Standards

You Are Too Beautiful chords & key

Key: C major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Ballad
Time signature: 4/4

“You Are Too Beautiful” is a jazz standard by Richard Rodgers. Most bands play it in C major, ballad; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 8 major ii–V–I cadences and 6 minor ii–V–i, uses 19 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor, C major, F major and A minor. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

D^m7G⁷

E^m7A^7♭9

D^m7G^7♭9

C^maj7G^m7C⁷

F^maj7B♭⁷

C⁶_/EA^m7

D^m7G⁷

E^m7A^7♭9

D⁷G⁷

C⁶G^m7C⁷

F^maj7G♭^dim7

C⁶_/GA^7♭9

D^m7G^7♭9

C^maj7

B^m7♭5E^7♭9

A^m7E^7♭9

A^m7D⁷

D^m7E^m7A⁷

D^m7G⁷

E^m7A^7♭9

D^m7G^7♭9

C^maj7G^m7C⁷

F^maj7B♭⁷

C⁶_/EA^m7

D⁷G⁷

C⁶E^m7A⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

8Major ii–V–I

6Minor ii–V–i

22ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

19Different chords

Most used chords

D^m7×9
G⁷×6
E^m7×6
A^7♭9×5
A^m7×5
G^7♭9×4

Key centres reached by ii–V

D minor, C major, F major and A minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1963	John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
1986	Bing Crosby Sings Again Bing Crosby

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
If There Is Someone Lovelier 40%	Dietz-Schwartz	C major	ABC · 28	Ballad
Try A Little Tenderness 37%	Harry Woods	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Oh, Lady Be Good 36%	George Gershwin	G major	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
I May Be Wrong 34%	Henry Sullivan	E♭ major	AABC · 32	Medium swing
Dancing On The Ceiling 33%	Richard Rodgers	F major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Love Is The Sweetest Thing 33%	Ray Noble	D major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Sometimes I'm Happy 33%	Vincent Youmans	F major	ABAB · 32	Medium swing
A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening 31%	Jimmy McHugh	F major	AABA · 32	Ballad

Frequently asked questions

What key is You Are Too Beautiful in?

You Are Too Beautiful is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote You Are Too Beautiful?

You Are Too Beautiful was written by Richard Rodgers.

What is the form of You Are Too Beautiful?

You Are Too Beautiful has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is You Are Too Beautiful played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to You Are Too Beautiful?

The opening bars are Dm7 G7 | Em7 A7b9 | Dm7 G7b9 | Cmaj7 Gm7 C7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.