The song of the day for Friday, January 6, 2023, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” was written by Duke Ellington in 1931. It 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 listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett, and Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sings “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” featuring his drummer Clayton Cameron live on April 12, 1994, for MTV Unplugged.

Here’s the original recording by Duke Ellington and Ivie Anderson from 1932.