Jazz/Compositions

Jazz > Compositions

Purpose of this page

The purpose of this page is to maintain a list of compositions (or so-called standards) that have been played many times, and that present either numerous spelling variants, or some specific capitalization difficulty (possibly related to a GuessCase quirk).

Unless artist intent comes into play (in a few rare cases), jazz track titles should be harmonized according to the composition title variants that have been chosen.

By "chosen", we mean the following:

• a proposed composition title first enters this page in the "To be discussed list"
• after it is discussed, eventually changed and approved by both jazz oriented moderators and native english speakers concerned by style and spelling, it enters the main list

The purpose of this page is not to list each and every jazz tune, but should be kept to a reasonable size, and mention only compositions that meet the criteria (more than 20 occurences, and a specific difficulty and/or known multiple variants).

This page should be pointed at in moderation notes, and serves as a reasonably valid authority to justify a track title change, saving time and efforts for both moderators and voters.

This page may also be used as an "editing suggestions source" for editors with too much free time. (that's me - joan)

Words of warning

• ASCAP site and search engine are crap. Though they are supposed to be an authority, duplicates, wrong data and failed search are the rule. Use it, but use it with salt and gloves.
• Of course, you shouldn't be a fool :) - when harmonizing titles, don't correct track titles if you're not 100% positive that the artist played the composition you're working on...
• The track title search actually returns a maximum of 100 results, which prevents us from checking some of the compositions correctly...

How to determine and propose a composition title?

• Gather known variants of the composition
• Check ASCAP and BMI for your composition (be sure you have the one you're looking for, and note the composer(s) name). Be aware though that ASCAP doesn't store punctuation.
• Determine which variant you'll propose for approval using the following rules:
  • Try to favor ASCAP main entry but...
  • Always check what serious/dedicated discographic resources have to say (be they online disco site, or liner notes from recent/complete editions as their documentation are often much better than old releases)
  • If the title has a known/widely-used longer variant than the ASCAP main entry (see: "be anything"), use the main ASCAP entry, and complete it with the remaining part enclosed into parenthesis, following usual capitalization guidelines
  • for abbreviated words (Rockin), favor the variants with a single quote (Rockin')
  • for quoted words or letters ("C" Jam Blues), favor double quotes

• Propose your variant in the list, using a syntax similar to the example
• Wait for discussion, proposed changes, approval
• Rejoice! And go harmonize all the occurences of your title!

Compositions list (approved, collapsed list)

• Take the "A" Train: reported consistent -- joan (452 entries) 10:18, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
• Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me: reported consistent -- joan (216 entries) 16:34, 16 September 2006 (UTC)
• 'Round Midnight
• Bei mir bist Du schön
• Ain't Misbehavin': reported consistent -- joan 16:34, 16 September 2006 (UTC)
• "C" Jam Blues
• Manoir de mes rêves: reported consistent -- joan 16:34, 16 September 2006 (UTC)
• I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good): reported consistent -- joan -- dmppanda 08:03, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
• Stompin' at the Savoy: reported consistent -- joan 16:34, 16 September 2006 (UTC)
• A-Tisket, A-Tasket
• Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin': reported consistent -- joan 16:34, 16 September 2006 (UTC)
• Oh, Lady Be Good
• One O'Clock Jump
• What a Difference a Day Makes: reported consistent -- joan 08:03, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
• I Hadn't Anyone Till You
• 'S Wonderful
• Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
• Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
• 'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)
• Lover, Come Back to Me: reported consistent -- joan 08:03, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
• Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (and Dream Your Troubles Away)

!! New !!

• It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got that Swing)
• I Loves You, Porgy
• Bags' Groove
• I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
• Blue Rondo a la Turk
• Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby?

Compositions list (approved, with details)

Note that an "unknown" clean-up status doesn't mean it hasn't been already cleaned, but just that the stupid editor can't remember if he worked on it or not...

• Take the "A" Train
  • Composer: Billy Strayhorn
  • ASCAP: 500006237
  • Variants: with single quotes, without any quotes, improperly capitalized "The"
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, mo, joan
  • Clean-up status: some consequent work already done by joan and dmppanda now consistent joan

• Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
  • Composer: Duke Ellington & Russel
  • ASCAP: 340043161
  • Variants: a lot! Nothing, Until, 'till, 'til, til, nothin, etc
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Discussion: although ASCAP main entry is "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me", I prefer the abbreviated Nothin', which seems to be the most widely chosen variant in discographic ressources
  • Clean-up status: Now consistent across db joan

• 'Round Midnight
  • Composer: Hanighen/Monk/Williams
  • ASCAP: 310082103
  • Variants: eluded leading quote, Round About Midnight, Round 'Bout Midnight, combinations of these, and numerous other...
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Discussion: proposed variant is ASCAP main entry. This one was really problematic and triggered a lengthy discussion about Capitalization Styleguide, as it wasn't clear how we should capitalize the R. Decision needed about capitalisation of 'Bout or 'bout
  • Clean-up status: joan capitalised 'Round where it is the start of the title

• Bei mir bist Du schön
  • Composer: Cahn/Chaplin/Jacobs/Secunda
  • ASCAP: 320033361
  • Variants: systematically murdered (Be Mir Bist Du Shoen is a common weapon...)
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Discussion: no discussion needed. Just write it properly :).

• Ain't Misbehavin'
  • Composer: Brooks/Razaf/Waller
  • ASCAP: 310017791
  • Variants: commonly goes Ain't Misbehaving
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Discussion: first noticed by moderator claiborne. ASCAP main entry proposed.
  • Clean-up status: Now consistent across db joan

• "C" Jam Blues
  • Composer: Ellington
  • ASCAP: 330001019
  • Variants: commonly without the double quotes, or with a dash, or with single quotes
  • Approved by: dmppanda
  • Clean-up status: joan made double quotes consistent across the db

• Manoir de mes rêves
  • Composer: Reinhardt
  • ASCAP: 340041841
  • Approved by: dmppanda
  • Discussion: is french, and as such is murdered and improperly capitalized most time. Note that it sports an american variant title "Django's Castle"

• I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)
  • Composer: Ellington
  • ASCAP: 390020305
  • Variants: include shorter form, eluded parenthesis, improperly capitalized "And"
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Discussion: main ASCAP is the shorter form, proposing the extended form according to guide
  • Clean-up status: have been through database and made "and" consistent joan

• Stompin' at the Savoy
  • Composer: Goodman
  • ASCAP: 491067440
  • Variants: include "Stomping" and improper capitalization
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Discussion: first noticed by moderator claiborne.
  • Clean-up status: Now consistent across db joan

• A-Tisket, A-Tasket
  • Composer: Alexander/Fitzgerald
  • ASCAP: 310002305
  • Variants: without "-", capitalisation, without the comma, and also the funny "ticket" and or "tacket"
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Clean-up status: unknown, though joan apparently corrected some. Now consistent across db joan

• Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'
  • Composer: Ellington
  • ASCAP: 400030800
  • Variants: same kind of variants as for the "Tasket", plus impropely capped "And"
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Now consistent across db joan

• Oh, Lady Be Good
  • Composer: Gerschwin/Gerschwin
  • ASCAP: 420001456
  • Variants: including "!" after the "Oh" and/or appended to the title
  • Approved by: dmppanda, joan
  • Discussion: IMO the more common choice in discographic resources
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• One O'Clock Jump
  • Composer: Basie
  • ASCAP: 450040107
  • Variants: with a space after the O', improper cap, eluded O', etc, etc
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne, joan
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• What a Difference a Day Makes
  • Composer: Adams Stanley and Grever Maria
  • ASCAP: 530034785
  • Known variants: What a Diff'rence a Day Makes What a Difference a Day Made
  • Approved by: dmppanda, joan
  • Discussion: first spotted by joan.
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• I Hadn't Anyone Till You
  • Composer: Ray Noble
  • ASCAP: 390022661
  • Known variants: 'til, 'till, until, til'
  • Approved by: dmppanda, joan
  • Discussion: First noticed by Joan here
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• 'S Wonderful
  • Composer: Gerschwin
  • ASCAP: 490000441
  • Variants: S', S, Wunderful...
  • Approved by: dmppanda, claiborne
  • Discussion: the recent cap english discussion supports the uppercased S
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
  • Composer: Oscar Hammerstein/Jerome Kern
  • ASCAP: 330014390
  • Variants: Can't Help Lovin' That Man, Can't Help Loving That Man, etc..
  • Approved by: claiborne, dmppanda
  • Discussion: ASCAP main entry supports "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man." More artists appear to use this version than others.
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
  • Composer: Cole Porter
  • ASCAP: 350035553
  • Variants: Every Time We Say Goodbye
  • Approved by: claiborne, dmppanda
  • Discussion: ASCAP main entry supports "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• 'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)
  • Composer: Sy Oliver, Young
  • ASCAP: 500002204
  • Variants: Tain't What You Do or even Taint.
  • Approved by: DonRedman, dmppanda
  • Discussion: No idea which is the correct one. "ain't" definitely has the apostrophe. "'tain't" as short for "it ain't" makes sense. IIUC ascap does not store the apostrophes. So how should we know

• We should know by checking serious online discographic resources and/or leaflets like the one from the Billie Holiday on Verve complete edition (which I'll do soon). Ultimately, we may make an arbitrary decision on our own. I like Tain't myself, though I'm not fundamentaly opposed to 'Tain't (still, it triggers once again the "do we cap the T" english case problem) --- dmppanda

• • Clean-up status: unknown

• Lover, Come Back to Me
  • Composer: Romberg, Hammerstein
  • ASCAP: 420095221
  • Known variants: without the comma, with exclamation mark
  • Approved by: dmppanda
  • Discussion: Please note there's another unrelated composition by that name, found in "Dead or Alive" soundtracks (and you shouldn't harmonize it of course) (reported by joan)
  • Clean-up status: Now consistent across db joan

• Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby?
  • Composer: Louis Jordan/Billy Austin
  • ASCAP: 390145403
  • Variants: Ma' for My, additional commas, additional parentheses, missing question mark...
  • Approved by: dmppanda joan
  • Discussion: somewhat hairy. My choice goes against ASCAP but I like it like that dmppanda
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
  • Composer: Hammerstein
  • ASCAP: 390168255
  • Variants: Every
  • Approved by: dmppanda joan
  • Discussion:
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• Blue Rondo a la Turk
  • Composer: Dave Brubeck
  • ASCAP: Not in ASCAP?
  • Variants: "a" <=> "à" and improper capitalization
  • Approved by: dmppanda
  • Discussion: though the "french" way should be "à la Turk", it's already mangled enough (Turk/Turque) to not be considered french anymore, hence the "a" choice, which is apparently the common choice.

• Not to be confused with "Rondo alla turca" Shepard

• • Clean-up status: Shepard has made the capitalization consistent

• Bags' Groove
  • Composer: Milt Jackson
  • ASCAP: Not in ASCAP?
  • Variants: Bag's Groove
  • Approved by: dmppanda joan
  • Discussion: "Bags" is the nickname of Milt Jackson, and this tune is his groove, not the groove of some random bag :)
  • Clean-up status: unknown, though tetedechou and dmppanda have catched/corrected a few

• I Loves You, Porgy
  • Composer: Gerschwin/Gerschwin
  • ASCAP: 390175934
  • Variants: "Love", eluded/misplaced comma, "Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy)", "I Loves You (Porgy)"
  • Approved by: dmppanda joan
  • Discussion: "Loves" is definitely not a typo.
  • Clean-up status: unknown

• It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got that Swing)
  • Composer: Ellington/Irving
  • ASCAP: 390148428
  • Variants: shorter title, eluded parentheses, random typos...
  • Approved by: dmppanda joan
  • Discussion:
  • Clean-up status: A small start made joan

• Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (and Dream Your Troubles Away)
  • Composer: Barris/Koehler/Moll
  • ASCAP: 530111076
  • Variants: shorter title, eluded parentheses, random typos, improperly capped "And"...
  • Approved by: dmppanda joan
  • Discussion:
  • Clean-up status: unknown

Compositions list (proposed)

Use the following format to propose a composition:

• Proposed variant
  • Composer: Composer(s) name
  • ASCAP: add the ascap title number (and also in the url of course)
  • Variants: list of known variants, mispelling, improper capitalization
  • Approved by: dmppanda (<- your nick name), (others will add their name here if they agree)
  • Discussion: if needed, your own additional comments, and of course the following discussion
  • Clean-up status: it's strongly recommended you don't start working on it before it's approved...

Actual list:

• waiting for somebody to move and document the cooker stuff!!

Compositions list (yet in the cooker)

• 'Tain't Nobody's Business if I Do / Ain't Nobody's Business if I Do / ... Bizness
• Body & Soul
• "D & E" or "D and E"?
• The Girl From Ipanema
• Woody 'n' You
• "Murder," He Says / Murder He Says / Murder, He Says / "Murder" He Says
• Indiana (Back Home Again In) / Back Home Again in Indiana / (Back Home Again in) Indiana
• (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 / Route 66 / Get Your Kicks on Route 66 / Route 66 (Get Your Kicks on)
• (Hep-Hep!) The Jumpin' Jive / The Jumpin' Jive / Jumping Jive / Jumpin' Jive (Hep-Hep!)
• (I Don't Stand a) Ghost of a Chance With You / Ghost of a Chance / I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You / ...
• (I Got a Woman Crazy for Me) She's Funny that Way / She's Funny that Way / ...
• (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons / For Sentimental Reasons / For Sentimental Reasons (I Love You)
• Lean Baby / My Lean Baby
• Deed I Do / 'Deed I Do...
• Come to Baby, Do!
• Don't You Know I Care (or Don't You Care to Know) (take 2)
• Don't get around much anymore
• East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
• I'm Just a Lucky So-And-So
• In a Mellow Tone
• Just Squeeze Me (but Don't Tease Me)
• New World A-Comin
• UMMG
• The Mood to Be Wooed
• Tell Ya What I'm Gonna Do
• Transblucency (A Blue Fog That You Can Almost See Through)
• The Hawk Talks
• T.G.T.T. (Too Good to Title)
• Every Hour on the Hour (I fall in love with you)
• That Ole Devil Called Love
• When You're Smiling (the Whole World Smiles With You)