Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"But Not for Me" was composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin for the 1930 Broadway musical Girl Crazy, where it was introduced by Ginger Rogers in her Broadway debut. The show also premiered "I Got Rhythm" and "Embraceable You."

The tune is in E♭ major and follows a 32-bar ABAB' form—a welcome departure from the more common AABA structure. A brilliant compositional touch occurs in the second B section, where the melody leaps a step higher than in the first B before gradually descending back to the tonic, creating a moment of unexpected beauty. The chord changes are sophisticated yet flexible, accommodating everything from up-tempo swing to laid-back ballad interpretations. The contrast between the self-deprecating lyric and Gershwin's buoyant melody gives the song its distinctive bittersweet charm.

One of the most iconic jazz recordings is Ahmad Jamal's live rendition on At the Pershing: But Not for Me (1958), which became a best-selling album. Chet Baker's tender vocal-and-trumpet version and Ella Fitzgerald's Grammy-winning performance on Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook (1959) are equally essential.