He may have been composing music more than 100 years ago, but many Fats Waller songs have stood the test of time, appearing on a range of famous jazz albums from the early 20th Century through to the present day.
In this article we’ve rounded up some of the most popular Fats Waller songs, along with notes of some of the legendary jazz musicians who’ve popularised them.
Thomas Wright Waller (more popularly known as Fats Waller) was an American pianist, organist and composer. He was born in New York City on May 21, 1904 and started playing piano at the age of six. Four years later he was also playing organ at church.
Studying in his early days with James P Johnson, Waller was widely regarded for his technique, he is credited for creating and developing a style of Harlem stride piano playing that would form the basis for modern jazz piano.
In addition, Waller was a composer of significance, writing more than 400 songs. They were often co-written with Andy Razaf who would go on to describe Waller as âthe soul of melodyâ.
Career highlights would also include writing the music for, and sometimes performing in, Broadway musicals like Keep Shufflinâ in 1928 and Hot Chocolates a year later.
In 1943 he was the first African American composer to write a Broadway musical that was seen by a predominantly white audience with the hit show Early To Bed. Just six months after the premiere, Fats Waller died on December 15, 1943.
Stay tuned for some of Fats Wallerâs most popular songs – and check out the section at the end for songs he made famous, despite not writing themâŠ
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Composed by Fats Waller, Harry Brooks & Andy Razaf (1929)
Ain’t Misbehavin’ was written for the 1929 musical comedy Connieâs Hot Chocolates (later renamed Hot Chocolates after moving from Connieâs Inn in Harlem to Broadway’s Hudson Theatre).
Upon moving to Broadway, Louis Armstrong became the showâs musical director where he would also play âAinât Misbehavinââ in a trumpet solo.
Armstrongâs solo became so popular that he was required to leave the orchestra pit and perform his solo on stage.
The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1984 and remains popular to this day, with more than 680 versions registered online.
Other popular recordings of Ain’t Misbehavin’:
Louis Armstrong; Ruth Etting; Anita OâDay; Sarah Vaughan; Bing Crosby; Billie Holiday; Art Tatum; Dave Brubeck; Nat King Cole; Elkie Brooks; Bill Haley & The Comets
Iâm Crazy âBout My Baby (1931)
Composed by Fats Waller & Alex Hill
Another song from the pen of the pianist and lyricist Alex Hill that was a hit upon its release as a 78rpm shellac disc with âDragginâ My Heart Aroundâ (credited to Hill as sole composer) as the B-side.
The first recording of the song by its composer featured a solo Fats Waller on piano and vocals. He would go on to record the song on numerous occasions, though, often with a full band.
Other popular recordings of I’m Crazy âBout My Baby:
Alex Hill, Ted Lewis, Louis Armstong, Ruby Braff & Ralph Sutton, Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen
Honeysuckle Rose (1929)
Composed by Fats Waller & Andy Razaf
Originally written for a 1929 musical revue, âLoad Of Coalâ this has become one of Wallerâs most enduring and endearing compositions and a standard in the jazz repertoire.
The success of the tune, it is said, was hindered by Mildred Baileyâs double-tempo version of âHoneysuckle Roseâ live on air with Paul Whitemanâs Orchestra that was not received particularly well.
It is often said that jazz not only came of age but received its due recognition as an art-form at the famous Carnegie Hall concert on 23 January 1938 in a programme led by Benny Goodmanâs Orchestra.
Not only was this the first jazz concert to be held at Carnegie Hall, but also featured a jam session playing âHoneysuckle Roseâ featuring a mixed group of white and black musicians (unusual at the time) from the the bands of Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
Other popular versions of Honeysuckle Rose include:
Fletcher Henderson, Errol Garner, Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, Benny Carter, Django Reinhardt. You can also check out our Honeysuckle Rose article which compares 4 versions of the tune, spanning almost a Century!
Jitterbug Waltz (1942)
Composed by Fats Waller
Jitterbug Waltz was recorded late in Wallerâs career, when he was 38 at the peak of his powers.
A waltz (Ÿ time) in the key of Eâmajor, it was unusual at the time of its release for being one of the first jazz songs recorded on the Hammond organ.
The version would go on to make the Hammond organ a popular jazz instrument, especially in the hard bop era of the fifties, and show the extent of Wallerâs prowess on the instrument.
Other popular recordings of Jitterburg Waltz include:
Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Dinah Washington, Abbey Lincoln, Vince Guaraldi, Eric Dolphy, David Murray
Alligator Crawl (1927)
Composed by Fats Waller, Andy Razaf & Joe Davis
Written in 1927, âAlligator Crawlâ has a rather unusual history.
It was originally titled âHouse Party Stompâ and then âCharleston Stompâ before co-composer and publisher Joe Davis settled on âAlligator Crawlâ.
Fats Waller did not record the piece until November 16, 1934 and committed it to 78rpm single as solo piano performance.
His composition, however, was to gain a place in jazz history on an earlier recording dating back to 1927.
Louis Armstrong had recorded several of Wallerâs compositions with others, but on May 10, 1927 he took his Hot Seven into the studio and recorded âAlligator Crawlâ.
It now forms part of the legendary Hot Seven titles by Armstrong with Honore Dutrey on trombone, Johnny Dodds on clarinet, pianist Lil Armstrong, Johnny St. Cyr playing banjo, the brass bass of Pete Briggsâs tuba and Johnnyâs younger brother, Baby Dodds at the drums.
These classic recording have never been out of print and continue to delight.
Other popular recordings of Alligator Crawl include:
Ralph Sutton, Dick Wellstood, Ted Heath and his Music, Humphrey Lyttleton and his Band, Dave Frishberg, The Midnite Follies Orchestra
As well as being a prolific composer himself, Fats Waller was also keen to play and showcase the music of others.
Some of his popular hits that werenât written by himself include…
Two Sleepy People (1938)
Composed by Hoagy Carmichael & Frank Loesser
Recorded by Fats Waller and his Rhythm on October 13, 1938, the song was written for the film Thanks For The Memory the same year.
Fats’ version was the most popular, telling the story of of two young people who, although very sleepy, do not want to say goodnight and sitting up all night together until dawn.
Other popular recordings of Two Sleepy People:
Bing Crosby & Marilyn Maxwell, Sammy Davis Jr. & Carmen McRae, Dean Martin & Line Renaud, Julie London, Art Garfunkel, Silje Nergaard, Carly Simon & John Travolta, Lol Coxhill
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter (1935)
Composed by Fred E. Ahlert & Joe Young
A popular song written in 1935 the piece became a big hit for Fats Waller at the peak of his popularity.
Since then, the song has become a classic jazz standard in the Great American Songbook. It was also featured in the Broadway production, Ainât Misbehavinâ.
Other popular recordings of I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself a Letter:
Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, The Boswell Sisters, Barry Manilow, Willie Nelson, Shakinâ Stevens, Bill Haley & The Comets
(It Will Have to Do) Until the Real Thing Comes Along (1936)
Composed by Alberta Nichols & Mann Holiner / Saul Chaplin, Sammy Cahn & L.E. Freeman
A song titled âUntil The Real Thing Comes Alongâ was written in 1931 for the revue Rhapsody In Black with Ethel Waters performing the song.
Just five years later in 1936, that song was rewritten by Chaplin, Cahn and Freeman with new verses, new melody, and almost a complete rewriting of the lyrics.
In the end, pretty much all that remained of the original was just a few lines, although even they came in for some minor editing.
The rewritten version very quickly became a hit, and once again Fats Waller was keen to record a version of the song as quickly as possible.
However, Waller wasnât the first having been beaten to it by Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds Of Joy.
Other popular recordings of It Will Have To Do Until The Real Thing Comes Along:
The Ink Spots, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, June Christy, Frank Sinatra, Coleman Hawkins
Thanks for joining us for this round up of some classic Fats Waller tunes!
As always, we can only scratch the surface in an article like this, and we’d recommend using it as a springboard for more great jazz listening!
Want to dig into the history of stride piano? Or learn more about the most famous jazz piano players of all time?
You’ll find all our Jazz history articles here.
Jitterbug
jitterbug waltz is on the record Legrand Jazz and played by Miles Davis.