Django Reinhardt – After Youve Gone – Verse
After Youve Gone < All Analyses
Chord Progression
C, Cm, G, E, E7, Am, D7, G, G7, C, Cm, G, E, E7, Am, AmMaj7, Am7, D7, G, B7/F#, E7, C7, G, D7, G, G7
Chord Progression Analysis
Here’s the chord progression with full chord names and roman numerals:
C (I) – Cm (i) – G (V) – E (III) – E7 (III7) – Am (ii) – D7 (V7/V) – G (V) – G7 (V7) – C (IV) – Cm (iv) – G (I) – E (III) – E7 (III7) – Am (ii) – AmMaj7 (iiMaj7) – Am7 (ii7) – D7 (V7/V) – G (V) – B7/F# (V7/III) – E7 (III7) – C7 (IV7) – G (I) – D7 (V7) – G (I) – G7 (V7)
Borrowed Chords:
Cm (iv)
Similar Chord Progressions
1. “All Of Me” by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons
C (I) – E7 (III7) – A7 (VI7) – Dm (ii) – E7 (III7) – Am (vi) – D7 (V7/V) – G7 (V7)
2. “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh
G (I) – B7 (V7/VI) – Em (vi) – A7 (V7/V) – D (V) – A7 (V7/V) – D7 (IIIm7) – G (I)
These two songs also feature secondary dominants, borrowed chords, and classic jazz harmony.
Musical Analysis
The verse begins with a quick major to minor shift (C to Cm), creating a brief moment of modal mixture. The progression then moves to the G major, a V chord in this key. The E major chord, although not diatonic to G major, acts as a chromatic passing chord between G and E7, which serves as a secondary dominant chord of the following Am.
The progression continues with a standard ii7 – V7 – I cadence in G (Am7 – D7 – G) and a V7 chord, G7, preceding the C major chord. We then see another quick major to minor shift (C to Cm) and a return to the overall tonal center of G major. The Am – AmMaj7 – Am7 sequence adds some chromatic voice leading before leading to D7, a secondary dominant, and resolving back to G.
Next, we find a cycle of secondary dominants (B7/F# – E7 – C7) that creates tension and finally resolves back to the key of G. The verse ends with a simple V7 – I cadence in G major (D7 – G) and a V7 chord (G7) that sets up the next section of the song.
Overall Analysis
“After You’ve Gone” is a jazz standard composed by Django Reinhardt. The verse progression of the song uses a combination of major, minor and dominant chords with some borrowed chords and secondary dominants, which is a hallmark of early jazz and swing music. The harmonic rhythm is mainly at a pace of one or two chords per bar, with occasional faster changes. The piece has a strong sense of tonal center around the key of G major.
Style Analysis
The style of “After You’ve Gone” can be characterized as early jazz or swing music. The use of borrowed chords, secondary dominants and the distinct major to minor shifts in the piece are all common features of this era’s music. The harmonic rhythm and chromatic voice leading add to the sense of classic jazz harmony prominent in the 1930s and 1940s.
What are the chords in: Django Reinhardt – After Youve Gone – Verse?
C, Cm, G, E, E7, Am, D7, G, G7, C, Cm, G, E, E7, Am, AmMaj7, Am7, D7, G, B7/F#, E7, C7, G, D7, G, G7
