Standards · 1937
My Funny Valentine chords & key
“My Funny Valentine” is a jazz standard by Richard Rodgers from 1937. It is usually played in E♭ major as a ballad, and the 36-bar AABC form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 2 major ii–V–I cadences and 7 minor ii–V–i, uses 16 different chords and moves between the key centres C minor, E♭ minor, A♭ major and E♭ major. In this atlas it appears in 2 transcribed solos.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- G7♭9×8
- Dm7♭5×7
- Fm7×7
- Cm7×5
- A♭maj7×5
- Cm6×3
Key centres reached by ii–V
C minor, E♭ minor, A♭ major and E♭ major
History
"My Funny Valentine" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart coming of age musical Babes in Arms in which it was introduced by teenaged star Mitzi Green. The song became a popular jazz standard, appearing on over 1300 albums performed by over 600 artists. One of them was Chet Baker, for whom it became a signature song. In 2015 the Gerry Mulligan quartet's 1953 version of the song (featuring Chet Baker) was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry for its "cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation’s audio legacy". Mulligan also recorded the song with his Concert Jazz Band in 1960.
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Transcribed solos on My Funny Valentine
| J.J. Johnson trombone | 133 BPM |
| Stan Getz tenor saxophone | 131 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| If I Should Lose You 35% | B♭ major |
| Heat Wave 20% | G major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is My Funny Valentine in?
My Funny Valentine is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.
Who wrote My Funny Valentine?
My Funny Valentine was written by Richard Rodgers (1937).
What is the form of My Funny Valentine?
My Funny Valentine has 4 sections (AABC) with 36 bars in total.
How fast is My Funny Valentine played?
The usual groove is Ballad. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 133 BPM and 131 BPM.
What are the chord changes to My Funny Valentine?
The opening bars are Cm6 | Dm7b5 G7b9 | Cm7 | F7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.