Standards · 1953
Satin Doll chords & key
- Key
- C major
- Form
- AABA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Year
- 1953
“Satin Doll” is a jazz standard by Strayhorn-Ellington from 1953. Most bands play it in C major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor and F major. In this atlas it appears on 13 album tracks.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — C major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- G7×8
- Em7×8
- A7×8
- Dm7×6
- Am7×5
- D7×5
Key centres reached by ii–V
D minor and F major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
History
"Satin Doll" is a jazz standard written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Written in 1953, the song has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Billy Eckstine, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Short, and many other vocalists. As an instrumental, it has been recorded by hundreds of jazz artists. Its chord progression is well known for its unusual use of chords and opening with a ii-V-I turnaround.
Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Recorded on these albums
| 1957 | Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book Ella Fitzgerald |
| 1962 | Nina Simone Sings Ellington Nina Simone |
| 1963 | Ella and Basie! Ella Fitzgerald & The Count Basie Orchestra |
| 1966 | The Duke At Tanglewood Duke Ellington • Boston Pops • Arthur Fiedler |
| 1982 | It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing Duke Ellington & Teresa Brewer |
| 1988 | Echoes of Harlem Duke Ellington |
| 2008 | Columbia Jazz Profiles Duke Ellington |
| 2012 | Blue Note Jazz Inspiration Duke Ellington |
| 2013 | Battle Of Swing, Vol. 3 Duke Ellington |
| 2017 | An Intimate Piano Session Duke Ellington |
| 2017 | Take the A Train Duke Ellington |
| 2021 | In My Solitude: Solo Piano and Small Group Performances Duke Ellington, Sir Roland Hanna & Billy Strayhorn · “Satin Doll (Live, Columbia University, New York City, 1964)” |
| 2021 | In My Solitude: Solo Piano and Small Group Performances Duke Ellington, Sir Roland Hanna & Billy Strayhorn · “Satin Doll (Live, Columbia University, New York City, 1964)” |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| The Lamp Is Low 31% | C major |
| The Things We Did Last Summer 31% | F major |
| The Cool One 29% | G major |
| Don't Go To Strangers 29% | B♭ major |
| Undecided 28% | C major |
| Tis Autumn 27% | E♭ major |
| September In The Rain 25% | E♭ major |
| Under A Blanket Of Blue 24% | A♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Satin Doll in?
Satin Doll is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.
Who wrote Satin Doll?
Satin Doll was written by Strayhorn-Ellington (1953).
What is the form of Satin Doll?
Satin Doll has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Satin Doll played?
The usual groove is Medium swing.
What are the chord changes to Satin Doll?
The opening bars are Dm7 G7 | Dm7 G7 | Em7 A7 | Em7 A7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.