Standards
Work Song chords & key
- Key
- F minor
- Form
- A
- Bars
- 16
- Groove
- Medium-up swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Work Song” is a jazz standard by Nat Adderley. Most bands play it in F minor, medium-up swing; the tune runs 16 bars in A form. In this atlas it appears on 3 album tracks and in 2 transcribed solos.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — F minor
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Fm×11
- C7×3
- F7×1
- B♭7×1
- G7×1
Recorded on these albums
| 1961 | Forbidden Fruit Nina Simone |
| 1966 | Nina Simone With Strings Nina Simone · “Chain Gang” |
| 1967 | High Priestess of Soul Nina Simone |
Transcribed solos on Work Song
| Cannonball Adderley alto saxophone | 156 BPM |
| Nat Adderley trumpet | 155 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
Frequently asked questions
What key is Work Song in?
Work Song is usually played in F minor. For B♭ instruments that is G minor, for E♭ instruments D minor.
Who wrote Work Song?
Work Song was written by Nat Adderley.
What is the form of Work Song?
Work Song has 1 sections (A) with 16 bars in total.
How fast is Work Song played?
The usual groove is Medium-up swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 156 BPM and 155 BPM.
What are the chord changes to Work Song?
The opening bars are Fm | Fm | Fm | Fm. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.