Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"The Lady Is A Tramp" was composed by Richard Rodgers for the 1937 musical Babes in Arms. Rodgers, in his celebrated partnership with lyricist Lorenz Hart, created some of the most enduring songs in the American popular songbook.

The song is structured as a 32-bar AABA form, most commonly played in the key of C major. It is typically performed at a brisk, up-tempo swing, driven by Rodgers' characteristically elegant melodic writing with its mix of stepwise motion and graceful leaps. The A sections follow a classic I-vi-ii-V based progression, while the bridge moves toward the subdominant area, providing harmonic contrast before the final A section brings the tune home. Its clean harmonic framework and irresistible rhythmic energy make it a versatile vehicle for both vocalists and instrumentalists.

Frank Sinatra made this song virtually his own, recording it numerous times and featuring it prominently in concerts throughout his career. Ella Fitzgerald's version on the Rodgers and Hart Songbook (1956) is a masterful vocal interpretation. More recently, the duet by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga on Duets II (2011) introduced the standard to a new generation of listeners.