Standards
When You're Smilin' chords & key
- Key
- B♭ major
- Form
- AB
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“When You're Smilin'” is a jazz standard by Shay - Fisher - Goodwin. It is usually played in B♭ major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AB form has 2 sections. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres B♭ major, C minor and E♭ major.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Cm7×7
- B♭6×6
- F7×5
- B♭maj7×4
- G7×2
- E♭6×2
Key centres reached by ii–V
B♭ major, C minor and E♭ major
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
Frequently asked questions
What key is When You're Smilin' in?
When You're Smilin' is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.
Who wrote When You're Smilin'?
When You're Smilin' was written by Shay - Fisher - Goodwin.
What is the form of When You're Smilin'?
When You're Smilin' has 2 sections (AB) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is When You're Smilin' played?
The usual groove is Medium swing.
What are the chord changes to When You're Smilin'?
The opening bars are Bb6 | Bb6 | Bbmaj7 | Bbmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.