Do you listen to music from your parents’ generation? What about music from your grandparents’ generation? What about music from your great-grandparents’ generation?

I was recently having a conversation with someone about the impermanence of music.

I am familiar with a lot of music from my parents’ generation but not so much with music from my grandparents’ generation.

A song from my grandparents’ generation that I really like is Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

I remember that we had a unit on Duke Ellington in middle school, and we sang the song as a class. 😉

If it wasn’t for music class, I don’t know if I would have heard this song! ☹

When I was looking for Duke’s song for this week’s post, I found an AMAZING version of the song where Ella Fitzgerald sings while Duke Ellington plays.

Lyrics:

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 don’t mean a thing, if it ain’t got that swing
Doo-ah, doo-ah
Don’t mean a thing, all you got to do is sing
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
Don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing
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, doo-ah
Don’t mean a thing

Pretty amazing, isn’t it? ❤ I would HATE to not have ever heard this song!

Ella Fitzgerald’s voice was INCREDIBLE, and Duke Ellington was IMMENSELY talented! ❤

Music is so AMAZING, and it makes me sad that a lot of music is only well-known for a couple generations.

Please share any songs from your parents’ generation or your grandparents’ generation that you really love and hope are never forgotten! ❤

Wishing you well! ❤