ENDEIT

Standards

Without A Song chords & key

Vincent Youmans

Key
E♭ major
Form
AAB
Bars
44
Groove
Up-tempo swing
Time signature
4/4

“Without A Song” is a jazz standard by Vincent Youmans. It is usually played in E♭ major as a up-tempo swing, and the 44-bar AAB form has 3 sections. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 6 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres F minor, E♭ major and G minor. In this atlas it appears on 5 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
E♭maj7
E♭7
A♭maj7
D♭7
E♭maj7
E♭7
A♭maj7
D♭7
E♭maj7
Gm7C7
Fm7
B♭7
1.
E♭6
Fm7B♭7
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
2.
E♭6
A♭7
E♭6
E♭7
B
A♭maj7
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7
Gm7
Am7♭5D7♭9
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
1.
E♭6
Cm7
Fm7
B♭7

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I
6Minor ii–V–i
13ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
13Different chords

Most used chords

  • E♭maj7×7
  • Fm7×7
  • B♭7×7
  • Gm7×6
  • E♭7×5
  • A♭maj7×5

Key centres reached by ii–V

F minor, E♭ major and G minor

Recorded on these albums

1957 Tony
Tony Bennett · “Without a Song”
1959 Oscar Peterson Plays the Harry Warren and Vincent Youmans Song Books
Oscar Peterson · “Without a Song”
1961 I Remember Tommy
Frank Sinatra · “Without a Song”
1963 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra
Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra · “Without a Song”
1999 Frank Sinatra Sings Sy Oliver Arrangements
Frank Sinatra · “Without a Song”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
They Didn't Believe Me 37% Jerome Kern G major AB · 32 Medium swing
Sometimes I'm Happy 33% Vincent Youmans F major ABAB · 32 Medium swing
In Love In Vain 32% Leo Robin Jerome Kern B♭ major ABAC · 32 Medium swing
Line For Lyons 31% Gerry Mulligan G major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Blackberry Winter 30% Alec Wilder F major AABA · 32 Ballad
A Fine Romance 29% Jerome Kern C major ABAC · 32 Medium swing
My Heart Stood Still 29% Richard Rodgers F major AABA · 32 Medium swing
The Rainbow Connection 29% Williams-Ascher G major AAB · 34 Jazz waltz

Frequently asked questions

What key is Without A Song in?

Without A Song is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Without A Song?

Without A Song was written by Vincent Youmans.

What is the form of Without A Song?

Without A Song has 3 sections (AAB) with 44 bars in total.

How fast is Without A Song played?

The usual groove is Up-tempo swing.

What are the chord changes to Without A Song?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 | Eb7 | Abmaj7 | Db7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.