Standards
Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin chords & key
- Key
- A♭ major
- Form
- AABA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Slow swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin” is a jazz standard by Ellington-Strayhorn-Gaines. Most bands play it in A♭ major, slow swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 8 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 20 different chords and moves between the key centres A♭ major and C major. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.
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
- D♭×15
- A♭6×9
- B♭m7×7
- E♭7×7
- A♭/C×6
- Ddim7×6
Key centres reached by ii–V
A♭ major and C major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Recorded on these albums
Historic 78 rpm recordings
- Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin' Thelma Carpenter · Earl Sheldon · Ellington · Strayhorn · Gaines · 1945 archive.org ↗
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Danny Boy 25% | C major |
| High Hopes 21% | F major |
| I'm Sitting On Top Of The World 21% | F major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin in?
Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin is usually played in A♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is B♭ major, for E♭ instruments F major.
Who wrote Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin?
Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin was written by Ellington-Strayhorn-Gaines.
What is the form of Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin?
Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin played?
The usual groove is Slow swing.
What are the chord changes to Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin?
The opening bars are Ab Ab7/C | Db Ab6 | Db Ab/C | Bbm7 Eb7 Ab6. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.