THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

370-Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra-It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing.)

1932-It has never charted in the UK. There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 2.43. ‘For there’s Basie, Miller, Satchmo, and the king of all, Sir Duke.’

It is likely that this song was the first to use the term ‘Swing,’ and therefore the song is responsible for naming the genre of music that was to become known as ‘Swing Music.’

Duke Ellington (see also best songs 1039) was born Edward Kennedy Ellington on April 29th, 1899, in Washington D.C. United States, he died from complications from lung cancer, and pneumonia on May 24th, 1974, at the age of 75. Ellington’s mother Daisy sent him to piano lessons at the age of seven, she would teach him good manners, and always make sure that he was immaculately turned out, which led to his friend Edgar McEntree nicknaming him ‘Duke.’ Ellington was a prolific writer, and wrote well over 1000 songs. The American composer and historian Gunther Schuller (1925-2015) wrote in 1989, ‘Ellington composed incessantly to the very last days of his life, music was indeed his mistress. In Jazz he was a giant among giants, and in 20th Century music he may yet one day be recognised as one of the half dozen greatest masters of our time.’ Duke Ellington has many awards and honours, including a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame,’ for his contribution to the recording industry, which he received in 1960. In 1966 he received a ‘Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,’ and in 1973, the ‘Legion of Honour’ by France, which is that countries highest civilian honour. In 1999 he was given a posthumous ‘Special Pulitzer Prize,’ for his lifetime contributions to music and culture.

The discography of Duke Ellington includes 61 studio Albums released between 1947-1974, there are also a further 10 studio Albums issued posthumously between 1974-2004. Duke Ellington has also had issued, 36 official compilation Albums, and 17 live Albums. I cannot find an exact listing of all the numerous ’78’s,’ and ‘7 inch’ singles released by Duke Ellington, but 81 of his songs released in either of those formats have been hits either in America on Billboard, or on the UK chart between 1927-1954. In America on Billboard, three of his singles have reached the Number 1 position, while ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing’) peaked at Number 6. In the UK, his only charting single is ‘Skin Deep,’ which made Number 7 in 1954.

‘It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing’) was written in 1931 by Duke Ellington, with the lyrics by Irving Mills, (1894-1985) the unaccredited vocals on the track are provided by Ivie Anderson, (1904-1949.) Due to touring commitments the song wasn’t first recorded by Ellington and his orchestra for ‘Brunswick Records’ until February 2nd, 1932. Ivie Anderson, (sometimes Ivy) was born on July 10th, 1905, in Gilroy, California, Los Angeles, United States, she was a charismatic performer, who was a mainstay of the ‘Duke Ellington Orchestra’ between 1931-1942. She had to leave the music business due to chronic asthma, which also caused her premature death, on December 28th, 1949, at the age of 45. Ivie Anderson would often receive prominent billing on advertisements for Duke Ellington’s appearances in theatres, auditoriums, arenas, and ballrooms, wherever the Ellington band toured in the 1930’s. When she performed in Duke Ellington’s musical ‘Jump for Joy’ in 1941, the Los Angeles newspaper the ‘California Eagle’ that was for African/Americans wrote of her: ‘Ivie can sing a song so that the audience get every word, and at the same time make cracks at Sonny Greer, tease Duke, and wink at the boys in the front row. Wednesday night she went into a dance routine that would have slayed you.’

Irving Harold Mills (see also best songs 303) was born Isadore Minsky, on January 18th, 1894, in Odessa, Russian Empire, he died on April 21st, 1985, at the age of 91. Irving Mills was a music publisher, musician, lyricist, and Jazz promoter. He often used the pseudonyms ‘Goody Goodwin,’ and ‘Joe Primrose.’ In 1919 Irving’s older brother Jack Mills (1891-1979) founded ‘Jack Mills Music,’ which Irving soon joined, the company was renamed ‘Mills Music, Inc.’ in 1928. After many transactions over the years ‘The Mills Music’ catalogue is now managed by ‘Sony Music Publishing,’ which acquired ‘EMI Music Publishing’ in 2012. Irving Mills discovered a number of songwriters, including Hoagy Carmichael, (1899-1981) (see also best songs 288 and 185) and Dorothy Fields (1904-1974.) He is also notable for starting or advancing the careers of Cab Calloway, (1907-1994) (see also best songs 303) Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, (1909-1986) and many others. Irving Mills first saw Duke Ellington perform in 1925 at a small club between 7th Avenue and Broadway. Mills signed Ellington the next day, which led to numerous recordings between 1926-1939. At a time of segregation, Irving Mills was one of the first to record black and white musicians together, using 12 white musicians and the Duke Ellington Orchestra to record in 1928. ‘Victor Records’ initially hesitated to release the recordings, but when Mills threatened to take his artists off their roster, he won out.

‘It makes no difference if it’s sweet or hot. Just give that rhythm everything you’ve got. Doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo-ah, doo,ah.’