Listening to swing music is like owning a time machine. When you hear a big band play, it is like being transported back to the 1940s. Artists popularized this jazzy music like Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and Count Basie. Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington are trademarks of this classic American genre.
Frank Sinatra Songs
Frank Sinatra has dozens of classic swing songs that will take you back in time. With up-tempo classics and ballads for lovers, Frank Sinatra songs are great for every person and every occasion.
You Make Me Feel So Young
You Make Me Feel So Young will make you feel so young and transport you to another era. The joyful, bubbly feeling of this song will take you back and lift your spirits. This song is perfect for enjoying while holding the hand of the person you love.
My Way
My Way is iconic for Frank Sinatra. This song is inspiring and an anthem for anyone who seeks to forge their path. It is reminiscent of a grander era. Picture Frank Sinatra on a stage with a full big band and orchestra singing, “I faced it all, and I stood tall and did it my way!”
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
This sweet ballad is a classic for Frank Sinatra. As you listen, you can picture a ballroom in the 1940s and romantic couples holding each other close. This song will take you back in time and remind you why this music is so iconic in America.
The Lady is a Tramp
This song is sassy and fun. It shows a playful side rather than the slow, romantic side we have heard in Sinatra’s ballads. This song may speak to you if you have a love-hate relationship with a romantic partner in your life. This song fits any occasion where you want to throwback to the past.
If Frank Sinatra has taken you back in time, take a listen to these other classic swing songs:
Sing Sing Sing
Sing Sing Sing was written by Louis Prima and most famously performed by Benny Goodman and his orchestra. This song is a big band classic and great fun if you are into swing dancing. Benny Goodman’s recording was longer than most singles recorded at the time. It was recorded as an extended version with a solid eight minutes of music.
This song, especially Goodman’s recording, celebrates the improvisation and virtuosity demonstrated by the musicians who performed it. If you listen, you can hear instruments taking melodies from each other and building layers upon layers to create the fantastic song we know today!
It Don’t Mean a Thing
If you are a diehard fan of swing music, this song knows how you feel. Swing is everything. Many musicians have performed the piece over the years, likely because it also resonated with them. Two of the most famous performers include Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. The two produced a fantastic performance of the piece that will take you back in time.
Ella Fitzgerald’s smooth, creamy voice and eloquent, rhythmic scatting are trademarks of the era. Fitzgerald is long regarded as one of the greatest artists of the swing era, and this recording shows precisely why.
Minnie the Moocher
The hi-de-hi “chorus” of this song is not just a fun call-and-response; it is also an iconic representation of swing music. This song is excellent for jazz clubs and dinner parties.
If you are at a swing bar or club, this is a great song to get everyone in the crowd involved. You do not need to be a great jazz singer to call along to the chorus of this song.
Minnie the Moocher is most well-recognized as a Cab Calloway song. In the famous film, The Blues Brothers, Cab Calloway performed his signature piece again.
Swing music is perfectly reminiscent of a bygone era. With big bands, scatting, and dotted rhythms, it is perfect for dancing and dining. Whether you have always loved swing music or just discovering it, it is a fun and freeing Way to let your hair down and enjoy.