You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)
Ella Fitzgerald
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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 simply have to Swing it I said swing it Oh-oh-oh swing it And don't ding it Oh mister Paganini, we breathlessly await Your masterful détente, go-o on and sling it And if you can't sling it You'll simply have to swing it I said swing it And scattywahwah And wahdyscatla We've heard your repertoire and At the final bar We've greeted you with wild applause But what a great ovation Your interpretation Pat-scoodle-atty-doody yeah yeah yeah Oh Mister Paganini, now don't you be a meanie 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
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Written by: SAM COSLOW
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Origin"You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" is a jazz song that was originally recorded by 'Ella Fitzgerald.' The song was part of Fitzgerald's live performances and was included in her album "Ella in Hollywood" in 1961.
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Cover VersionAmerican R&B and jazz singer 'Patti Austin' did a cover version of this song. Her version was included in her 2002 album called “For Ella,” which was a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.
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Song ContentThe song is thematic about the famous violinist "Niccolò Paganini". The lyricist asks Paganini to play a certain rhapsody, and if he refuses, he'd need to swing it.
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Songwriting Credits"You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" was written by Sam Coslow. Coslow was a successful American songwriter, singer, film producer, and publisher who composed numerous hits during the 1920s and 1930s.
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Scat SingingThis song is well-known for its scat singing section, a type of jazz singing where the voice imitates an instrument. Ella Fitzgerald was famed for her scat singing.
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Unique ApproachPatti Austin's cover version also included the distinctive scat singing. However, she added her own style and interpretation to the song, making it unique in its way.
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Album SuccessIn 1961, Ella Fitzgerald's "Ella in Hollywood" where the song originally featured peaked at #15 on Billboard's Hot 200 album chart.
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TributePatti Austin's album "For Ella," featuring "You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" was a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. The album was critically acclaimed and showed Austin's deep admiration for Fitzgerald's work.
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Grammy AwardsPatti Austin's album "For Ella," including "You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" won a Grammy in 2003 for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
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Live PerformancesThe song was a regular feature in many of Ella Fitzgerald's live performances giving her an opportunity to show off her scat singing talent. Likewise, Patti Austin also included this song in many of her live performances.
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Citation
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"You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini) Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 12 Mar. 2025. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/35409075/Ella+Fitzgerald/You%27ll+Have+to+Swing+It+%28Mr.+Paganini%29>.
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