The song of the day for Saturday, August 20, 2016 is “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”
About This Song
Written in 1931 by Duke Ellington, “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett and Thelonious Monk.
About This Version
Tony Bennett has recorded this song several times. I’ve chosen his 1999 version for Bennett’s tribute album to Duke Ellington: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool.
“It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Duke Ellington: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.
About Today
Our video today is Bennett’s performance of “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got T” from his 1994 MTV Unplugged concert. Featured are Ralph Sharon, Carlton Cameron on drums and Doug Richeson on bass.
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