Fly Me to the Moon — Chord Changes & Harmonic Analysis
- Composer:
- Bart Howard
- Year:
- 1954
- Key:
- C major
- Form:
- ABAB (32 bars)
- Style:
- Jazz Standard
- Tempo:
- 100–180 BPM
A timeless swing standard that beautifully demonstrates the circle of fourths motion through diatonic chords.
About This Standard
Composed by Bart Howard in 1954 (originally titled "In Other Words"), Fly Me to the Moon became an iconic jazz standard through Frank Sinatra's 1964 arrangement by Quincy Jones, which set it in a brisk swing feel. Its clean cycle-of-fifths harmonic movement and sing-able melody made it a staple of jazz singers and instrumentalists alike.
Notable recordings:
- Frank Sinatra — It Might as Well Be Swing (1964, arr. Quincy Jones)
- Tony Bennett — (various recordings)
- Joe Harnell — (1962 bossa nova version)
- Widely covered — (jazz standards repertoire)
Chord Changes
Notation
Section-by-Section Analysis
Summary
The A section establishes the circle of fourths pattern starting from Am7.
Harmonic Insight
This opening section moves through a complete cycle: Am7 → Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7 → Fmaj7, demonstrating the circle of fourths motion that defines the entire tune. The section concludes with a ii-V-i in A minor (Bm7b5 → E7 → Am7), creating a perfect loop back to the beginning.
Scale Guide
- Am7: A Dorian (A B C D E F# G)
- Dm7: D Dorian (D E F G A B C)
- G7: G Mixolydian (G A B C D E F)
- Cmaj7: C Ionian / C Major Scale
- Fmaj7: F Lydian (F G A B C D E)
- Bm7b5: B Locrian (B C D E F G A)
- E7: E Mixolydian b9 b13 or Harmonic Minor (E F# G# A B C D)
Practice Tips
- Practice the circle of fourths progression (Am-Dm-G-C-F) as a standalone exercise in all keys.
- Focus on voice leading: move chord tones stepwise between Am7 → Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7.
- The Bm7b5 → E7 → Am7 at the end is a classic ii-V-i in A minor—practice this cadence separately.
- Try playing the bass line descending by fourths: A → D → G → C → F → B → E → A.
Harmonic Analysis
Fly Me to the Moon is a 32-bar AABA standard in C major built almost entirely on a cycle of descending fifths (ii-V motion). The A section is a chain of ii-V-I progressions cycling through A minor, D minor, G7, and C major — a perfect textbook cycle of fifths in C. The bridge briefly moves to F major before returning. This predictable but satisfying harmonic motion makes it an ideal vehicle for practicing ii-V-I patterns in a musical context.