Mr Paganini

(If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have to Swing It

1936 by Sam Coslow (as a satire on Arturo Toscanini)
Recorded by Ella Fitzgerald and became one of her signature songs featuring her scat singing

The concert was over in Carnegie Hall
The Maestro took bow after bow
He said, “My dear friends, I have given my all
I’m sorry, it’s all over now”
When from the gallary way up high
There suddenly came this mournful cry
Mr. Paganini
Please play my rhapsody
And if you cannot play it, won’t you sing it?
And if you can’t sing it, you’ll simply have to (scat)
Mr. Paganini
We breathlessly await, your masterful baton
Go on and sling it
And if you can’t sling it, you’ll simply have to
We’ve heard your repertoire
And at the final bar
We greeted you with round applause
But what a great ovation
Your interpretation of…
Mr. Paganini now don’t you be a meanie