The song of the day for Monday, April 29, 2024, is “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.”

About Today

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born 125 years ago today on April 29, 1989, in Washington D.C. He was a jazz pianist, composer, and orchestra leader from 1923 until his death from lung cancer on May 24, 1971. He wrote over 1500 compositions and thousands of recordings. You can read more about Duke Ellington at his website dukellington.com. On this website he is remembered

It is not just the sheer enormity of his creative output that makes it so enduring, but its emotional depth. During tours of France in the 1930s, a critic wrote that Duke’s music “reveals the very secret of the cosmos;” a poet wrote that “such music is not only a new art form but a new reason for living.” It sounds as fresh today as it ever did, and worthy of a lifetime of study.

About This Song

“Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” was written by Duke Ellington and Bob Russell in 1940. As with most Ellington songs, the tune was written first and the lyrics added later. Also, as with most Ellington songs, it became a favorite song of both instrumental and vocal musicians. Ellington recorded the song in 1944 and it was a hit on both the R&B and Popular charts. Other recordings include those by Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis, Jr., Anita O’Day, and Nina Simone.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, which was released to coincide with the centennial celebration of his birth. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Ellington’s 1944 recording of “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.”