ENDEIT

Standards

I've Got The World On A String chords & key

Harold Arlen

Key
F major
Form
AABA
Bars
32
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“I've Got The World On A String” is a jazz standard by Harold Arlen. It is usually played in F major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 8 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 12 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 17 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — F major

A
F6E♭7D7
Gm7C7
Fmaj7B♭7
Am7A♭m7
Gm7C7
Gm7C7
1.
F6Dm7
Gm7C7
2.
F6B♭7
F6
B
A7
A7
D7
D7
G7
G7
Gm7
C7
A
F6E♭7D7
Gm7C7
Fmaj7B♭7
Am7A♭m7
Gm7C7
Gm7C7
F6Dm7
Gm7C7

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

Harmonic analysis

8Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
12ii–V moves
3Tritone substitutions
2Dominant chains
12Different chords

Most used chords

  • Gm7×12
  • C7×12
  • F6×7
  • D7×5
  • B♭7×4
  • E♭7×3

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1952 Lena Sings Your Requests
Lena Horne Orchestra Conducted By Marty Paich · “I've Got the World on a String”
1958 The First Lady of Song
Ella Fitzgerald · “I’ve Got the World on a String”
1959 Oscar Peterson Plays the Harold Arlen Song Book
Oscar Peterson · “I've Got the World on a String”
1960 I’ve Got the World on a String
Louis Armstrong with Russell Garcia and His Orchestra · “I've Got the World on a String”
1960 Sings a String of Harold Arlen
Tony Bennett · “I’ve Got the World on a String”
1961 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald · “I’ve Got the World on a String”
1966 Satchmo Sings Evergreens
Louis Armstrong · “I've Got the World on a String”
1976 Fitzgerald and Pass… Again
Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass · “I’ve Got the World on a String”
1976 Lena, a New Album
Lena Horne · “I’ve Got the World on a String”
1993 Duets
Frank Sinatra · “I’ve Got the World on a String”
2000 The Essential Collection
Bing Crosby · “I've Got the World on a String”
2002 It’s Easy to Remember
Bing Crosby · “I’ve Got the World on a String”
2004 Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
2005 All My Life
Ella Fitzgerald · “I've Got the World on a String”
2015 The Complete Hits 1943-62
Frank Sinatra · “I've Got the World on a String”
2018 Pops Is Tops: The Verve Studio Albums
Louis Armstrong · “I've Got the World On A String”
2026 Early Years - Selected Albums 1956-58
Johnny Mathis · “I've Got the World on a String”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • I'VE GOT THE WORLD ON A STRING LEE WILEY · THE EDDDIE CONDON QUINTETTE · Ernie Caceres · Dave… archive.org ↗
  • I've got the World on a String "Hot Lips" Page and His Orchestra · "Lips Page" · Arlen · Koehler ·… · 1945 archive.org ↗
  • I've Got the World on a String Hazel Scott · Koeheler · Arlen · Camarata · 1947 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
Falling In Love With Love 32% Richard Rodgers B♭ major AA · 64 Jazz waltz
Teach Me Tonight 30% Gene DePaul E♭ major AABA · 32 Slow swing
I Want To Be Happy 28% Vincent Youmans C major AABA · 32 Medium-up swing
Diane 27% Rapee-pollack E♭ major ABAB · 32 Medium swing
When You're Smilin' 27% Shay - Fisher - Goodwin B♭ major AB · 32 Medium swing
Among My Souvenirs 26% Horatio Nicholls E♭ major AABA · 33 Ballad
As Long As I Live 26% Harold Arlen F major AABA · 32 Medium swing
My Baby Just Cares For Me 26% Walter Donaldson A major ABCD · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is I've Got The World On A String in?

I've Got The World On A String is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.

Who wrote I've Got The World On A String?

I've Got The World On A String was written by Harold Arlen.

What is the form of I've Got The World On A String?

I've Got The World On A String has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is I've Got The World On A String played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to I've Got The World On A String?

The opening bars are F6 Eb7 D7 | Gm7 C7 | Fmaj7 Bb7 | Am7 Abm7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.