Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpe… Read Full Bio ↴Roy David Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989) was a jazz trumpet player in the Swing era. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, resulted in him sometimes being seen as the link between Louis Armstrong-era swing music and Dizzy Gillespie-era bebop. Roy's rhythmic power to swing a band was a dynamic trademark of the Swing Era.

Eldridge was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His nickname was Little Jazz. Eldridge played in the bands of Fletcher Henderson, Gene Krupa and Artie Shaw before making records under his own name. He also played in Benny Goodman's and Count Basie's Orchestras, and co-led a band with Coleman Hawkins.

It Don
Roy Eldridge Lyrics

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It don't mean a thing
If it ain't got that swing
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
It don't mean a thing
All you got to do is sing
(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)

It makes no diff'rence
If it's sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm
Ev'rything you got
Oh, it don't mean a thing
If it ain't got that swing

(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Roy Eldridge's song Ain’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got That Swing) are fairly straightforward, but still require interpretation to fully understand. The song is primarily about the importance of swing music, which was a popular style of jazz in the 1920s and 1930s characterized by lively rhythms and upbeat melodies. The lyrics emphasize that a piece of music can be sweet or hot (referring to slow and fast styles of play), but if it lacks swing, it has no substance. The refrain, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing,” emphasizes this point and is repeated multiple times throughout the song.

The song’s lyrics may also suggest that swing music serves as a metaphor for life. Regardless of what one’s life path may be, the important thing is to give everything you’ve got to make it as exciting and engaging as possible. This theme is reflected in the line, “Just give that rhythm everything you’ve got.” Overall, the song is a celebration of the joy and energy that comes from swing music and encourages listeners to embrace it fully in their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

It don't mean a thing
The importance of something is lost

If it ain't got that swing
Unless it has rhythm, it's of no value

(doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah
Unimportant vocalizations meant to convey rhythm

Doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah)
Unimportant vocalizations meant to convey rhythm

All you got to do is sing
Singing is all that's needed for something to be worthwhile

It makes no diff'rence
The distinguishing factors are not important

If it's sweet or hot
Whether it's gentle or intense

Just give that rhythm
Make the rhythm the most important thing

Ev'rything you got
Use everything at your disposal

Oh, it don't mean a thing
Again, the importance of something is lost

If it ain't got that swing
Without rhythm, there's no value