Standards

When I Fall In Love chords & key

Key
E♭ major
Form
ABAC
Bars
32
Groove
Ballad
Time signature
4/4

“When I Fall In Love” is a jazz standard by Victor Young. Most bands play it in E♭ major, ballad; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAC form. Harmonically it contains 8 major ii–V–I cadences and 3 minor ii–V–i, uses 16 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and F minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
E♭maj7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7A♭7
G7♭9C7♭9
F7
B♭7
B
E♭maj7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7A♭7
Gm7♭5C7♭9
Fm7D7alt
Gm7♭5C7♭9
Fm7C7♭9
Fm7B♭7
A
E♭maj7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7A♭7
G7♭9C7♭9
F7
B♭7
C
E♭maj7A7♯11
A♭maj7D7
Gm7C7♯9
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭6
Fm7B♭7

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

Harmonic analysis

8Major ii–V–I
3Minor ii–V–i
12ii–V moves
2Tritone substitutions
6Dominant chains
16Different chords

Most used chords

  • Fm7×11
  • B♭7×11
  • E♭maj7×10
  • C7×6
  • C7♭9×5
  • A♭7×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and F minor

Characteristics

  • ABAC song form

Recorded on these albums

1955 Helen Merrill With Strings
Helen Merrill · “When I Fall in Love”
1956 The Jazz Message of Hank Mobley
Hank Mobley · “When I Fall in Love”
1956 4, 5 and 6
Jackie McLean · “When I Fall in Love”
1957 Love Is the Thing
The Voice of Nat “King” Cole with The Orchestra of Gordon Jenkins · “When I Fall in Love”
1957 Last Night When We Were Young
Art Farmer with The Quincy Jones Orchestra · “When I Fall in Love”
1958 Saturday Night With Mr. C.
Perry Como
1959 In Person!
Tony Bennett with Count Basie & His Orchestra · “When I Fall in Love”
1959 Your Number Please…
Julie London · “When I Fall in Love”
1959 Open Fire, Two Guitars
Johnny Mathis · “When I Fall in Love”
1959 Book of Ballads
Carmen McRae
1959 The Soul of Ben Webster
Ben Webster · “When I Fall in Love”
1959 What Do You Know About Love?
Della Reese · “When I Fall in Love”
1959 The House Of Blue Lights
Eddie Costa
1960 Moodsville, Volume 3: Red Alone
Red Garland · “When I Fall in Love”
1960 Blue’s Moods
Blue Mitchell · “When I Fall in Love”
1960 Etta Jones Sings
Etta Jones · “When I Fall in Love”
1961 Unforgettable
Dinah Washington · “When I Fall in Love”
1962 Twangy Guitar Silky Strings
Duane Eddy · “When I Fall in Love”
1963 ’Round Midnight
Betty Carter · “When I Fall in Love”
1967 A New Conception
Sam Rivers · “When I Fall in Love”
1967 Billy Stewart Teaches Old Standards New Tricks
Billy Stewart · “When I Fall in Love”
1967 EI! SS...!
Enrico Intra · “When I Fall in Love”
1969 Don't Look Away Now!
James Moody · “When I Fall in Love”
1971 Reunion Blues
Oscar Peterson & Milt Jackson · “When I Fall in Love”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
Hallucinations 29% Bud Powell F major AABAC · 38 Up-tempo swing
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You 28% George Bassman F major AABA · 36 Medium swing
This Is All I Ask 27% Gordon Jenkins F major ABAC · 32 Ballad
Am I Blue? 26% Harry Akst F major AABC · 32 Medium swing
Time On My Hands 26% Vincent Youmans F major AABC · 32 Ballad
Flintstones 24% Hoyt Curtain B♭ major AABA · 32 Up-tempo swing
I'm An Old Cowhand 24% Johnny Mercer E♭ major A · 18 Medium swing
It Never Entered My Mind 24% Richard Rodgers F major AABA · 34 Ballad

Frequently asked questions

What key is When I Fall In Love in?

When I Fall In Love is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote When I Fall In Love?

When I Fall In Love was written by Victor Young.

What is the form of When I Fall In Love?

When I Fall In Love has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is When I Fall In Love played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to When I Fall In Love?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 C7 | Fm7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 C7 | Fm7 Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.