ENDEIT

Standards

Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart chords & key

James Hanley

Key
E♭ major
Form
AABA
Bars
56
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart” is a jazz standard by James Hanley. It is usually played in E♭ major as a medium swing, and the 56-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 4 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 12 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and G minor.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
E♭maj7
E♭maj7
Cm7
Cm7
Fm7
Fm7
B♭7
B♭7
A♭maj7
A♭maj7
A♭m7
A♭m7
1.
Cm7
F7
Fm7
B♭7
2.
Cm7
F7B♭7
E♭6
E♭6
B
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7Cm7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7
Am7♭5D7
Gm7F7
Fm7
B♭7♯5
A
E♭maj7
E♭maj7
Cm7
Cm7
Fm7
Fm7
B♭7
B♭7
A♭maj7
A♭maj7
A♭m7
A♭m7
Cm7
F7B♭7
E♭6
Fm7B♭7

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

Harmonic analysis

4Major ii–V–I
1Minor ii–V–i
12ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
2Dominant chains
12Different chords

Most used chords

  • B♭7×12
  • Fm7×11
  • Cm7×10
  • E♭maj7×8
  • A♭maj7×6
  • A♭m7×6

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and G minor

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
This Is All I Ask 33% Gordon Jenkins F major ABAC · 32 Ballad
I Like The Likes Of You 32% Vernon Duke E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
These Foolish Things 31% Strachey-Link E♭ major AABA · 32 Ballad
I Don't Want To Miss Mississippi 29% Serger Ellis G major AAB · 48 Medium swing
The Touch Of Your Lips 29% Ray Noble C major ABAC · 32 Medium swing
Rockin' Chair 28% Hoagy Carmichael E♭ major ABA · 32 Medium swing
Too Young To Go Steady 28% Jimmy McHugh F major AABA · 32 Ballad
In Love In Vain 27% Leo Robin Jerome Kern B♭ major ABAC · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart in?

Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart?

Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart was written by James Hanley.

What is the form of Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart?

Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart has 4 sections (AABA) with 56 bars in total.

How fast is Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 | Ebmaj7 | Cm7 | Cm7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.