Jazz Standards Library

Chords & Changes

I Can't Get Started

I Can't Get Started — chords and changes, key facts, and listening notes.

I Can't Get Started was composed by Vernon Duke. The lyrics are credited to Ira Gershwin. It dates from 1936. It comes from Chinatown. It is in Bb major, 32 bars long, and in AABC (8-8-8-8) form.

Chart

Chord chart

Four bars per row · sections labelled

Bb major

Section A1

Cmaj7Am7
Dm7G7
E7Am7b5
Dm7G7sus4
Cmaj7Am7
Dm7G7
E7A7
Dm7G7sus4

Section A2

Cmaj7Am7
Dm7G7
E7Am7b5
D7G7sus4
Cmaj7Am7
Dm7G7
C6Bb7
Cmaj7

Section B1

Em7A7
Em7A7
Dmaj7Gmaj7
Dmaj7
Dm7G7
Dm7G7
Em7A7
D7G7sus4

Section A3

Cmaj7Am7
Dm7G7
E7A7
D7G7sus4
Cmaj7A7b9
Dm7G7
C6
Dm7G7

Changes confidence: high. Source: Weimar Jazz Database (Jazzomat Research Project, HfM Weimar), ODbL 1.0. Changes as annotated by the Jazzomat Research Project, licensed under the ODbL 1.0.

Listen

Recordings (from MusicBrainz)

  • Paul Bley, Charlie Mingus, Art Blakey — Album not listed
    Source: musicbrainz
    1954
  • Stan Getz & The Oscar Peterson Trio — Album not listed
    Source: musicbrainz
    1957
  • Billie Holiday — Album not listed
    Source: musicbrainz
    1987
  • Roy Eldridge & Coleman Hawkins — Album not listed
    Source: musicbrainz
    1990
  • Perico Sambeat Quintet Featuring Wallace Roney, Tete Montoliu — Album not listed
    Source: musicbrainz
    1991
  • Kenny Baker & His Orchestra — Album not listed
    Source: musicbrainz
    1996

Recording credits and years follow the entries in the dataset. Source: MusicBrainz.

Landmark solos

Solos analysed in the Weimar Jazz Database

  • Joe Lovano (ts-c) — Live at the Village Vanguard CD1
    Post-bop · 107 bpm · swing feel
    1995

Solo, record, style, tempo and feel as catalogued by the Jazzomat Research Project (ODbL 1.0). Release year is the year of the catalogued issue, which can be a later reissue.

Nearby