Everything Happens to Me — Chord Changes & Harmonic Analysis
- Composer:
- Matt Dennis
- Year:
- 1940
- Key:
- Eb major
- Form:
- AABA (32 bars)
- Style:
- Ballad
- Tempo:
- 60–100 BPM
A melancholic ballad made famous by Frank Sinatra. Features smooth voice leading and romantic harmonic progressions.
About This Standard
Composed by Matt Dennis with lyrics by Tom Adair in 1940, Everything Happens to Me became associated with Frank Sinatra's early recordings with Tommy Dorsey. The song's self-deprecating lyric and wistful harmonic language — which includes some surprisingly sophisticated chromatic movement for a popular song — gave it lasting appeal in the jazz ballad repertoire.
Notable recordings:
- Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey — (1941 recording)
- Chet Baker — (various recordings)
- Bill Evans — (various recordings)
Chord Changes
Notation
Harmonic Analysis
Everything Happens to Me is a 32-bar AABA ballad in Bb major with a chromatically rich harmonic language unusual for a popular song of its era. The A section features a chain of ii-V progressions that pass through related and chromatic key areas — the chords don't simply stay in Bb but venture to G major and other areas via smooth voice leading. The bridge provides contrast before the final A resolves home. This harmonic sophistication makes it a rewarding vehicle for exploring chord substitutions.