IF YOU CAN'T SING IT YOU'LL HAVE TO SWING IT
(Sam Coslow 1936)

recorded by -
Ella Fitzgerald 1936, 1948 (radio), 1949, 1952, 1961
Sophie Tucker


as recorded by Ella Fitzgerald
with Chick Webb & his Orchestra
October 29th 1936 New York

Mister Paganini please play my rhapsody,
And if you cannot play it won't you sing it?
And if you can't sing it,
You'll simply have to swing it,
I said swing it,
Oh swing it and don't ding it.

Oh Mister Paganini we breathlessly await
Your masterful baton, go on and sling it.
And if you can't sling it,
You'll simply have to swing it,
I said sing it, and (scat)

We heard your repertoire,
And at the final bar,
We greeted you with wild applause.
But what a great ovation,
Your interpretation,
(scat)

Oh Mister Paganini,
Now don't you be a meany,
What have you up your sleeve, go on and spring it,
And if you can't spring it,
You'll simply have to swing it.

We heard your repertoire,
And at the final bar,
We greeted you with wild applause.
But what a great ovation,
Your interpretation,
(scat)

Oh Mister Paganini,
Now don't you be a meany,
What have you up your sleeve, go on and spring it,
And if you can't spring it,
You'll simply have to swing it.



as recorded by Sophie Tucker

The concert was over in Albert Hall,
The maestro took bow after bow.
He said, "My dear friends, I have given my all,
I'm sorry, it's all over now";
When from the gallery, way up high,
There suddenly came this mournful cry;

Mister Toscanini please play my rhapsody,
And if you cannot play it won't you sing it?
And if you can't sing it,
You've simply got to swing it,
I said swing it!
I mean swing it, and don't ding it!

Oh Mister Toscanini we breathlessly await
Your masterful baton, go on and sling it!
And if you can't sling it,
You've simply got to swing it,
I said swing it! 
Hi-de-hi! 
Hay-de-hay!

We've heard your repertoire
And at the final bar,
We greeted you with wild applause!
But what a great ovation,
Your interpretation,
Of (scat) would cause!

Mister Toscanini,
Please don't be a meany,
What have you up your sleeve, come on and spring it!
And if you can't spring it,
You've simply got to swing it,
Swing it for me!





(Transcribed by Peter Akers - September 2017)