"Footprints" is a jazz standard

Jazz standard

Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...

 composed by Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...

, first appearing on his 1966 album Adam's Apple

Adam's Apple (album)

-Track listing:# "Adam's Apple" – 6:52# "502 Blues "  – 6:36# "El Gaucho" – 6:32# "Footprints" – 7:31# "Teru" – 6:15# "Chief Crazy Horse" – 7:39...

.

Whilst in 6/4

Time signature

The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....

 metre

Metre (music)

Meter or metre is a term that music has inherited from the rhythmic element of poetry where it means the number of lines in a verse, the number of syllables in each line and the arrangement of those syllables as long or short, accented or unaccented...

, it is debatable whether it could be called a jazz waltz

Jazz waltz

A Jazz waltz is a waltz in jazz style, thus played in a syncopated 3/4, 6/4, or 6/8 time signature, occasionally also in 5/4. Frequently a feeling of swing is created in the accompaniment by anticipating the second beat or third beat by a quaver...

, since the feel could be divided into compound duple or simple triple time.

Harmonically, it takes the form of a 12-bar C minor

C minor

C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...

 blues, but this is heavily masked not only by its triple time signature but by its avant garde turnaround

Turnaround (music)

In jazz, a turnaround is a passage at the end of a section which leads to the next section. This next section is most often the repetition of the previous section or the entire piece or song...

 (series of chords

Chord (music)

A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...

 that return back to the main, or I chord). In the key of C minor, a normal turnaround would be Dm7(5), G7, Cm7. But Shorter doubles the harmonic rhythm

Harmonic rhythm

In music theory, harmonic rhythm, also known as harmonic tempo is the rate at which the chords change. According to Joseph Swain it "is simply that perception of rhythm that depends on changes in aspects of harmony." According to Walter Piston , "the rhythmic life contributed to music by means of...

 of the turnaround, and the progression

Chord progression

A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...

 reads: Fm75, F711, Eaug7(9), A7(9), Cm7.

The best-known recorded version is on the 1966 Miles Davis

Miles Davis

Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...

 album Miles Smiles

Miles Smiles

Miles Smiles received general acclaim from jazz critics upon its release, receiving praise for its original compositions, the quintet's chemistry and playing, and Davis's phrasing. CODA editor John Norris praised the quintet's "mastery of sensitive interaction" and wrote that they "must be one of...

.