Standards

While We're Young chords & key

Key: E♭ major
Form: ABAC
Bars: 64
Groove: Jazz waltz
Time signature: 3/4

“While We're Young” is a jazz standard by Wilder-Palitz. It is usually played in E♭ major as a jazz waltz, and the 64-bar ABAC form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 2 major ii–V–I cadences and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 15 different chords and moves between the key centres C minor, E♭ major and A♭ major. In this atlas it appears on 4 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭⁶

F^m7

G^m7

C^m7

F⁷

B♭⁷

E♭⁶

F^m7

G^m7

C^m7

D^m7♭5

G^7♭9

C^m7

F⁷

C^m7

D♭⁷

C^m7

F⁷

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭⁶

F^m7

G^m7

C^m7

F⁷

B♭⁷

E♭⁶

F^m7

G^m7

C^m7

D^m7♭5

G^7♭9

C^m7

B♭^m7

E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

D♭⁷

E♭⁶_/B♭

E♭^dim7_/B♭

B♭^7sus

B♭⁷

E♭⁶

F^m7

B♭⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

2Major ii–V–I

2Minor ii–V–i

9ii–V moves

1Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

15Different chords

Most used chords

C^m7×12
F⁷×8
B♭⁷×8
F^m7×7
E♭⁶×6
G^m7×4

Key centres reached by ii–V

C minor, E♭ major and A♭ major

Characteristics

ABAC song form

Recorded on these albums

1952	Because of You Tony Bennett · “While We’re Young”
1958	Blue Velvet Tony Bennett · “While We’re Young”
1977	Tony Bennett / The McPartlands And Friends Make Beautiful Music Tony Bennett · “While We Were Young”
2026	Early Years - Selected Albums 1956-58 Johnny Mathis

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
There Is No Greater Love 26%	Isham Jones	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
A Weaver Of Dreams 25%	Victor Young	C major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Why Do I Love You? 25%	Jerome Kern	A♭ major	AA · 32	Medium swing
The Blue Room 24%	Richard Rodgers	F major	AABC · 32	Medium swing
I'm Sitting On Top Of The World 24%	Louis-Henderson-Young	F major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
My Shining Hour 24%	Harold Arlen	C major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Rockin' Chair 23%	Hoagy Carmichael	E♭ major	ABA · 32	Medium swing
S'posin' 23%	Paul Denniker	B♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is While We're Young in?

While We're Young is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote While We're Young?

While We're Young was written by Wilder-Palitz.

What is the form of While We're Young?

While We're Young has 4 sections (ABAC) with 64 bars in total.

How fast is While We're Young played?

The usual groove is Jazz waltz.

What are the chord changes to While We're Young?

The opening bars are Eb6 | Fm7 | Gm7 | Cm7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.