| Autumn Leaves was originally a 1945 French song titled, "Les Feuilles Mortes" (literally "The Dead Leaves"), with music by Hungarian-French composer Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. In 1949 American songwriter Johnny Mercer wrote English lyrics for the tune changing the original French title to "Autumn Leaves". The song is in AABC form. "Autumn Leaves" offers a popular way for beginning jazz musicians to become acquainted with jazz harmony as the chord progression consists almost solely of ii-V-I and ii-V sequences which are typical of jazz. It was originally, and is most commonly, performed in the key of G minor, but is also played in E minor and other keys. -- Wikipedia |
