Sundays with Duke #30: No Lament At All

We remain in 1940 with Duke Ellington as we come across another true classic — Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.

It’s so well‑known by that title, and there have been so many vocal versions, that it’s easy to forget the tune began life as an instrumental under a different name. But aficionados know the band first recorded and released it as Never No Lament.

Let’s spin that 1940 Victor recording:

That’s one of those sides where everything locks in: the catchy tune, the tight ensemble work, and the brilliant solos by Johnny Hodges on alto, Cootie Williams on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone.

This was one of the earliest Ellington records I ever bumped into — it showed up on a couple of various‑artists compilations — and it went a long way toward making me realize just how great a band this was.

🖋️ A New Name, A New Life

As with Concerto for Cootie, after the original release, Bob Russell added lyrics and the title was changed to the familiar Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.

Unlike Concerto for Cootie / Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me, the original title Never No Lament faded into the mist. I get it — I can’t “un‑hear” the lyrics anymore, even when listening to an instrumental version.

Victor reissued Duke’s 1940 recording under the new title during the recording ban, and just like the Do Nothin’ reissue, it became a huge hit.

🎤 Hibbler Sings It

Despite the popularity of the vocal version, Duke seldom performed it with a singer, though the instrumental stayed in heavy rotation from then on.

He did record a studio vocal version for Columbia with Al Hibbler in 1947:

Al leans way more into his vocal eccentricities here than he did on Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me (recorded during the same timeframe), and he can’t quite get the words straight!

🎺The Ellington Alumni Parade Begins

From here, we’ve got a parade of Ellington‑adjacent versions. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know the artists by their first names: Ben, Rex, Ella, Cat, Cootie, Johnny and Louis!

🎷Ben's Velvet Tenor (1954)

Ben Webster lends his tenor to the tune on his 1954 Norgran album The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster:

A lofty album title — but they’re not wrong!

🎺 Rex Rolls In (1955)

Next up, Rex Stewart with his 1955 take for Elite:

Great to hear Lawrence Brown alongside Rex.

🎙️ Ella Reimagines the Lyric (1957)

Ella Fitzgerald returns with this cut from her 1957 Duke Ellington Songbook album on Verve:

Ella takes even more liberties with the lyrics than Al Hibbler!

🎺 Cat Hits the Stratosphere (1959)

We move to 1959 for Cat Anderson’s version from his wonderfully titled Mercury album Cat on a Hot Tin Horn:

Those high notes — pure Cat!

🎺 Cootie Circles Back (1960)

Cootie Williams, the trumpet star from the original 1940 recording, returns with another track from his 1960 Warwick album Do Nothing Till You Hear from Cootie:

It’s fascinating to compare the styles of Cootie, Cat, and Rex.

🎷 Johnny Brings It Home (1962)

Johnny Hodges brings his alto back to the tune for his 1962 Verve album Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra:

Awkward title — great record. In addition to Billy Strayhorn, Cat, Lawrence and Harry Carney are among the Ellingtonians on the album!

🎺 Duke & Satchmo Share the Spotlight (1963)

Duke himself returns as he joins Louis Armstrong and his All‑Stars on their Roulette album The Great Reunion:

Trummy Young on trombone and old pal Barney Bigard on clarinet give great support to Satch (who sings the lyrics pretty straight) and Duke.

The track was actually recorded in 1961 during the sessions for Duke and Louis’ earlier album — they cut so many sides that there was enough for another release a couple of years later. So, not exactly a reunion!

🎶 A Snappy Reprise (1965)

Finally, Duke and the band deliver this crisp instrumental take from the 1965 Reprise album Will Big Bands Ever Return?:

It was recorded in late 1962, with Johnny, Cootie, and Lawrence all back in the fold — so at least that band returned.

📀 A Tune with a Thousand Lives

These recordings barely scratch the surface of the zillions of versions of Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, but what a scratch we scratched!

Sundays with Duke #29: Cootie’s Big Moment

As we step into the 1940s, Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra is firing on all cylinders!

Billy Strayhorn had joined the fold in 1939, bringing his brilliant compositional mind; Jimmy Blanton was redefining what the bass could be; and in early 1940, the great tenor saxophonist Ben Webster arrived to complete one of the most storied editions of the band. Duke had also split from Irving Mills and begun a new chapter with Victor Records.

A Trumpet Triumph

We open this run of classics with a showcase for a star who had already been lighting up the band for years — Cootie Williams — in the immortal Concerto for Cootie.

Here’s the Victor recording from March 1940:

What a spectacular spotlight for one of the true trumpet giants.

The Ellington orchestra kept the piece in its book for radio broadcasts and personal appearances, even after Cootie left the band, though they didn’t return to it in the studio for quite some time.

Ray Rises to the Occasion

For example, here’s Ray Nance taking the lead on a 1944 broadcast excerpt:

Ray, of course, stepped into Cootie’s chair — and this shows just how capably he carried the mantle.

Title Trouble

The melody soon took on a second life when Bob Russell added lyrics and it became the popular song Do Nothin’ ’Til You Hear from Me. To my ears, though, that’s a separate tune; the original remains Concerto for Cootie!

Things get interesting with this 1945 aircheck of Cootie performing essentially the original arrangement with his own band — but it’s announced as Do Nothin’ ’Til You Hear from Me:

Whatever the title, the music still hits!

Cootie's "New" Take

Cootie later revisited the piece for his 1958 RCA Victor album Cootie Williams in Stereo:

I often see this listed as New Concerto for Cootie, though the label itself doesn’t include the “new.” And now the composer credit has shifted to Cootie rather than Duke — another twist in the tune’s long life.

Cat Comes Calling

And just for fun, here’s a fascinating contrast: a 1958 French recording by former Ellington trumpeter Cat Anderson:

A completely different energy — and a joy to hear.

We’ll dig a bit more into the Do Nothin’ ’Til You Hear from Me variation tomorrow. But for sheer impact, it’s hard to top the original.

Threaded Thursday: The V-Disc Double Feature

Following up on yesterday’s "Frantic" V-Disc, I wanted to share another "secret" recording from that same 1945 window. While the general public had to wait for commercial releases, the troops overseas were treated to Hollywood Hangover.

This track is a masterclass in the "Warehouse" thrill of discovery. Like Frantic Fantasy, it wasn't a standard studio single—it was cut specifically for the men and women in uniform.

Let’s give it a spin:

The "Dope" on the High Notes

The spotlight here belongs to the one and only Cat Anderson.

If you’ve ever wondered why Duke kept Cat (shown at top of page) in the trumpet section off and on for decades, this is your answer. While Rex Stewart (yesterday's star) was playing inside the trumpet with his half-valves, Cat Anderson was playing above it. His ability to hit those "screamer" high notes with pinpoint accuracy was Duke’s ultimate secret weapon!

The Buck Doesn’t Stop

Interestingly, “Hollywood Hangover” isn't an Ellington composition. It was written by Buck Clayton, the star trumpet player for Count Basie’s band who was in the service at the time.

I always wonder what Buck thought of Cat’s trumpet pyrotechnics on his tune! It’s a rare moment where we get to hear the Ellington engine running on a "Basie-style" blueprint.

The V-Disc Connection

One of the most fascinating things about V-Discs is that they gave artists a chance to record songs they never touched for their "official" labels.

Both Frantic Fantasy and Hollywood Hangover were staples of Duke’s radio broadcasts and live appearances during this era, yet he never recorded them for Victor. Without these V-Discs, these performances might have been lost to the Warehouse of history!

Which V-Disc "Secret" do you prefer: Rex’s "Frantic" gymnastics or Cat’s "Hollywood" high notes?