The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: She’s Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)

The song of the day for Sunday, April 3, 2022, is “She’s Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good).”

About This Song

“She’s Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)” was written in 1941 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. This song’s actual title is “I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good). It was written for Ivie Anderson, who sang it in a revue called Jump For Joy. Anderson also recorded the song in 1941 with saxophonist Johnny Hodges which was well-received. The song has been widely recorded.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “She’s Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good)” in 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“She’s Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Ivie Anderson original version with Ellington.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 2, 2022, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing”

About This Song

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing” was written in 1931 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills. This song 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 and Lady Gaga recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing” for their 2014 album Cheek To Cheek. Marion Evans wrote the very fine arrangement.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing,” as well as Cheek To Cheek is available on Apple Music.

We’ve also got the Ivie Anderson vocal with Duke Ellington. It’s hot and it swings!

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

The song of the day for Tuesday, April 27, 2021, is “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in 1931, with lyrics by Irving Mills. This song 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 recorded this version of “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in 1999 for his album dedicated to Duke Ellington, Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, which was released in the centenary year of Ellington’s birth. Ralph Burns wrote the very swinging arrangement.

It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.

“It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

There are a lot of fantastic recordings of this song; I’ve narrowed it down to three.

First is Ellington’s original recording, featuring Ivie Anderson on vocals:

It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Duke Ellington · Song · 2018.

Next is Louis Armstrong and Ellington, who got together for The Great Summit in 1961. I love this recording because of Armstrong singing the verse.

It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster

Listen to It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster on Spotify. Louis Armstrong · Song · 2001.

And finally, I just discovered this video of Ella Fitzgerald yesterday and it’s just great!

Ella Fitzgerald - It Don"t Mean a thing (If it ain"t got that swing) [1974]

Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass and others performing this Duke Ellington"s and Irving Mills" song in London, in 1974. This live date was recorded at Ronnie Scott"s Jazz Club in Soho. Note the fun she makes in the beginning of the song and also while singing it. Ella was and still is majestic.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing

The song of the day for Monday, February 1, 2021, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

Written in 1931, “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. Irving Mills wrote the lyrics. 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 recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in 1999 for the album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Ralph Burns, who Bennett first started working with Bennett 40 years earlier, wrote the arrangement. And yes, it sure does swing.

It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

The first recording, by Ellington with Ivie Anderson on vocals, is terrific:

It Don"t Mean A Thing

Listen to It Don"t Mean A Thing on Spotify. Ivie Anderson · Song · 2007.

I also love this recording by Ellington and Louis Armstrong, recorded at the Great Summit in 1961. It’s one of the few recordings where the verse is sung:

It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster

Listen to It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster on Spotify. Louis Armstrong · Song · 2000.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing

The song of the day for Saturday, October 31, 2020, 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; the lyrics are by Irving Mills. This song 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 Lady Gaga, and
Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” for his album of Duke Ellington songs, Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, released in 1999 (the centennial anniversary of Ellington’s birth). The arrangement is by Ralph Burns, who worked first with Bennett in 1959 for Hometown, My Town. It features great guitar from Gray Sargent and great drumming from Clayton Cameron. It does swing!

It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1999.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

There two other versions of this song that I just love, so I’m adding them to today’s post.

First, is the original Ellington recording in 1931 with Ivie Anderson on vocals:

It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Duke Ellington · Song · 2000.

Next, is Ellington and Louis Armstrong from The Great Summitt, recorded in 1961. This recorded also has the verse, which you almost never hear.

It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster

Listen to It Don"t Mean a Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) - 1990 Remaster on Spotify. Louis Armstrong · Song · 2001.

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites