Standards

Look For The Silver Lining chords & key

Key: E♭ major
Form: ABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Look For The Silver Lining” is a jazz standard by Jerome Kern. Most bands play it in E♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABA form. Harmonically it contains 6 major ii–V–I cadences and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 14 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major, A♭ major, G minor and F minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭^maj7

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

F^m7B♭⁷

G^m7

A♭⁷

G^m7

C^m7

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

C^m7

F⁷

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

F^m7B♭⁷

B♭^m7

E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

C^m7

A^m7♭5D^7♭9

G^m7

C⁷

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭⁶

F^m7B♭⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

6Major ii–V–I

2Minor ii–V–i

12ii–V moves

1Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

14Different chords

Most used chords

F^m7×8
B♭⁷×8
E♭^maj7×6
G^m7×3
C^m7×3
A♭^maj7×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major, A♭ major, G minor and F minor

Recorded on these albums

1952	The Dave Brubeck Quartet The Dave Brubeck Quartet
1954	Chet Baker Sings Chet Baker · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1960	Burnin' Sonny Stitt
1962	From the Heart Etta Jones · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1963	Plays Jerome Kern And No More Lucky Thompson
1973	I Cover The Waterfront Sonny Stitt
1986	Chet Baker Sings Again Chet Baker · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1988	Helen Merrill sings Jerome Kern Helen Merrill sings Jerome Kern · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1990	Stardust The Dave Brubeck Quartet feat. Paul Desmond · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1992	Live in Paris 92 Ahmad Jamal · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1994	Heart Strings Sheila Jordan · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1995	Autumn in New York Chet Baker · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1997	Mothers & Daughters Rosemary Clooney · “Look for the Silver Lining”
1998	Joe's Blues Joe Pass with Herb Ellis · “Look for the Silver Lining”
2002	Jazz/Concord Herb Ellis, Joe Pass, Ray Brown & Jake Hanna · “Look for the Silver Lining”
2003	Arrival Herb Ellis · Joe Pass · Ray Brown · Jake Hanna · “Look for the Silver Lining”
2005	Night Birds & Broken Wings Chet Baker · “Look for the Silver Lining”
2006	Riverside Profiles Chet Baker · “Look for the Silver Lining”
2007	Let's Get Lost - Cool and Iconic Sides Chet Baker
2010	The Complete Chet Baker Chet Baker
2010	Sings Sessions Chet Baker · “Look for the Silver Lining”
2010	Home Jane Monheit · “Look for the Silver Lining”
2011	Blue Thoughts Chet Baker
2015	The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap · “Look for the Silver Lining”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Why Do I Love You? 38%	Jerome Kern	A♭ major	AA · 32	Medium swing
In Love In Vain 35%	Leo Robin Jerome Kern	B♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Mountain Greenery 30%	Richard Rodgers	C major	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
The Blue Room 29%	Richard Rodgers	F major	AABC · 32	Medium swing
Days Of Wine And Roses 29%	Henry Mancini	F major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Eclypso 29%	Tommy Flanagan	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Latin/swing
The Joker 29%	Lee Morgan	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Little Willie Leaps 29%	Charlie Parker	F major	AA · 32	Up-tempo swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Look For The Silver Lining in?

Look For The Silver Lining is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Look For The Silver Lining?

Look For The Silver Lining was written by Jerome Kern.

What is the form of Look For The Silver Lining?

Look For The Silver Lining has 3 sections (ABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Look For The Silver Lining played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Look For The Silver Lining?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 | Fm7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 | Fm7 Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.