The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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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.

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

The song of the day for Friday, September 18, 2020, is “It Don’t Mean A Thing.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “It Don’t Mean a Thing” in 1931, lyrics are attributed to Irving Mills. 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 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” in 1999 for the album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The terrific arrangement is by Ralph Burns.

“It Don’t Mean A Thing,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from Apple Music.

I just got the vinyl LP of The Great Summit, which brought Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong together for the first time. I can’t get enough of their recording of this song, in large part because it includes the verse.

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

The song of the day for Monday, October 30, 2017 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 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 today’s song in 2014 for their album Cheek to Cheek. It was arranged by Marion Evans and features Joe Lovano on tenor sax and George Rabbi on trumpet.

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 · 2014.


“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.

I’m a big fan of this song and have few other favourite versions.

First up is Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington from The Great Summit, recorded in 1961. It’s rare chance to hear the verse of the song, which is really nice.

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 here’s the recording that started it all: The Duke Ellington Orchestra, with Ivie Anderson, from 1932:

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 · 2007.

Don’t forget to swing!

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Happy International Jazz Day!

Today, April 30, is International Jazz Day. You can read all about the jazz activities all over the world today, especially in this year’s host city, Istanbul (where Tony Bennett had a very successful concert last sumer), at the Official International Jazz Day website.

Here at the Year of Tony Bennett, our celebration is a bit smaller, but no less heartfelt. And, as we are honoring Duke Ellington this week, we’ve chosen three great recordings of Ellington’s It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Aint’ Got That Swing) for our readers and listeners. Why? Because it’s one of my favorite songs and I absolutely love all three of these recordings. And, they do exhibit not only a purity of the song, but also of the mores of their time in jazz. For this author, these three recordings are a mini-history of jazz.

Ellington wrote this song in 1931 during intermissions at club dates in Chicago. The song was first recorded in 1932, with vocals by Ivie Anderson and instrumental solos by Joe Nanton (trombone) and Johnny Hodges (alto sax). Here’s Ivie Anderson singing this song:

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

Listen to It Don"t Mean A Thing (If I Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Ivie Anderson · Song · 2001.

Tony Bennett has performed and recorded this song throughout his career; I am partial to this version from his 1999 album, Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Clayton Cameron on drums …

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.

And, to finish off this trio, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong from 1961 The Great Summit.

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.

Just remember: it really don’t mean a thing if ain’t got that swing.

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