28 Best Swing Songs, from In the Mood to Zoot Suit Riot

What is the most famous swing song?

"In the Mood" by Glenn Miller is the most famous swing song, and "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" by Benny Goodman, with its pounding drums, is the ultimate dance-floor number. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington gave the whole era its name.

Big band swing classics

1. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)", Duke Ellington: the 1932 song that named the style.
2. "Stompin' at the Savoy", Benny Goodman: named for the famous Harlem ballroom.
3. "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)", Benny Goodman: Gene Krupa's legendary drums.
4. "One O'Clock Jump", Count Basie: his theme song.
5. "Jumpin' at the Woodside", Count Basie: named for a Harlem hotel.
6. "Begin the Beguine", Artie Shaw: his elegant 1938 hit.
7. "In the Mood", Glenn Miller: the anthem of the swing era.
8. "Moonlight Serenade", Glenn Miller: the slow dance of the era.
9. "Tuxedo Junction", Glenn Miller: a smooth, relaxed groove.
10. "Pennsylvania 6-5000", Glenn Miller: named after a hotel phone number.
11. "Chattanooga Choo Choo", Glenn Miller: the first record ever awarded a gold disc.
12. "A String of Pearls", Glenn Miller: a gentle, swinging classic.
13. "Take the 'A' Train", Duke Ellington: Billy Strayhorn's famous tune.

Swinging vocal classics

14. "Minnie the Moocher", Cab Calloway: famous for its call-and-response scat.
15. "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön", The Andrews Sisters: their first big hit.
16. "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", The Andrews Sisters: a wartime favorite.
17. "Puttin' On the Ritz", Fred Astaire: Irving Berlin's tap-dance classic.
18. "Jump, Jive an' Wail", Louis Prima: wild and joyful.
19. "Sway", Dean Martin: a smooth Latin-tinged swing song.
20. "Mack the Knife", Bobby Darin: his 1959 number one.
21. "Ain't That a Kick in the Head", Dean Martin: from the original Ocean's 11.
22. "Fly Me to the Moon", Frank Sinatra with Count Basie: the definitive swinging version.

90s swing revival

23. "Hey Pachuco", Royal Crown Revue: from the movie The Mask.
24. "Go Daddy-O", Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: from the movie Swingers.
25. "Zoot Suit Riot", Cherry Poppin' Daddies: the revival's biggest hit.
26. "You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)", Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: a fast dance favorite.

Electro swing

27. "Booty Swing", Parov Stelar: an early electro swing favorite.
28. "Lone Digger", Caravan Palace: a modern electro swing hit.

What is swing music?

Swing is a style of jazz that took over American dance halls in the 1930s and 1940s. Big bands led by Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller played music with a strong, bouncing rhythm made for dances like the Lindy Hop and the jitterbug. Swing came back in the 1990s with a new wave of bands and again in the 2000s as electro swing.

The story behind In the Mood

Glenn Miller recorded "In the Mood" in 1939, using an arrangement built on a riff that had been floating around jazz bands for years. It became one of the best-selling records of the swing era, and its famous fade-out ending, where the band gets quieter and quieter before one last loud blast, still makes dancers laugh.

Swing and jazz: what is the difference?

Swing is a style of jazz. All swing is jazz, but not all jazz is swing: bebop, cool jazz and modern jazz came later and were made more for listening than dancing. When people ask for swing, they usually mean the upbeat big band sound of the 1930s and 1940s.

Swing songs for kids

Kids love swing because it makes them want to move. "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Jump, Jive an' Wail" are great for a dance party, "Minnie the Moocher" invites everyone to shout back, and "I Wan'na Be Like You" from The Jungle Book, sung by Louis Prima, is a Disney swing classic.

Swing songs for dancing

For a swing dance or a Lindy Hop class, start with medium tempos like "In the Mood" and "Tuxedo Junction", build up to "Jumpin' at the Woodside" and save "Sing, Sing, Sing" for the big finish. Slow songs like "Moonlight Serenade" give dancers a break.

Swing songs for a wedding

Swing is perfect for a wedding because grandparents and grandkids can dance to it together. "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Moonlight Serenade" make classic first dances, and "In the Mood" or "Jump, Jive an' Wail" fills the floor. See our first dance songs and wedding dance songs for more.

Swing songs for a 1940s party

For a 1940s-themed birthday, a USO-style party or a Veterans Day dance, play the Glenn Miller and Andrews Sisters hits. "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and "In the Mood" bring the era to life. See our old love songs for slow songs from the same era.

A swinging song about their story

For someone who loves big band music, a personalized song in a jazz style can tell their story with a swinging beat and their name in the chorus. It makes a joyful birthday, anniversary or retirement gift.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: jazz, pop, R&B and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories you want in the song.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a swinging song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.