Origin:

Debuted in the 1942  film Ride ‘Em Cowboy.

Style:

Typically played either straight or swing, or a a combination of the two.

Form:

A-B-A (48 Bars) [16-16-16]

Arrangements:

The first 8 bars of the A sections are often played in a Latin feel with the remainder of the tune swung.

Key:

Most commonly played in G Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The  A sections begin with modal interchange, moving from 4 bars of the tonic Major to 4 bars of the tonic minor. The bridge takes place up a minor 3rd from the original key center and finishes with a quick II-V of  VIMaj7 before returning back to the tonic.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 400 times to date. Woody Herman was the first to record it in 1941, and Dick Foran would record it the following  year for the theatrical release in the film Ride 'Em Cowboy. It has become a very popular standard in the jazz cannon with recordings and performances spanning across many generations.

JGC Top Picks:

Cannonball Adderley, Sophisticated Swing, 1957

Sonny Stitt & Oscar Peterson, Sonny Stitt Sits In With The Oscar Peterson Trio, 1959

Cedar Walton, A Night At Boomers Vol. 2, 1973