Standards

The Birth Of The Blues chords & key

Key: C major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Slow swing
Time signature: 4/4

“The Birth Of The Blues” is a jazz standard by Ray Henderson. Most bands play it in C major, slow swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 6 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 13 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

C^maj7D♭^dim7

D^m7G⁷

C^maj7E⁷

F^maj7G♭^dim7

G⁷

D^m7G⁷

C⁶E♭^dim7

D^m7D♭⁷

C⁶F⁷

C⁶

E⁷

A⁷

D⁷

D^m7D♭⁷

C^maj7D♭^dim7

D^m7G⁷

C^maj7E⁷

F^maj7G♭^dim7

G⁷

D^m7G⁷

C⁶E♭^dim7

D^m7G⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

6Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

7ii–V moves

2Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

G⁷×10
D^m7×9
E⁷×7
C^maj7×6
C⁶×4
D♭^dim7×3

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1954	A Session With Chet Atkins Chet Atkins · “The Birth of the Blues”
1955	Starring Sammy Davis Jr. Sammy Davis Jr. · “Birth of the Blues”
1955	For Quiet Lovers Teddy Wilson · “The Birth of the Blues”
1957	The Call of the Wildest Louis Prima, Keely Smith with Sam Butera & the Witnesses · “The Birth of the Blues”
1957	The Flip Phillips Quintet Flip Phillips · “Birth of the Blues”
1958	Saturday Night With Mr. C. Perry Como · “Birth Of The Blues”
1958	A Date With Della Reese at Mr. Kelly's in Chicago Della Reese With The Kirk Stuart Trio · “The Birth of the Blues”
1958	Cat on a Hot Tin Horn William “Cat” Anderson · “Birth of the Blues”
1959	Have Tenor Sax, Will Blow King Curtis · “Birth of the Blues”
1961	Genius + Soul = Jazz Ray Charles · “Birth of the Blues”
1961	Pete Fountain's French Quarter New Orleans Pete Fountain · “Birth of the Blues”
1962	Blues Make Me Happy Cab Calloway · “The Birth of the Blues”
1963	Our Man in New Orleans Al Hirt · “The Birth of the Blues”
1965	That Old Black Magic Keely Smith · “Birth of the Blues”
1967	That’s All! Sammy Davis Jr.
1967	Blue Prelude Gordon Jenkins · “Birth of the Blues”
1976	Chester & Lester Chet Atkins & Les Paul · “Birth of the Blues”
1977	In Person '77 Sammy Davis Jr.
1981	I Giganti Del Jazz Vol. 57 Lionel Hampton, Cat Anderson, Eddie Chamblee, Frankie Dunlop · “Birth of the Blues”
1984	Body And Soul At The Bayou Club Volume 2 Coleman Hawkins & Roy Eldridge · “Birth Of The Blues”
1987	In Sweden Gerry Mulligan · “Birth Of The Blues”
1988	Glad Hamp Lionel Hampton · “Birth of the Blues”
1988	Lionel Hampton and his Jazz Giants Lionel Hampton, William "Cat" Anderson, Eddie Chamblee, Paul Moen, Milt Buckner, William "Billy" Mackel, Barry Smith & Frankie Dunlop · “Birth Of The Blues”
1988	A Vintage Year George Shearing & Mel Tormé · “New York, New York Medley: For Me and My Gal / Mack the Knife / Birth of the Blues / Send a Little Love My Way / How High the Moon / New York, New York”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

Birth of the blues Leo Mathisen's Orkester · Henderson · Sidney Marke archive.org ↗
THE BIRTH OF THE BLUES De Silva · Brown · Henderson archive.org ↗
BIRTH OF THE BLUES EDDIE "PIANO" MILLER TRIO · Henderson · De Sylva · Brown · 1952 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Robbin's Nest 27%	Thompson-Jacquet	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Penthouse Serenade 26%	Jason-Burton	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
I've Got The World On A String 23%	Harold Arlen	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
My Buddy 20%	Walter Donaldson	G major	AA · 32	Jazz waltz
That's Amore (That's Love) 20%	Warren-Brooks	B♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is The Birth Of The Blues in?

The Birth Of The Blues is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote The Birth Of The Blues?

The Birth Of The Blues was written by Ray Henderson.

What is the form of The Birth Of The Blues?

The Birth Of The Blues has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is The Birth Of The Blues played?

The usual groove is Slow swing.

What are the chord changes to The Birth Of The Blues?

The opening bars are Cmaj7 Dbdim7 | Dm7 G7 | Cmaj7 E7 | Fmaj7 Gbdim7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.