Standards

Without A Song chords & key

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 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭^maj7

E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

D♭⁷

E♭^maj7

E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

D♭⁷

E♭^maj7

G^m7C⁷

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭⁶

F^m7B♭⁷

G^m7C⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶

A♭⁷

E♭⁶

E♭⁷

A♭^maj7

G^m7C⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭^maj7

G^m7

A^m7♭5D^7♭9

G^m7C⁷

F^m7B♭⁷

E♭⁶

C^m7

F^m7

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
F^m7×7
B♭⁷×7
G^m7×6
E♭⁷×5
A♭^maj7×5

Key centres reached by ii–V

F minor, E♭ major and G minor

Recorded on these albums

1954	The Genius Of Art Tatum #5 Art Tatum · “Without a Song”
1954	On Savoy: Billy Eckstine Billy Eckstine · “Without a Song”
1955	At Birdland Wild Bill Davis · “Without a Song”
1956	In Stockholm Stan Getz · “Without a Song”
1957	Tony Tony Bennett · “Without a Song”
1957	Dream Along With Me Perry Como · “Without a Song”
1959	In Person! Tony Bennett with Count Basie & His Orchestra · “Without a Song”
1959	Oscar Peterson Plays the Harry Warren and Vincent Youmans Song Books Oscar Peterson · “Without a Song”
1960	September in the Rain Dinah Washington · “Without a Song”
1960	No Cover, No Minimum Billy Eckstine · “Without a Song”
1961	I Remember Tommy Frank Sinatra · “Without a Song”
1962	The Bridge Sonny Rollins · “Without a Song”
1963	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra featuring Frank Sinatra · “Without a Song”
1963	Never Let Me Go Stanley Turrentine · “Without a Song”
1963	Surging Ahead Clare Fischer · “Without a Song”
1967	That’s All! Sammy Davis Jr.
1969	The Hub of Hubbard Freddie Hubbard · “Without a Song”
1970	In Person at The International Hotel, Las Vegas Perry Como · “Without a Song”
1975	Pit Inn Cedar Walton · “Without a Song”
1979	Omaggio a Sinatra - The Voice and the Touch Enrico Intra · “Without a Song”
1986	Blues for Myself Cedar Walton · “Without a Song”
1986	Work! Mulgrew Miller · “Without a Song”
1990	Big Boss Band George Benson featuring The Count Basie Orchestra · “Without a Song”
1990	Among Friends Cedar Walton · “Without a Song”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
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.