Standards

September In The Rain chords & key

Key: E♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“September In The Rain” is a jazz standard by Harry Warren. It is usually played in E♭ major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 9 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 11 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and A♭ major. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭^maj7

B♭^m7E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

D♭⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶C⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶

B♭^m7E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

C^m7F⁷

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

B♭^m7E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

D♭⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶C⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

9Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

13ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

11Different chords

Most used chords

A♭^maj7×8
F^m7×6
B♭⁷×6
B♭^m7×5
E♭⁷×5
E♭⁶×4

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and A♭ major

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1954	The President Lester Young · “September in the Rain”
1955	Sweet Georgia Brown Billy Tipton Trio · “September in the Rain”
1956	Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings Bing Crosby & Buddy Bregman · “September in the Rain”
1956	Calendar Girl Julie London · “September in the Rain”
1956	The Modern Art of Jazz Zoot Sims · “September in the Rain”
1959	Reunion In Rhythm Frankie Laine & Michel Legrand · “September in the Rain”
1959	More Than the Most! Dakota Staton · “September in the Rain”
1959	Donnybrook With Donegan Dorothy Donegan · “September in the Rain”
1960	September in the Rain Dinah Washington · “September in the Rain”
1961	Sinatra’s Swingin’ Session!!! Frank Sinatra · “September in the Rain”
1961	Fun With Brushes Mal Waldron · “September in the Rain”
1977	Midnight Slows, Vol 6 Milt Buckner, Arnett Cobb, Eddie Chamblee & Panama Francis · “September in the Rain”
1978	World Hits James Last · “September in the Rain”
1979	One to Blow On Zoot Sims · “September in the Rain”
1980	Funky Butt Arnett Cobb · “September in the Rain”
1983	The Complete Paris Session 1953 Lionel Hampton · “September in the Rain”
1983	The Complete 1953 Paris Session Lionel Hampton · “September in the Rain”
1984	Django / Misty Dorothy Ashby · “September in the Rain”
1984	Dorothy Donegan – Live! Dorothy Donegan · “Дождливый сентябрь / September in the Rain”
1985	For All Seasons Yehudi Menuhin & Stephane Grappelli · “September in the rain”
1986	The Uncollected 1946 June Christy with The Kentones · “September in the Rain”
1988	Menuhin and Grappelli Play “Jealousy” and Other Great Standards Yehudi Menuhin & Stéphane Grappelli · “September in the Rain”
1988	Crooner's Dream Guy Marchand & Claude Bolling Big Band · “September in the Rain”
1991	Live at Century Plaza Carmen McRae · “September in the Rain”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

September In the Rain Willie Smith and his Orchestra · Les Paul · Willie Smith · Billy May… · 1945 archive.org ↗
"SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN" BOB ANDERSON'S OSHKOSH SERENADERS · JOE RUSHTON · BOB ANDERSON ·… · 1946 archive.org ↗
September in the Rain Helen Hartley · Columbine Trio · Jimmy Reed · "Gibby" Gibson ·… · 1950 archive.org ↗
SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN ANDRE PREVIN · Bob Bain · Ralph Collier · Lloyd Pratt · Dubin · Warren · 1952 archive.org ↗
September In the Rain Lester Young and His Orchestra · Lester Young · Jo Jones · John… · 1953 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Undecided 61%	Charlie Shavers	C major	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
The Joker 56%	Lee Morgan	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Tis Autumn 47%	Henry Nemo	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
There's No You 41%	Hal Hopper	F major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Eclypso 38%	Tommy Flanagan	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Latin/swing
When You're Smilin' 35%	Shay - Fisher - Goodwin	B♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing
I'll Never Be The Same 33%	Khan-Malneck-Signorelli	F major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Don't Go To Strangers 32%	Kent-Mason-Evans	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad

Frequently asked questions

What key is September In The Rain in?

September In The Rain is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote September In The Rain?

September In The Rain was written by Harry Warren.

What is the form of September In The Rain?

September In The Rain has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is September In The Rain played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to September In The Rain?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | Abmaj7 | Abmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.