Standards · 1937

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off chords & key

George Gershwin · Lyrics: Ira Gershwin

Key: G major
Form: AABA
Bars: 34
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4
Year: 1937

“Let's Call The Whole Thing Off” is a jazz standard by George Gershwin from 1937. It is usually played in G major as a medium swing, and the 34-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 8 major ii–V–I cadences and 4 minor ii–V–i, uses 18 different chords and moves between the key centres G major, C major, B minor and A minor. In this atlas it appears on 14 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — G major

G^maj7E^m7

A^m7D⁷

G^maj7E^m7

A^m7D⁷

D^m7G⁷

C^maj7C^m6

B^m7E^m7

A⁷D⁷

A^m7D⁷

G⁶

C♯^m7♭5

F♯⁷B^m7

E^7♭9A^m7

D^7susD⁷

C♯^m7♭5

F♯⁷B^m7

E^7♭9A^m7

D^7susD⁷

G^maj7E^m7

A^m7D⁷

G^maj7E^m7

A^m7D⁷

D^m7G⁷

C^maj7C^m6

G^maj7_/DD⁷

B⁷E⁷

A^m7D⁷

G⁶D^7sus

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

Harmonic analysis

8Major ii–V–I

4Minor ii–V–i

18ii–V moves

1Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

18Different chords

Most used chords

D⁷×12
A^m7×10
E^m7×7
G^maj7×6
D^m7×3
G⁷×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

G major, C major, B minor and A minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

History

"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is a song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film Shall We Dance, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as part of a celebrated dance duet on roller skates. The sheet music has the tempo marking of "Brightly". The song was ranked No. 34 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Recorded on these albums

1953	The Astaire Story Fred Astaire · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
1957	Ella and Louis Again, Volume Two Ella and Louis · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
1957	Body and Soul Billie Holiday · “Let's Call the Whole Thing Off”
1959	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book Ella Fitzgerald · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
1959	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Gershwin Song Book, Volume 1 Ella Fitzgerald · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
1959	Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook Oscar Peterson · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
1978	The George And Ira Gershwin Songbook Ella Fitzgerald · “Let's Call the Whole Thing Off”
1983	Nice Work If You Can Get It Ella Fitzgerald & André Previn · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
1988	Just Between Us Ray Charles · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
1991	A Fine Romance Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers · “Let's call the whole thing off”
2004	The Love Songs Billie Holiday · “Let's Call the Whole Thing Off”
2008	Ella & Louis (and Oscar Too) Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong & The Oscar Peterson Trio · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
2025	Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Volume 2 Ella Fitzgerald · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”
—	Ella Et Louis Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong · “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm 30%	Irving Berlin	E♭ major	AABA · 56	Medium swing
These Foolish Things 30%	Strachey-Link	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Love Is The Sweetest Thing 28%	Ray Noble	D major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Milano 28%	John Lewis	C major	AABA · 32	Slow swing
This Is All I Ask 28%	Gordon Jenkins	F major	ABAC · 32	Ballad
More Than You Know 26%	Vincent Youmans	C major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Diane 25%	Rapee-pollack	E♭ major	ABAB · 32	Medium swing
I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket 25%	Irving Berlin	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Let's Call The Whole Thing Off in?

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off is usually played in G major. For B♭ instruments that is A major, for E♭ instruments E major.

Who wrote Let's Call The Whole Thing Off?

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off was written by George Gershwin (1937).

What is the form of Let's Call The Whole Thing Off?

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off has 4 sections (AABA) with 34 bars in total.

How fast is Let's Call The Whole Thing Off played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Let's Call The Whole Thing Off?

The opening bars are Gmaj7 Em7 | Am7 D7 | Gmaj7 Em7 | Am7 D7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.