Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

A timeless popular song written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons in 1931. First brought to public attention through a radio broadcast by vaudeville performer Belle Baker, it has since been recorded over 2,000 times and remains one of the most beloved songs in the American Songbook.

The tune is a 32-bar ABAC form, typically played in C major (originally B-flat). The melody artfully contrasts descending phrases that suggest emotional vulnerability with repeated high notes at the close that feel almost jubilant. The harmony is straightforward, making it a favorite at jam sessions and an ideal vehicle for improvisation. Its changes have served as the basis for contrafacts such as Lennie Tristano's "Line Up."

Louis Armstrong's exuberant 1932 recording, featuring scat singing and a brilliant trumpet solo, helped cement the song as a jazz staple. Billie Holiday's emotive 1941 version and Frank Sinatra's multiple recordings are also iconic. The song received the Towering Song Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.