How to simplify the harmonic analysis of “All The Things You Are” turning the 36 chords of the harmonic progression into 5 major modulations.
Updated 2023
“All The Things You Are” is a jazz standard composed in 1939 by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, for the musical Very Warm For May (1939).
“All The Things You Are” is in the key of Ab major, the form is ABCD and it has a characteristic intro-coda.
“All The Things You Are”: Recording Analysis
Jazz, like classical music, is an intelectual music requiring concentration to play and concentration to listen.
Jazz is not a background music. You must concentrate upon it in order to get the most out of it.
You must absorb the music and let the music absorb you.
Horace Silver
Charlie Parker Quintet (1947). «All The Things You Are» (Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II).
Musicians
Charlie Parker – alto sax.
Miles Davis – trumpet.
Duke Jordan – piano.
Tommy Potter – bass.
Max Roach – drums.
Recording analysis
Intro: original composition, alto sax with trumpet fills, 8 bars.
Rhythm section: swing.
Melody exposition AB: alto sax.
Rhythm section: latin.
Melody exposition C: alto sax.
Rhythm section: swing.
Melody exposition D: alto sax.
Trumpet solo over sections AB.
Piano solo over section C.
Melody exposition section D: trumpet, background alto sax.
Coda: same as intro.
Ending: hold and drums straight out.
“All The Things You Are”: Lyrics
A
You are the promised kiss of springtime
That makes the lonely winter seem long.
B
You are the breathless hush of evening
That trembles on the brink of a lovely song.
C
You are the angel glow that lights a star,
The dearest things I know are what you are.
D
Some day my happy arms will hold you,
And some day I’ll know that moment divine,
When all the things you are, are mine!
Original verse:
Time and again I’ve longed for adventure,
Something to make my heart beat the faster.
What did I long for? I never really knew.
Finding your love I’ve found my adventure,
Touching your hand, my heart beats the faster,
All that I want in all of this world is you.
Very Warm For May (1939). “All The Things You Are”. Original verse.
Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005). “All The Things You Are”. Original verse.
“All The Things You Are”: Harmonic Analysis
“All The Things You Are”: Real Book Lead Sheet
“All The Things You Are”: Key
“All The Things You Are”: Form
“All The Things You Are”: Diatonic Chords
“All The Things You Are”: Modulation
“All The Things You Are”: Secondary Dominant Chords
“All The Things You Are”: Modal Interchange
“All The Things You Are”: Diminished Chords
“All The Things You Are”: Chord-Scale relation
“All The Things You Are”: Harmonic Analysis
“All The Things You Are”: harmonic analysis included in the Jazz Harmony Workbook. Model
“All The Things You Are”: intro and coda
In the original composition of “All The Things You Are” the intro and coda are the same.
It´s easy to turn the beat around and play three eighth notes instead of one pickup note.
Chet Baker. “All The Things You Are”. Undefined intro and coda.
Serge Gainsbourg. “All The Things You Are”. Well defined intro and coda.
“All The Things You Are”: Play-A-Longs
Jamey Aebersold. Volumes: 43, 68, 55, 16, and 36. One track. No melody.
Hal Leonard. Volumes: 39, 75, 118, and 129. Two tracks. One of them with the melody.
“All The Things You Are”: Contrafacts
Jazz standards written with a new melody over the harmonic structure of “All The Things You Are”.
“Bird of Paradise”. (Charlie Parker) (1947).
“Prince Albert”. (Kenny Dorham) (1956).
“All The Things You Could Be By Now If Sigmund Freud’s Wife Was Your Mother”. (Charles Mingus) (1960).
“All The Things You Are”: more contrafacts
Lenny Tristano. “Ablution”.
Mal Waldron. “Anatomy”.
Dexter Gordon. “Boston Bernie”.
Dexter Gordon. “I Want More”.
Tadd Dameron. “Jahbero”.
Lee Konitz. “Thingin”.
“All The Things You Are”: Resources
Films and documentaries
Broadway Rhythm (1944).
Till the Clouds Roll By (1946). Biography of Jerome Kern.
Bibliography
William Zinsser. Easy to Remember: The Great American Songwriters and Their Songs for Broadway Shows and Hollywood (2000).
“All The Things You Are”: Versions
“So What” (Miles Davis): Analysis
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