It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

This is a 1931 jazz composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. It was released in 1932 by Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra. Ivie Anderson, who sang vocals with Duke's orchestra for many years, is the vocalist on this recording. It is a jazz standard that has been recorded by countless artists. 

List of over 600 covers on Secondhandsongs: https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/7816

Some notable covers:

• The Mills Brothers and also the Boswell Sisters in 1932
• Django Rheinhardt & Stephen Grappelli in 1935
• Rosemary Clooney in 1956 (with the Duke Ellington Orchestra)
• Louis Armstrong in a collaboration with Duke in 1961
• Nina Simone in 1962 from her Sings Ellington album
• Ella Fitzgerald in a collaboration album with Duke in 1967
• Anita O'Day in 1978
• Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga for their 2014 Cheek to Cheek album

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)
It don't mean a thing all you got to do is sing
(doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah...)
It makes no difference
If it's sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Everything you've got!

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)
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)
It makes no difference
If it's sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Everything you've got
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)

It makes no difference
If it's sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Everything you've got
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing
It don't mean a thing all you got to do is sing
(doo-ah)
It makes no difference
If it's sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Everything you've got
Don't mean a thing all you've gotta do is swing
It don't mean a thing all you've gotta do is sing
It makes no difference
If it's sweet or hot
Give that rhythm
Everything you've got
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing
(doo-ah, dooooo-aaaaah)
Don't mean a thing

- lyrics by Irving Mills, music by Duke Ellington (c) 1928. All rights reserved.