Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Genre
  
jazz

Writer(s)
  
Sam Coslow

"(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" is a song written by Sam Coslow that is strongly associated with Ella Fitzgerald.

It was first recorded by Fitzgerald on 29 October 1936 and became a firm fixture of her live performances, providing a springboard for her scat singing.

On the 2007 tribute album We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song recorded to mark Fitzgerald's 90th birthday, it was performed by Chaka Kahn and Natalie Cole, and Cole and Patti Austin performed the song at the tribute concert to Fitzgerald on June 6, 2007. At the London concert in December celebrating Fitzgerald, it was performed by Ian Shaw and Claire Martin.

Notable recordings

  • Ella Fitzgerald – Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Vol. 1 (2003), Ella in Hollywood (1961), Ella in Budapest, Hungary (1970)
  • Dee Dee Bridgewater – Dear Ella (1997)
  • Chaka Kahn and Natalie Cole – We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song (2007)
  • Nikki Yanofsky – "Nikki" (2010)
  • Celine Dion – Celine Live in Las Vegas residency 2011 – 2015
  • References

    (If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini) Wikipedia