Standards
The Inch Worm chords & key
- Key
- F major
- Form
- ABAA
- Bars
- 22
- Groove
- Jazz waltz
- Time signature
- 3/4
“The Inch Worm” is a jazz standard by Frank Loesser. It is usually played in F major as a jazz waltz, and the 22-bar ABAA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence, uses 11 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 6 album tracks.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — F major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Fmaj7×9
- E♭maj7×4
- B♭maj7×4
- F13×4
- F6×3
- B♭m6×2
Recorded on these albums
| 1959 | Afro Can-Can Jack Costanzo |
| 1994 | Café Blue Patricia Barber · “Inch Worm” |
| 1998 | The Playground Tony Bennett |
| 2005 | Confirmation Sheila Jordan · “Inch Worm” |
| 2010 | 19 Standards (Quartet) 2003 Anthony Braxton · “Inch Worm” |
| 2021 | Quartet (Standards) 2020 Anthony Braxton |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| La Vie En Rose 31% | C major |
| When The Saints Go Marching In 27% | F major |
| A Tisket A Tasket 20% | E♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is The Inch Worm in?
The Inch Worm is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote The Inch Worm?
The Inch Worm was written by Frank Loesser.
What is the form of The Inch Worm?
The Inch Worm has 4 sections (ABAA) with 22 bars in total.
How fast is The Inch Worm played?
The usual groove is Jazz waltz.
What are the chord changes to The Inch Worm?
The opening bars are Fmaj7 | Ebmaj7 | Fmaj7 | Ebmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.