"It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing"
Listening Guide
Embedded Files
Composer: Duke Ellington
Composition: It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
Date: 1931 (recorded 1932)
Genre: Big Band Jazz
Form: AABA
Nature of Text: an upbeat song celebrating swing music
Performing Forces: Early Big Band Instrumentation: Arthur Whetsel, Freddie Jenkins, Cootie Williams – trumpet; Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – woodwinds; Duke Ellington – piano, Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums; Ivie Anderson – vocals
What we want you to remember about this composition:
- The original song follows a standard AABA form, which is repeated over and over. Much like the blues, each time through the form is called a "chorus."
- Take a look at the words to the song below to follow along with the form.
- A It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing (doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah)
- A It don't mean a thing, all you got to do is sing (doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah)
- B It makes no difference if it's sweet or hot Just give that rhythm everything you've got
- A It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing (doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah)
Other things to listen for:
- In the A sections of the form, the brass players use standard toilet plungers on the bells of their horns to create a "wa, wa" sound
Timing
Timing
Performing Forces, Melody, and Texture
Performing Forces, Melody, and Texture
Upright bass and vocals.
Introduction Bluesy "scat singing" riff in vocals.
Trombone with rhythm section.
First "chorus" of AABA form Improvised solos alternating with original melody.
Full Band.
Second chorus of AABA form Main melody which includes a call and response between vocalist and horns.
Alto sax solo over horn backgrounds.
Interlude: Improvised solo.
Alto sax solo.
First two A sections of third Improvised solo.
Sax section.
B section of third chorus New melodic material written in a soloistic manner.
Alto sax solo over horn backgrounds.
Last A section of third chorus
Improvised solo.
Full Band (Shout Chorus).
First two A sections of fourth New melodic material written in a chorus soloistic manner.
Vocalist with rhythm section.
B section of fourth chorus Improvised "scat" solo.
Full Band.
Last A section of fourth chorus Main melody which includes a call and response between vocalist and horns.
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