Standards · 1962

Só Danço Samba chords & key

Key
C major
Form
AABA
Bars
32
Groove
Bossa nova
Time signature
4/4
Year
1962

“Só Danço Samba” is a jazz standard by Antonio-Carlos Jobim from 1962. Most bands play it in C major, bossa nova; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 4 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 9 different chords and moves between the key centres C major and F major. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

A
C6
F7
D7
D7
Dm7
G7
1.
C6
F7
2.
C6
C6
B
Gm7
C7
Fmaj7
Fmaj7
Am7
D7
G7
G7
A
C6
F7
D7
D7
Dm7
G7
C6
F7

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

Harmonic analysis

4Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
5ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
1Dominant chains
9Different chords

Most used chords

  • C6×7
  • D7×7
  • F7×5
  • G7×5
  • Dm7×3
  • Fmaj7×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major and F major

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

History

"Só Danço Samba" (aka "Jazz 'n' Samba") is a bossa nova song composed in 1962 by Antônio Carlos Jobim, with lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes. English lyrics were later written by Norman Gimbel. On occasion, it has also been known as "Jazz Samba" and "I Only Dance Samba", an English translation of the original Portuguese title. In Bossa Nova: The Story of the Brazilian Music That Seduced the World, author Ruy Castro suggests that the song was part of a failed movement to invent a bossa nova dance. "Jobim, who had never danced in his life, had just finished writing 'Só danço samba' [Jazz 'n' Samba] with Vinicius, but it was without much conviction. So much so, in fact, that on hearing 'Só danço samba' for the first time, João Gilberto asked him, 'What's this Tomzinho?

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Recorded on these albums

1963 Jazz Samba Encore!
Stan Getz, Luiz Bonfá featuring Maria Toledo · “So danço samba”
1963 Sambossa
Elza Soares · “Só danço samba”
1963 Guitar/Guitar
Charlie Byrd / Herb Ellis · “Jazz 'n' Samba”
1964 Getz / Gilberto
Stan Getz / João Gilberto featuring Antônio Carlos Jobim · “Só danço samba”
1964 Jazz 'N' Samba
Milt Jackson · “Jazz 'N' Samba”
1965 The Swinger From Rio
Sergio Mendes feat. Antônio Carlos Jobim · “So Danco Samba”
1965 I Love a Piano
Buddy Greco · “So Danco Samba”
1967 Antonio Carlos Jobim & Sérgio Mendes
Antonio Carlos Jobim & Sérgio Mendes · “Só danço samba”
1974 Temas brasileños
Tete Montoliu · “So danço samba”
1981 Sings Antonio Carlos Jobim
Rita Reys · “So Danco Samba”
1989 Melancholie
Baden Powell · “So danço samba”
1994 Antonio Brasileiro
Antonio Carlos Jobim · “Só danço samba”
1998 From A to Z
Sergio Mendes · “So Danco Samba”
1998 Bossa Carioca
Lisa Ono · “Só danço samba”
1999 Swinger From Rio / Beat of Brazil
Sérgio Mendes · “So Danco Samba”
1999 My Inspiration
Charlie Byrd · “So Danco Samba”
2001 Brazilian Sketches
Stacey Kent & Jim Tomlinson
2004 Bossa Nova
John Pizzarelli
2008 Rio
Till Brönner · “Só danço samba”
2010 Birth Of The Bossa!
Antônio Carlos Jobim · “So Danço Samba”
2015 Um Encontro no Au Bon Gourmet (Live 1962)
Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, João Gilberto & Os Cariocas
2017 So Nice
David Benoit & Marc Antoine · “So Danco Samba”
2026 Ao Vivo
Eliane Elias
— A Bossa Muito Moderna de Donato
João Donato

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
Undecided 57% Charlie Shavers C major AABA · 32 Medium-up swing
Move 37% Denzil Best B♭ major AABA · 32 Up-tempo swing
Cheers 32% Howard McGhee B♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Don't Go To Strangers 32% Kent-Mason-Evans B♭ major AABA · 32 Ballad
It Don't Mean A Thing 29% Duke Ellington B♭ major AABA · 32 Medium-up swing
Oh, Lady Be Good 29% George Gershwin G major AABA · 32 Medium-up swing
When You're Smilin' 29% Shay - Fisher - Goodwin B♭ major AB · 32 Medium swing
I Like The Likes Of You 28% Vernon Duke E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Só Danço Samba in?

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

Who wrote Só Danço Samba?

Só Danço Samba was written by Antonio-Carlos Jobim (1962).

What is the form of Só Danço Samba?

Só Danço Samba has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Só Danço Samba played?

The usual groove is Bossa nova.

What are the chord changes to Só Danço Samba?

The opening bars are C6 | F7 | D7 | D7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.