Standards

Strangers In The Night chords & key

Key: F major
Form: ABCA
Bars: 32
Groove: Slow swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Strangers In The Night” is a jazz standard by Bert Kaempfert. It is usually played in F major as a slow swing, and the 32-bar ABCA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 14 different chords and moves between the key centres F major and G minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — F major

F^maj7

F_/AA♭^dim7

G^m6E♭_/G

G^m7

G^m7C^7♭9

F^maj7

A^m7♭5

D^7♭9

G^m7

B♭^m6

F_/CD^m7

G^m7C⁷

F^maj7

F_/AA♭^dim7

G^m7

C^7♭9

F⁶

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

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I

1Minor ii–V–i

4ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

14Different chords

Most used chords

F^maj7×10
G^m7×9
F_/A×2
A♭^dim7×2
G^m6×2
E♭_/G×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

F major and G minor

Recorded on these albums

1966	Strangers in the Night Frank Sinatra · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	Movie Greats Of The 60's Connie Francis · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	Guitars Alà Lee Peggy Lee · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	The Biggest Twang of Them All Duane Eddy · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	The Impossible Dream Jack Jones · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	A Man Could Get Killed: Original Motion Picture Score Bert Kaempfert · “Beddy Bye”
1966	Now! Chris Connor · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	Today Billy May · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	I've Got You Under My Skin Pete Fountain · “Strangers in the Night”
1966	7ª raccolta Fausto Papetti · “Strangers in the Night”
1967	Johnny Mathis Sings Johnny Mathis · “Strangers in the Night”
1967	My Sound of Music Jørgen Ingmann · “Strangers in the Night”
1967	Feeling Good Jack Jones · “Strangers in the Night”
1968	Sings the Music of Bert Kaempfert Johnny Mathis · “Strangers in the Night”
1968	Plays Great Songs Luiz Bonfá · “Strangers in the Night”
1968	Al Hirt Plays Bert Kaempfert Al Hirt · “Strangers in the Night”
1972	In Hollywood Jack Jones · “Strangers in the Night”
1975	Live in London Bert Kaempfert · “Strangers in the Night”
1984	Catene Mina · “Strangers in the Night”
1996	The Concert Collection Al Martino · “Strangers in the Night”
1996	Best of Al Martino Al Martino · “Strangers in the Night”
1997	Right Now! Mel Tormé · “Strangers in the Night”
1997	Echoes of Jilly's Monty Alexander with John Patitucci & Troy Davis · “Strangers in the Night”
1998	Campus Concert / Feeling Is Believing Erroll Garner · “Strangers in the Night”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Young At Heart 26%	Johnny Richards	B♭ major	AA · 32	Ballad
Hungaria 25%	Django Reinhardt	G major	ABAC · 32	Medium-up swing
Fools Rush In 24%	Rube Bloom	C major	ABAC · 32	Slow swing
In The Still Of The Night 23%	Cole Porter	F major	ABCC · 72	Up-tempo swing
A Certain Smile 21%	Fain-Webster	F major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Beyond The Blue Horizon 21%	Whiting-Harding	B♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Charleston 21%	James Johnson	B♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium-up swing
Dinah 20%	Harry Akst	G major	BBA · 24	Medium-up swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Strangers In The Night in?

Strangers In The Night is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.

Who wrote Strangers In The Night?

Strangers In The Night was written by Bert Kaempfert.

What is the form of Strangers In The Night?

Strangers In The Night has 4 sections (ABCA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Strangers In The Night played?

The usual groove is Slow swing.

What are the chord changes to Strangers In The Night?

The opening bars are Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.