Standards
The Meaning Of The Blues chords & key
- Key
- D minor
- Form
- ABAC
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Even eighths
- Time signature
- 4/4
“The Meaning Of The Blues” is a jazz standard by Worth-Troup. Most bands play it in D minor, even eighths; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAC form. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 3 minor ii–V–i, uses 20 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor and F major. 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
- Gm7×7
- Dm×5
- Dm7×5
- Dmaug×4
- Dm6×4
- D7♯9×4
Key centres reached by ii–V
D minor and F major
Characteristics
- ABAC song form
Recorded on these albums
| 1957 | Miles Ahead Miles Davis · “The Meaning of the Blues” |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Beautiful Love 22% | D minor |
| I'm A Fool To Want You 21% | E minor |
Frequently asked questions
What key is The Meaning Of The Blues in?
The Meaning Of The Blues is usually played in D minor. For B♭ instruments that is E minor, for E♭ instruments B minor.
Who wrote The Meaning Of The Blues?
The Meaning Of The Blues was written by Worth-Troup.
What is the form of The Meaning Of The Blues?
The Meaning Of The Blues has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is The Meaning Of The Blues played?
The usual groove is Even eighths.
What are the chord changes to The Meaning Of The Blues?
The opening bars are Dm Dmaug | Dm6 D7#9 | Gm7 Gm7/F | Em7b5 A7b9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.