Standards · 1929
Rockin' Chair chords & key
- Key
- E♭ major
- Form
- ABA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Year
- 1929
“Rockin' Chair” is a jazz standard by Hoagy Carmichael from 1929. It is usually played in E♭ major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar ABA form has 3 sections. Harmonically it contains 4 major ii–V–I cadences and 3 minor ii–V–i, uses 15 different chords and moves between the key centres A♭ major, G minor, E♭ major and F minor. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.
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
- E♭maj7×5
- B♭7×5
- Gm7×4
- F7×3
- Cm7×3
- Fm7×3
Key centres reached by ii–V
A♭ major, G minor, E♭ major and F minor
History
"Rockin' Chair is a 1929 popular song with lyrics and music composed by Hoagy Carmichael. Musically it is unconventional, as after the B section when most popular songs return to A, this song has an A-B-C-A1 structure. Carmichael recorded the song in 1929, 1930, and 1956. Mildred Bailey made it famous by using it as her theme song. Like other 1920s standards, "Rockin' Chair" relied on the stereotypes of minstrelsy, citing "Aunt Harriet" from the anti-Uncle Tom song "Aunt Harriet Becha Stowe" (1853). The song was first recorded on February 19, 1929, by Hoagy Carmichael as a test for Victor Records, but not released at the time. This recording was later released on the Historical label as HLA-37. This version is sung by only one vocalist. Hoagy Carmichael and his Orchestra recorded a new version on May 21, 1930, featuring Bix Beiderbecke on cornet.
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Recorded on these albums
| 2004 | Ultimate Jazz & Blues Louis Armstrong |
| 2010 | Clapton Eric Clapton · “Rocking Chair” |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| I Want To Be Happy 42% | C major |
| Deed I Do 38% | C major |
| What'll I Do 37% | C major |
| Isn't It A Pity 36% | C major |
| Cheers 35% | B♭ major |
| The Masquerade Is Over 35% | E♭ major |
| Don't Worry 'Bout Me 33% | A♭ major |
| Rosetta 33% | F major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Rockin' Chair in?
Rockin' Chair is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.
Who wrote Rockin' Chair?
Rockin' Chair was written by Hoagy Carmichael (1929).
What is the form of Rockin' Chair?
Rockin' Chair has 3 sections (ABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Rockin' Chair played?
The usual groove is Medium swing.
What are the chord changes to Rockin' Chair?
The opening bars are Ebmaj7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | Abmaj7 | Db7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.