Origin:

Introduced in Lew Leslie’s International Revue.

Style:

Swing, typically played at a slow-medium tempo.

Form:

A-A-B-A (32 Bars) [8-8-8-8]

Verse:

A-B (16 Bars) [8-8]

Rarely played. It can be heard on the original 1930 recording from Harry Richman.

Key:

Most commonly played in C Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The song is very functional and similar to many other leading standards of its day. The initial move in the A sections of I - III7 immediately gives the song an old-timey/nostalgic feel, reminiscent of other  compositions such as “All of Me” or “Basin St. Blues”. Although the 4th bar of the A sections is usually played with a V7 followed by bVIdim7,  it can easily be simplified to a V7 or IImi7b5 - V7 of VImi instead. The  bridge is also very conventional, consisting of II-V to IVMaj7 before a II-V of V resolves deceptively to a II - V that leads back to the  tonic.

Recordings:

The song has been recorded over 440 times to date. The first recording comes from Ted Lewis and his band in 1930. Although it did not manage to  make it in the repertoire of musicians such as Thelonious Monk and Bud  Powell, it was still recorded by many leading artists of the era.

JGC Top Picks:

Louis Armstrong, 1934

Sidney Bechet, 1949

Dizzy Gillespie/Sonny Stitt/Sonny Rollins, Sonny Side Up, 1957