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

by Duke Ellington
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Looking to play this yourself? Try the standard piano arrangement of “It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
Two-handed piano arrangement — color-coded notes, lead sheet, sheet music. Learn it yourself.

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Also available as a standard piano arrangement
Lyrics

What good is (Eb7)mel o dy,

what good is (E)mus (Eb7)ic, if it ain’t pos (E)ses in’ (Eb7)some (Daug7)thing (Gm)sweet,

it ain’t the (Eb7)mel o (D7)dy,

it ain’t the (E)mus (Eb7)ic,

there’s some thing (E)else that (Eb7)makes the (A7)tune (Eb7)com (D7)plete.

It (Gm)don’t mean a thing, if it (Eb7)ain’t (D7)got that swing,

(doo wah, doo wah, (C)doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo (Bb6)wah.) (Daug7)It (Gm)don’t mean a (E)thing, all you (Daug7)got to (Db7)do is (C7)sing,

(doo wah, doo wah, (C)doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, do wah, do wah, doo (Bb6)wah).

(F#dim7)It (Bb7)makes no diff ’rence if it’s sweet or (Eb)hot,

(F#dim7)just (C7)give that (F#dim7)rhy thm (C7)ev ’ry thing you (F7)got.

(G7)Oh, (Daug7)it (Gm)don’t mean a thing, if it (Eb7)ain’t (D7)got that swing,

(doo wah, do wah, (C)do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, doo wah, doo (Bb6)wah).

(Daug7)It (Gm)don’t mean a thing, if it (Eb7)ain’t (D7)got that swing,

(doo wah, doo wah, (C)doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, doo (Bb6)wah.) (Daug7)It (Gm)don’t mean a (E)thing, all you (Daug7)got to (Db7)do is (C7)sing,

(doo wah, doo wah, (C)doo wah, doo wah, doo wah, do wah, do wah, doo (Bb6)wah).

(F#dim7)It (Bb7)makes no diff ’rence if it’s sweet or (Eb)hot,

(F#dim7)just (C7)give that (F#dim7)rhy thm (C7)ev ’ry thing you (F7)got.

(G7)Oh, (Daug7)it (Gm)don’t mean a thing, if it (Eb7)ain’t (D7)got that swing,

(doo wah, do wah, (C)do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, doo wah, doo (Bb6)wah).

(Daug7)It (Bb6)wah).

It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) — Accompaniment Sheet Music (Classic Notation)

Classic piano notation for "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington as an accompaniment / backing track. Both hands engraved at publisher quality in Eb — sing or play melody on top while the score follows along at 160 BPM. Click any note to jump there.

Tip: Press play and sing the melody on top of the piano. If the original key (Eb) sits too high or low for your voice, use the transpose control to shift the accompaniment into a comfortable range — the backing moves with you. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the vocal melody in.

Try other practice modes:

About “It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Is the engraved accompaniment score for "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" suitable for a pianist?
Yes — both hands are notated in classic piano notation (treble + bass clefs, key Eb, real chord symbols), engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML. A staff pianist or accompanist can read this directly from the screen or printed PDF and play the backing while you sing the melody.
What key is the piano accompaniment for "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington in?
The backing track is in Eb at 160 BPM. If that doesn't sit in your vocal range, use the live transpose control to shift up or down semitones — the accompaniment moves with the new key automatically.
Can I sing over "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" with this accompaniment?
Yes — that's exactly what it's built for. The vocal melody is muted by default so you can sing freely. Need a pitch reference? Tap the mic icon to bring the melody back in at a lower volume.
Is this a karaoke version of "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"?
Effectively yes — it's the piano-only backing for "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)", with no vocals. You can also slow it down to practice tricky verses, then bring it back to full tempo.
Can I use "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" as a backing track for my instrument?
Absolutely. Singers, guitarists, violinists, wind players, and instrumental practice in general all work — the piano holds the harmony so you can carry the melody on whatever instrument you play.
Can I download the accompaniment for "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"?
Yes — registered users can download MIDI + MusicXML (open in any notation software). PDF sheet music is also available for the full arrangement.
Who wrote "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"?
"It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" was originally performed by Duke Ellington. This piano accompaniment is an arrangement of that song, designed for sing-along and play-along use.
What is this accompaniment Sheet Music view?
Same engraver-grade rendering as the standard Sheet Music mode — both hands, classic piano notation, key of Eb, real chord symbols — but the audio is the karaoke / backing-track arrangement of "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" with the lead melody removed. Perfect for singers, lead instruments, and ensemble practice.
Can I sing or play melody while the score follows along?
Yes. The backing track removes the melody so you can sing or play it on top while the chord changes and rhythm guide you. The engraved score scrolls in time with the audio so you never lose your place.
Is this the same notation a piano book would show?
Yes — treble + bass clefs, key signature, time signature, beams, dynamics, and chord symbols above the staff, all rendered from the original publisher MusicXML. Identical reading experience to a printed piano accompaniment book.

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