Standards

Pretend chords & key

Key: C major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Ballad
Time signature: 4/4

“Pretend” is a jazz standard by Douglas-Parman-Lavere. It is usually played in C major as a ballad, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 9 different chords and moves between the key centres C major and E minor.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

C^maj7

D^m7

G⁷

C^maj7

G^7sus

C⁶

E^m7

D^m7G⁷

C⁶

G♭^m7♭5

B^7♭9

E^m7E♭^dim7

D^m7G^7sus

C^maj7

D^m7

G⁷

C^maj7

D^m7G^7sus

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I

1Minor ii–V–i

7ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

9Different chords

Most used chords

D^m7×9
C^maj7×8
G⁷×7
C⁶×4
G^7sus×3
E^m7×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major and E minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Historic 78 rpm recordings

PRETEND TAB SMITH and his Band · Smith · 1957 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
I'm In The Mood For Love 33%	Jimmy McHugh	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Don't Get Around Much Anymore 26%	Duke Ellington	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Indian Summer 25%	Victor-Aldubin-Herbert	G major	BACA · 32	Medium swing
Over The Rainbow (Somewhere) 25%	Harold Arlen	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
That's Amore (That's Love) 22%	Warren-Brooks	B♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart 22%	James Hanley	E♭ major	AABA · 56	Medium swing
In A Little Spanish Town 21%	Wayne-Lewis-Young	G major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Let There Be Love 21%	Rand-Grant	E♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Pretend in?

Pretend is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote Pretend?

Pretend was written by Douglas-Parman-Lavere.

What is the form of Pretend?

Pretend has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Pretend played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to Pretend?

The opening bars are Cmaj7 | Cmaj7 | Dm7 | Dm7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.