Style:

Swing, usually played at an easy-going medium tempo.

Form:

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

Verse:

12 Bars

Very rarely included in performances, Bing Crosby's 1931 rendition features it.

Arrangements:

The final melodic phrase of the form is often used as a tag ending to finish performances.

Key:

Most commonly played in C Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The harmony of this composition is altogether functional. The A sections begin with a repeated II - V of IV, which at first gives the impression that this is the key in which the song takes place. A V7 of bVII (IV7 of  the original key) is then used to resolve to bVIIMaj7 which is briefly  tonicized. It is then followed by its IV7 (bIII7 of the actual key)  before a IMaj7 - V7 - IMaj7 concludes the section. The B section  revolves primarily around "back-door II-V's", starting with a II - V of  bVII to resolve back to the tonic. After this is repeated the same  device is then used to resolve to bIIIMaj7. A chromatic II - V from above is then used to finish the section.

Recordings:

This song has been recorded over 300 times to date. It was first recorded by Gus Arnheim and His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra in 1931. Many leading dance bands of the day also recorded the tune around the same time from  the likes of Russ Columbo, Ben Bernie, Sam Lanin, and Bing Crosby to name a few. The harmonic structure of the piece proved to be very popular as a vehicle for improvisation amongst jazz musicians and it  began to enter the repertoire of players such as Art Tatum, Benny Goodman, Dexter Gordon, and Thelonious Monk to name a few.

JGC Top Picks:

Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall, 1957

Bill Evans, Explorations, 1961

Elvin Jones & McCoy Tyner, Love & Peace, 1982