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.

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

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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) — Piano Accompaniment Track

6 people have learned this song

Free piano accompaniment for "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington. Sing along or play your instrument over the backing piano. Toggle the vocal melody on/off, change key to fit your voice, adjust tempo. Key of Bb, 160 BPM.

Tip: Press play and sing the melody on top of the piano. If the original key (Bb) 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)”

How do the bar-notation visuals help sing "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" with this backing?
Each chord change drops as a colored bar across the staff, scrolling in real time so you can see exactly when the harmony shifts. Helpful for hitting entrances and judging when to breathe — especially on phrases that don't begin on beat 1 of "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)".
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 Bb 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.
How do I use "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" as a backing track?
Just press play — the piano accompaniment runs from start to end, no vocals. Sing, hum, or play your own instrument over it. Use the mic icon to add a vocal melody as a pitch reference, and the speed control if you want a slower practice tempo.
Can I change the key of "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" to fit my voice?
Yes — the original is in Bb, but the player has a live transpose control so you can shift up or down semitones until the melody sits in your vocal range. The piano accompaniment moves with the new key automatically.

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