ENDEIT

Standards

You Stepped Out Of A Dream chords & key

Nacio-Herb-Brown

Key
C major
Form
ABAC
Bars
32
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“You Stepped Out Of A Dream” is a jazz standard by Nacio-Herb-Brown. It is usually played in C major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar ABAC form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 4 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 19 different chords and moves between the key centres C major, A♭ major, F major and D minor. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks and in 2 transcribed solos.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

A
Cmaj7
Cmaj7
D♭maj7
D♭maj7
B♭m7
E♭7
A♭maj7
A♭maj7
B
Gm7
C7
Fmaj7
Fmaj7
Am7
D7
E♭m7A♭7
Dm7G7
A
Cmaj7
Cmaj7
D♭maj7
D♭maj7
B♭m7
E♭7
G♭7♯11
F7
C
Dm7♭5
G7
Em7
A7
Dm7
G7
Cmaj7A7
Dm7G7

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

Harmonic analysis

4Major ii–V–I
1Minor ii–V–i
10ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
19Different chords

Most used chords

  • Cmaj7×5
  • D♭maj7×4
  • G7×4
  • Dm7×3
  • B♭m7×2
  • E♭7×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

C major, A♭ major, F major and D minor

Characteristics

  • ABAC song form

Recorded on these albums

2026 World Tour
Oscar Peterson · “You Stepped Out of a Dream”
2026 Early Years - Selected Albums 1956-58
Johnny Mathis · “You Stepped Out of a Dream”

Transcribed solos on You Stepped Out Of A Dream

Don Ellis trumpet 200 BPM D-maj 1961-04-21
Don Ellis trumpet 169 BPM D-maj 1961-04-21

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • YOU STEPPED OUT OF A DREAM DANNY HURD and his ORCHESTRA · DAVE TOUGH · Danny Hurd · Dave Tough… · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
The Joker 25% Lee Morgan E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
Sometime Ago 22% Sergio Mikanovich C major AA · 36 Jazz waltz
Will You Still Be Mine? 22% Matt Dennis E♭ major AAB · 40 Up-tempo swing
Sometimes I'm Happy 21% Vincent Youmans F major ABAB · 32 Medium swing
September In The Rain 20% Harry Warren E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is You Stepped Out Of A Dream in?

You Stepped Out Of A Dream is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote You Stepped Out Of A Dream?

You Stepped Out Of A Dream was written by Nacio-Herb-Brown.

What is the form of You Stepped Out Of A Dream?

You Stepped Out Of A Dream has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is You Stepped Out Of A Dream played?

The usual groove is Medium swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 200 BPM and 169 BPM.

What are the chord changes to You Stepped Out Of A Dream?

The opening bars are Cmaj7 | Cmaj7 | Dbmaj7 | Dbmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.