Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Sunday" is a 1926 Tin Pan Alley standard with music by Chester Conn and lyrics by Jule Styne, Ned Miller, and Bennie Krueger. The song tells of a lovesick narrator who spends the entire week feeling blue, dreaming of the one day — Sunday — spent with a sweetheart.

Cast in a 32-bar AABA form, the tune is most commonly played in Eb or F major. The A sections feature a largely diatonic melody enlivened by tasteful diminished passing chords and secondary dominants that add harmonic interest without overcomplicating the changes. The bridge moves into the subdominant area, providing a satisfying contrast before returning to the A theme. At a medium swing tempo, the tune's cheerful, uncomplicated charm makes it an inviting vehicle for relaxed improvisation.

Among the best-known recordings is Frank Sinatra's version on his 1954 album Swing Easy!, which captures the song's breezy optimism. Jazz fans should also seek out the duo recording by Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson, a beautifully intimate session that showcases the warm interplay between tenor saxophone and piano.