Autumn Leaves | Chords + Lyrics
Verse
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
The falling leaves drift by my window.
| F#m7b5 | B7 | Em | Em |
The autumn leaves, of red and gold.
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
I see your lips, the summer kisses.
| F#m7b5 | B7 | Em | Em |
The sunburned hands, I used to hold.
Bridge
| F#m7b5 | B7b13 | Em6 | Em6 |
Since you went away, the days grow long.
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
And soon I’ll hear, old winter’s song.
| F#m7b5 | B7b13 | Em7 Eb7 | Dm7 C#7#5 |
But I miss you most of all, my darling.
| F#m7b5 | B7b13 | Em6 | Em6 |
When autumn leaves start to fall.
Autumn Leaves chords in the Real Book vs iReal Pro
These days, the iReal Pro app has replaced the old Real Book. Here you can digitally change the key to whatever you like. Any jazz tutor worth listening to would say you should play this classic in all 12 keys as a vital part of your jazz diet.
If you are unsure where to start when it comes to improvising over this chord progression, a great first goal is to focus on entering each chord on the 3rd or the 7th.
However, don’t do this unless you can play the melody in all five positions first!
Here it is in the key of Bb, a great key for sax players. Notice how the chord extensions are slightly different.
||: Cm7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 |
| Am7b5 | D7b13 | Gm6 | Gm6 :||
| Am7b5 | D7b13 | Gm6 | Gm6 |
| Cm7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 |
| Am7b5 | D7b13 | Gm7 Gb7 | Fm7 E7#5 |
| Am7b5 | D7b13 | Gm6 | Gm6 |
Is Autumn Leaves the ultimate jazz standard?
The lyrics for Autumn Leaves vary depending on what artist you refer to. Nat King Cole, Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra, Eva Cassidy, the list goes on and on, and is probably as long as the list of recorded jazz singers.
Above are the basic lyrics, paired with the chords from the key of G. Feel free to come up with variations, and don’t forget to practice in all 12 keys!
Autumn Leaves has become such a popular standard that there is not just one recorded version to reference.
Instead, musicians tend to go by charts that have been listed in various places and then develop the song from them.
Most famously, the chords for Autumn Leaves have been listed in the under-the-counter legendary Real Book as if in the key of G and go as follows.
||: Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
| F#m7b5 | B7 | Em | Em :||
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em | Em |
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Gmaj7 |
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em7 Eb7 | Dm7 Db7 |
| Cmaj7 | B7b9 | Em | Em |
Autumn Leaves chords | Related pages
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