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

[1] In 2008, Ellington's 1932 recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

[2] The music was composed and arranged by Ellington in August 1931 during intermissions at the Lincoln Tavern in Chicago;[3] the lyrics were contributed by Irving Mills.

According to Ellington, the song's title was the credo of trumpeter Bubber Miley,[4] who was dying of tuberculosis at the time;[5] Miley died the year the song was released.

[7] Ivie Anderson sang the vocal and trombonist Joe Nanton and alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges played the solos.

The song became famous, Ellington wrote, "as the expression of a sentiment which prevailed among jazz musicians at the time".