Ain't Misbehavin' (song)

Is not Misbehavin ' is a song by Fats Waller / Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf of a text, which was created in 1929 for the night revue Hot Chocolates.

Is not Misbehavin ' is an early Swing composition with 32 bars and the AABA form in a slow to moderate fast pace. The number was created special for the Revue because those responsible realized that they lacked a theme song. The song was sung at the first performance of the musical at Connie 's Inn in Harlem as an opening number by Margaret Simms and Paul Bass, only to be taken up later in the piece again by Russell Woodings Hallelujah Singers. With the acquisition of Hot Chocolates to the Broadway in the same year Louis Armstrong convinced the director that he additionally the song still played as an interlude on the trumpet. This interlude, initially only a reprise of the opening song, it was very well received that he soon had to climb out of the pit and had to serve this role on stage. Ultimately, this was the beginning of his international fame.

The song is considered a kind of portrait of a melancholy man, who alone remains well behaved at home, listening to the radio and on part his love for his only ones.

Various recordings of the song came in 1929 at different stages in the U.S. top ten:

• Leo Reisman and His Orchestra ( with vocalist Lew Conrad, # 2)
• Louis Armstrong (# 7)
• Bill Bojangles Robinson ( with Irving Mills & His Hotsy Totsy Gang, # 8)
• Gene Austin ( with Leonard Joy & His Orchestra, # 9)
• Ruth Etting (# 16)
• Fats Waller (Instrumental Version, # 17)

In addition, the composition in 1937 by Teddy Wilson and his quartet was recorded that came with his instrumental version at # 6 of the hit parade. 1943 Is not Misbehavin 'was also used in the film Stormy Weather, in which Fats Waller play along yourself.

The big bands adapted the piece in the 1930s; subsequently made ​​recordings of Count Basie Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Gene Krupa. 1937 and recorded by the Quintette du Hot Club de France, so that later came into the repertoire of Gypsy jazz. Other versions exist of Sidney Bechet, Earl Bostic, Ray Brown, Ray Charles, Coleman Hawkins, Tiny Grimes, Woody Herman, Jutta Hipp, Helen Humes, Harry James, Jelly Roll Morton, Zoot Sims / Bob Brookmeyer, Art Tatum, Jimmy Witherspoon and Cootie Williams. The pianist Jay McShann recorded the piece between 1978 and 1980 equal to three times. Marian McPartland and Willie Pickens interpreted it as a duo ( Is not Misbehavin ': Live at the Jazz Showcase, 2000). Of the countless sung versions of Is not Misbehavin ' stand out in particular by Sarah Vaughan ( with Miles Davis) arising from Dinah Washington and.

In the second half of the 1950s, then discovered the Rock ' n ' Roller the song itself, so there were versions of Johnnie Ray, who even ended up in the British charts in 1956, Bill Haley & His Comets and others. Tommy Bruce & The Bruisers with the song in 1960 had her biggest success: They reached number 3 in the UK.

In the 1970s, the song served as the theme song for a Tony Award excellent Broadway musical, which dealt with the black music of the 1920s and 1930s. And finally conquered Is not Misbehavin ' and yet another genre of music: Hank Williams Jr. brought the song in 1986 to No. 1 on the U.S. country charts.

1984, the original recording of Is not Misbehavin ' in the Grammy Hall of Fame was recorded. 2001 was chosen by the Association of the U.S. music industry at number 41 of the songs of the 20th century, and three years later took the Library of Congress to the National Recording Waller's original registry, a directory culturally significant sound recordings to.