1932 Duke Ellington - It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

From: The Only Big Band CD You'll Ever Need; Year: 1999 (1932); Genre: Jazz

I'm choosing another where my pick number coincides with the date when a song was released. This jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills was one of the songs to dominate the charts in the year 1932. While it's not technically "Swing Jazz" it was one of, if not the first song to coin the term "Swing" and contains many of the elements that would create the jazz sub-genre that reined supreme throughout the mid 1930s-1940s.
It has been recorded a multitude of times by many artists, but my favourite version by far is the one that features Louis Armstrong along with Duke Ellington.

Hear It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) on YouTube.
Hear a version of the song featuring the incomparable Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong on YouTube. - Does it really get any better?



My song pick a year ago today: Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to Love

My song pick two years ago today: John Denver - In My Life

My song pick three years ago today: The Charlie Daniels Band - Legend of Wooley Swamp

My song pick four years ago today: The Doors - Strange Days

My song pick five years ago today: Argent - Hold Your Head Up