Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Gone with the Wind" is a popular song with music by Allie Wrubel and lyrics by Herb Magidson, published in 1937. Though the title was inspired by Margaret Mitchell's famous 1936 novel, the song's lyrics bear no connection to the novel or its 1939 film adaptation, instead expressing the sorrow of lost love.

Set in E♭ major, the song features an elegant melodic line and lush harmonic progressions that have made it a beloved jazz standard. Typically performed at a relaxed ballad tempo, it provides a rich harmonic foundation built on smooth ii-V movements that invite creative improvisation, particularly on guitar and piano. The tune's romantic character and graceful chord changes make it an ideal vehicle for lyrical solo playing, rewarding musicians who favor melodic development and subtle harmonic exploration over pyrotechnics.

Horace Heidt and his Brigadiers' 1937 recording topped the charts and established the song as a popular hit. In the jazz world, Art Tatum and Ben Webster's collaboration on The Tatum Group Masterpieces, Volume Eight (1956) stands as a definitive interpretation. Wes Montgomery's guitar rendition has been praised as a masterclass in jazz solo architecture, demonstrating his trademark progression from single lines through octaves to block chords.