Standards

Oh, Lady Be Good chords & key

Key: G major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium-up swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Oh, Lady Be Good” is a jazz standard by George Gershwin. It is usually played in G major as a medium-up swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 6 major ii–V–I cadences and 4 minor ii–V–i, uses 15 different chords and moves between the key centres G major, A minor, C major and E minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — G major

G^maj7

C⁷

G^maj7C⁷

B^m7E⁷

A^m7

D⁷

G⁶E^m7

A^m7D⁷

G⁶

D^m7G⁷

C^maj7

C♯^dim7

G^maj7

F♯^m7♭5B^7♭9

E^m7

A⁷

A^m7

D⁷

G^maj7

C⁷

G^maj7C⁷

B^m7E⁷

A^m7

D⁷

G⁶E^m7

A^m7D⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

6Major ii–V–I

4Minor ii–V–i

12ii–V moves

3Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

15Different chords

Most used chords

G^maj7×7
C⁷×6
A^m7×6
D⁷×6
B^m7×3
E⁷×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

G major, A minor, C major and E minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1946	Bird & Pres at JAPT Bird & Pres · “Oh, Lady, Be Good!”
1951	Music Minus One, Vol. 2: A Rhythm Background Record for Any Musician or Vocalist Don Abney, Jimmy Raney & Oscar Pettiford
1953	The Astaire Story Fred Astaire
1953	Jazz at Storyville Brubeck, Desmond · “Lady Be Good”
1953	Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin Oscar Peterson
1955	Lullabies of Birdland Ella Fitzgerald
1956	Intimate Listening Teddy Wilson
1956	A New Sound, a New Star: Jimmy Smith at the Organ, Volume 1 Jimmy Smith · “Lady Be Good”
1957	Dizzy Gillespie and Stuff Smith Dizzy Gillespie & Stuff Smith
1957	School Days Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson & Joe Carroll
1957	Erroll Erroll Garner · “Oh Lady Be Good”
1959	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book Ella Fitzgerald
1959	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Gershwin Song Book, Vol. 2 Ella Fitzgerald · “Oh, Lady Be Good!”
1959	Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook Oscar Peterson · “Oh, Lady Be Good!”
1959	On View at the Five Spot Cafe Kenny Burrell with Art Blakey · “Lady Be Good”
1959	Le Dernier Message de Lester Young Lester Young · “Lady Be Good”
1959	Mr Wilson and Mr Gershwin Teddy Wilson and His Trio
1959	Play The Prettiest Gershwin Johnny Hodges
1959	Slim Gaillard Rides Again Slim Gaillard
1960	Mr. New Orleans Meets Mr. Honky Tonk Pete Fountain & "Big" Tiny Little
1963	Guitar/Guitar Charlie Byrd / Herb Ellis
1964	Pete's Place Pete Fountain · “Oh, Lady Be Good!”
1965	Live at Ronnie Scott's Sonny Stitt · “Oh, Lady Be Good!”
1966	Basie Swingin' Voices Singin' Count Basie With The Alan Copeland Singers · “Oh, Lady Be Good!”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

Oh, Lady Be Good! Hot Club of France · Gershwin · 1934 archive.org ↗
OH, LADY BE GOOD JOE SULLIVAN AND HIS CAFE SOCIETY ORCHESTRA · Gershwin · 1944 archive.org ↗
Oh Lady Be Good The Four Star Rhythm Section · Stan Wrightsman · George Van Eps ·… · 1945 archive.org ↗
OH LADY BE GOOD THE FOUR STAR RHYTHM SECTION · Stan Wrightsman · George Van Eps ·… · 1945 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Ballade 41%	Charlie Parker	F major	AABA · 32	Ballad
I've Never Been In Love Before 41%	Frank Loesser	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
I Want To Be Happy 40%	Vincent Youmans	C major	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
Billy Boy 39%	Traditional	C major	AABA · 56	Medium-up swing
Love Is The Sweetest Thing 38%	Ray Noble	D major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
As Long As I Live 36%	Harold Arlen	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
You Are Too Beautiful 36%	Richard Rodgers	C major	AABA · 32	Ballad
If There Is Someone Lovelier 34%	Dietz-Schwartz	C major	ABC · 28	Ballad

Frequently asked questions

What key is Oh, Lady Be Good in?

Oh, Lady Be Good is usually played in G major. For B♭ instruments that is A major, for E♭ instruments E major.

Who wrote Oh, Lady Be Good?

Oh, Lady Be Good was written by George Gershwin.

What is the form of Oh, Lady Be Good?

Oh, Lady Be Good has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Oh, Lady Be Good played?

The usual groove is Medium-up swing.

What are the chord changes to Oh, Lady Be Good?

The opening bars are Gmaj7 | C7 | Gmaj7 C7 | Bm7 E7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.