Welcome to Week 21 of The Definitive Version, a regular feature of my website. You can read more about the project here and read all past entries here.
Song: “Satin Doll” (1953)
Composer: Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn
Lyricist: Johnny Mercer
Form: AABA
Standard Key: C Major
Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was one of the most important compositional voices of the 20th Century. His work shows incredible breadth – from simpler blues and AABA forms to complex suites. His sophistication was without parallel, and over 1,000 compositions display that sophistication.
“Satin Doll” was co-written with his frequent collaborator and protege, Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967). There is some dispute over the exact division of labor, but we do know that lyrics were not written and recorded for around 5 years, at which point Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics we know today.
One of the things I like about “Satin Doll” is the way it plays with ii-V-I progressions and delayed gratification. Here are the chords A section:
||: Dmi7 / G7 / | Dmi7 / G7 / | Emi7 / A7 / | Emi7 / A7 / |
|Ami7 / D7 / | Abmi7 / Db7 / |C6 / / / | (A7) / / / :||
We have a series of ii-V progressions all the way through, with never a corresponding I chord until the end of the section. The key centers cycle every 2 bars for the first 4 and then every measure for the second 4. And if we did a sort of Schenkerian analysis of the harmony, you can look at the entire 8-measure section as a ii-V-I in the key of C (measures 1 and 7) but with great delay in the resolution.
I also love the lyrics, which were full of contemporary slang of the time and have aged into a really cool period piece. To me they don’t feel dated, but cool and retro.
Definitive Version: Joe Williams (from Having the Blues Under a European Sky, recorded 1974, released 1996?)
Form: Pedal Intro | Head || Scat solo || Piano Solo || Head || Tag ||
Feel: medium swing (q = ~120)
Key: B-flat Major
Instrumentation: trio + flugelhorn & tenor sax
Joe Williams is considered a blues legend, but to my ears, he is at his best as an interpreter of the best of the American songbook – including but not limited to the blues and jazz repertoire of Basie and Ellington.
Here he gives a swinging, classy, relaxed and personal rendition of “Satin Doll” live in Europe – accompanied by a killing quintet of Ellis Larkins, Major Holley, J.C. Heard, Clark Terry, and Zoot Sims. He is conversational in his interpretation, and with his connection to the band.
It’s not overly mannered, it’s in the pocket. It features a nice scat solo (he’s an underrated scat singer). To me it stands out by feeling natural and connected to the original intent of the piece. Down to the laughing, “In your tempo?” at the top. You can hear the joy and freshness in his performance.
Also Recommended:
- Ella Fitzgerald (1966 from Ella and Duke at the Cote D’Azur) Swings hard with the Ellington band behind Ella. (this link includes video!)
- Nancy Wilson (1963, from Yesterday’s Love Songs, Today’s Blues) Nancy makes it so conversational. The band swings and she floats.
- Carmen McRae (1973, from The Great American Songbook) Carmen + bass (Chuck Domanico). So exposed and so confidently free. Then the band comes in for a Joe Pass guitar solo.
- Duke Ellington (1953) The original recording, instrumental but gives a sense of the original intent and includes the iconic intro.