Standards
Mambo Inn chords & key
“Mambo Inn” is a jazz standard by Bauza-Sampson-Woodlen. It is usually played in F major as a latin, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 10 major ii–V–I cadences and 4 minor ii–V–i, uses 16 different chords and moves between the key centres F major, G minor and A♭ major.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — F major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Gm7×13
- C7×12
- D7×9
- Fmaj7×6
- Am7×4
- F6×3
Key centres reached by ii–V
F major, G minor and A♭ major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| The Joker 26% | E♭ major |
| Sometimes I'm Happy 25% | F major |
| This Time The Dream's On Me 25% | G major |
| Too Young To Go Steady 25% | F major |
| When You Wish Upon A Star 25% | C major |
| I May Be Wrong 24% | E♭ major |
| It's Easy To Remember 24% | E♭ major |
| The Lady is a Tramp 24% | C major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Mambo Inn in?
Mambo Inn is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote Mambo Inn?
Mambo Inn was written by Bauza-Sampson-Woodlen.
What is the form of Mambo Inn?
Mambo Inn has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Mambo Inn played?
The usual groove is Latin.
What are the chord changes to Mambo Inn?
The opening bars are Gm7 C7 | Fmaj7 D7 | Gm7 C7 | Fmaj7 D7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.