TO BE YOU SIDNEY BECHET and his feetwarmers · Kahn · Jones archive.org ↗
IT HAD TO BE YOU HENRY GEORGE · Henry George's Orchestra · Jones · Kahn archive.org ↗
IT HAD TO BE YOU VALAIDA · Billy Mason and His Orchestra · Kahn & Jones archive.org ↗
It Had To Be You Cliff Jackson · Isham Jones · Gus Kahn · 1944 archive.org ↗
IT HAD TO BE YOU GEORGIE AULD And His Orchestra · Lynne Stevens · Isham Jones · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Just You, Just Me 27%	Jesse Greer	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
The Opener 23%	Bill Evans	C major	ABB · 30	Medium swing
Donna Lee 22%	Charlie Parker	A♭ major	AB · 32	Up-tempo swing
I May Be Wrong 22%	Henry Sullivan	E♭ major	AABC · 32	Medium swing
September In The Rain 22%	Harry Warren	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
What A Difference A Day Made 22%	Maria Grever	F major	AB · 32	Ballad
After You 20%	Cole Porter	C major	ABC · 32	Ballad
The Masquerade Is Over 20%	Allie Wrubel	E♭ major	AAB · 44	Ballad

Frequently asked questions

What key is It Had To Be You in?

It Had To Be You is usually played in G major. For B♭ instruments that is A major, for E♭ instruments E major.

Who wrote It Had To Be You?

It Had To Be You was written by Isham Jones.

What is the form of It Had To Be You?

It Had To Be You has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is It Had To Be You played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to It Had To Be You?

The opening bars are Gmaj7 D7#5 | Gmaj7 F7 | E7 Bm7 | E7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.