Standards · 2007
Once In A While chords & key
- Key
- E♭ major
- Form
- AABA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Slow swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Year
- 2007
“Once In A While” is a jazz standard by Michael Edwards from 2007. Most bands play it in E♭ major, slow swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 7 major ii–V–I cadences and 4 minor ii–V–i, uses 18 different chords and moves between the key centres F minor, E♭ major and G major. In this atlas it appears on 5 album tracks and 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
- Fm7×9
- Gm7×7
- C7×7
- E♭maj7×6
- B♭7×6
- Am7×4
Key centres reached by ii–V
F minor, E♭ major and G major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
History
Once in a While was one of the four original songs Madeleine Peyroux released on her third solo album "Half the Perfect World. It was the third and last single from that album. The tune, considered one of the highlights of the album, was written by Joe Harris, producer Larry Klein and Peyroux herself. Mark Orton made the arrangements on the album version. In the song, Peyroux tells to her ex-lover that she still thinks of him "once in a while" and that she "still smiles when she thinks on their kisses" but she is "tired of dying" and so she'll "live instead". The song did not chart and there was no videoclip filmed. Along with this song, on the EP was also released a cover of Leonard Cohen's and Anjani Thomas' "Blue Alert".
Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Recorded on these albums
| 1957 | Pretty Baby Dean Martin · “Once in a While” |
| 1957 | Just One of Those Things Nat King Cole |
| 1969 | Only for Ever Dean Martin · “Once in a While” |
| 1976 | Feels Good, Feels Right Bing Crosby |
| 1978 | Once in a While Dean Martin · “Once in a While” |
Transcribed solos on Once In A While
| Johnny Dodds clarinet | 209 BPM |
| Louis Armstrong cornet | 198 BPM |
Historic 78 rpm recordings
- ONCE IN A WHILE BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton · Bill Harris · Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
- ONCE IN A WHILE BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton, Bill Harris, Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
- Once In a While Don Byas All Star Quartet · Johnny Guarnieri · Green · Edwards · Don… · 1945 archive.org ↗
- ONCE IN A WHILE DON BYAS ALL STAR QUARTET · Johnny Guarnieri · Don Byas · Eddie… · 1945 archive.org ↗
- Once In A While Al Russell Trio · Al Russell · Green · Edwards · 1947 archive.org ↗
- Once in a While Trevor Bacon · Tab Smith Orch. · Green · Edwards · 1947 archive.org ↗
- Once in a While The Empire State Jazz Band (From New York City) · 1950 archive.org ↗
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Bossa Antigua 32% | A♭ major |
| Diane 28% | E♭ major |
| Don't Be That Way 28% | D♭ major |
| Teach Me Tonight 27% | E♭ major |
| A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square 24% | E♭ major |
| My One And Only Love 24% | C major |
| Without A Song 24% | E♭ major |
| Baubles, Bangles and Beads 23% | A♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Once In A While in?
Once In A While is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.
Who wrote Once In A While?
Once In A While was written by Michael Edwards (2007).
What is the form of Once In A While?
Once In A While has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Once In A While played?
The usual groove is Slow swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 209 BPM and 198 BPM.
What are the chord changes to Once In A While?
The opening bars are Ebmaj7 Ab7 | Ebmaj7 | Gm7 D7b13 | Gm7 C7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.