ENDEIT

Standards

Where Or When chords & key

Richard Rodgers

Key
E♭ major
Form
AABA
Bars
40
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“Where Or When” is a jazz standard by Richard Rodgers. It is usually played in E♭ major as a medium swing, and the 40-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and C minor. In this atlas it appears on 9 album tracks and in 1 transcribed solo.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
E♭
E♭6
E♭maj7
E♭maj7
A♭maj7
A♭maj7
A♭maj7
Fm7B♭7sus
1.
E♭maj7
B♭7sus
2.
E♭maj7
Dm7♭5G7♭9
B
Cm7
Fm7
Dm7♭5
G7♭9
Cm7
Fm7
B7♯11
B♭7
A
E♭
E♭6
G7
Cm7
A♭maj7
C7♭9
Fm7
C7♭9
Fm7
B♭7
E♭6
Fm7B♭7

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

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I
2Minor ii–V–i
6ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
13Different chords

Most used chords

  • A♭maj7×7
  • Fm7×7
  • E♭maj7×6
  • E♭6×4
  • E♭×3
  • B♭7sus×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and C minor

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1942 Moanin' Low
Lena Horne
1950 Dedicated to You
Frank Sinatra · “Where or When”
1952 Lena Sings Your Requests
Lena Horne Orchestra Conducted By Marty Paich · “Where or When”
1956 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book
Ella Fitzgerald · “Where or When”
1956 Tenderly
Oscar Peterson · “Where or When”
1956 It's Love
Lena Horne with Lennie Hayton & His Orchestra
1961 Tony Bennett Sings for Two
Tony Bennett · “Where or When”
1966 Color Me Barbra
Barbra Streisand · “Where or When”
1993 I Love Paris
Ella Fitzgerald · “Where or When”

Transcribed solos on Where Or When

Ben Webster tenor saxophone 82 BPM Ab-maj 1956-09-11

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • WHERE OR WHEN BEN LIGHT · Lloyd Sloop · Pete Di Maggio · Bill Markas · Jack Smith… archive.org ↗
  • WHERE OR WHEN BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton · Bill Harris · Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • WHERE OR WHEN BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton · Bill Harris · Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • WHERE OR WHEN BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton, Bill Harris, Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • Where or When Herman Chittison · Rogers · Hart · 1945 archive.org ↗
  • Where or When Johnny Smith Quartet · Johnny Smith · Stan Getz · Sanford Gold · Don… · 1952 archive.org ↗
  • WHERE OR WHEN HARRY BABASON TRIO · Harry Babason · Hampton Hawes · Larry Bunker ·… · 1952 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
I'll Be Seeing You 34% Sammy Fain E♭ major AB · 32 Medium swing
Lullaby Of Birdland 28% George Shearing A♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
If I Loved You 24% Richard Rodgers C major AABC · 36 Ballad
Love Me Or Leave Me 23% Walter Donaldson A♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
For Once In My Life 22% Orlando Murden B♭ major ABAC · 32 Medium swing
Nancy (With The Laughing Face) 21% Jimmy Van-Heusen E♭ major BBAA · 32 Ballad
I Get Along Without You 20% Hoagy Carmichael B♭ major AAB · 64 Ballad
I've Heard That Song Before 20% Jule Styne C major ABAC · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Where Or When in?

Where Or When is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Where Or When?

Where Or When was written by Richard Rodgers.

What is the form of Where Or When?

Where Or When has 4 sections (AABA) with 40 bars in total.

How fast is Where Or When played?

The usual groove is Medium swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 82 BPM.

What are the chord changes to Where Or When?

The opening bars are Eb | Eb6 | Ebmaj7 | Ebmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.