Standards
Tempus Fugit chords & key
- Key
- D minor
- Form
- AABA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Up-tempo swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Tempus Fugit” is a jazz standard by Bud Powell. It is usually played in D minor as a up-tempo swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains no major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 10 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 1 album track.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — D minor
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- A7♭9×12
- Dm7×12
- Gm7×6
- E7×3
- A7♭13×2
- D7♭13×2
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Recorded on these albums
Historic 78 rpm recordings
- TEMPUS FUGIT VAN ALEXANDER and his SWINGTIME BAND · Van Alexander · 1940 archive.org ↗
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Nature Boy 37% | D minor |
| Petit Fleur 33% | G minor |
| Idle Moments 30% | C minor |
| Bohemia After Dark 29% | G minor |
| Minor Mood 28% | F minor |
| My Heart Belongs To Daddy 25% | C minor |
| Sugar 24% | C minor |
| Lennie's Pennies 23% | C minor |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Tempus Fugit in?
Tempus Fugit is usually played in D minor. For B♭ instruments that is E minor, for E♭ instruments B minor.
Who wrote Tempus Fugit?
Tempus Fugit was written by Bud Powell.
What is the form of Tempus Fugit?
Tempus Fugit has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Tempus Fugit played?
The usual groove is Up-tempo swing.
What are the chord changes to Tempus Fugit?
The opening bars are Gm7 A7b9 | Dm7 | A7b9 | Dm7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.