A Track That Danced Into Music History: "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sun Feb 6, 2022, 11:32 AM - Edit history (1)

Ninety years ago this month, Duke Ellington and his jazz orchestra made one of their most emblematic and memorable recordings, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).” The title became a catchphrase.

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A Track That Danced Into Music History
‘It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)’ became one of the most memorable recordings by Duke Ellington and his orchestra.

Duke Ellington - It don't mean a thing (1943)
12,343,257 views Jan 4, 2008

bretodeau
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Duke Ellington and his orchestra playing this awesome tune in 1943.

"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills, now accepted as a jazz standard. The music was written and arranged by Ellington in August 1931 during intermissions at Chicago's Lincoln Tavern and was first recorded by Ellington and his orchestra for Brunswick Records (Br 6265) on February 2, 1932. Ivie Anderson sang the vocal and trombonist Joe Nanton and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges played the instrumental solos. The title was based on the oft stated credo of Ellington's former trumpeter Bubber Miley, who was dying of tuberculosis. The song became famous, Ellington wrote, "as the expression of a sentiment which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time." Probably the first song to use the phrase "swing" in the title, it introduced the term into everyday language and presaged the Swing Era by three years. The Ellington band played the song continuously over the years and recorded it numerous times, most often with trumpeter Ray Nance as vocalist.

[hippywife]

1. I refrained from commenting before now

so I'd have time to read the article. This is some of my favorite music because it holds such memories from childhood of music always being on in my grandparent's home, and it was always still this era of jazz and big band. Also because of the absolute artistry it embodies.

I did learn a new word from the article, too: terpsichorean.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Thanks. I added a video from 1943.

The weekend edition of TWSJ. isn't cheap, but it's a good read.