Standards
Old Folks chords & key
“Old Folks” is a jazz standard by Willard Robison. Most bands play it in F major, ballad; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 4 major ii–V–I cadences and 9 minor ii–V–i, uses 19 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor, B♭ major, G minor and F minor. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.
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
- C7×7
- Am7♭5×6
- D7♭9×6
- Gm7×5
- Em7♭5×4
- Dm7×4
Key centres reached by ii–V
D minor, B♭ major, G minor and F minor
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Recorded on these albums
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Secret Love 23% | E♭ major |
| A Beautiful Friendship 21% | C major |
| Ballade 21% | F major |
| Billy Boy 21% | C major |
| If I Should Lose You 21% | B♭ major |
| Love Is The Sweetest Thing 21% | D major |
| There Will Never Be Another You 21% | E♭ major |
| What A Difference A Day Made 21% | F major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Old Folks in?
Old Folks is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote Old Folks?
Old Folks was written by Willard Robison.
What is the form of Old Folks?
Old Folks has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Old Folks played?
The usual groove is Ballad.
What are the chord changes to Old Folks?
The opening bars are Em7b5 A7b13 | Dm7 Db7 Cm7 F7 | Bbmaj7 Eb7 | Am7b5 D7b9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.