# Recommend me some hard swing... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041 "2007-04-21T04:44:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/1 "2007-04-21T04:44:45Z")
I’m in a near-constant search for music to keep me “motorvated” while I’m walking, either old-school walking or treadmill walking. I’ve found one perfect song: Benny Goodman’s _Sing, Sing, Sing_. It really gets me moving and I find that while it’s on I can completely forget my aching feet, aching legs and utter boredom. But one song does not a walking CD make, and I’m looking for more swing of that particular type, with the driving beat and interesting rhythms. Unfortunately, most of what I’m finding are the Glenn Miller “String of Pearls” type of much more gentle big-band stuff. Can any swing afficionados out there recommend me some hard swing in the manner of _Sing, Sing, Sing_? ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/2 "2007-04-21T05:00:19Z")
Look for stuff by the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands. Sadly, a lot of the more popular, mainstream swing bands specialized in gentle, airy pablum meant for dancing. Ellington (considered by most to be the best) and Basie played their fair share of ballads, but they had a lot more of the hard-driving, swingin’ numbers. If you’re willing to listen to swing bands from the late ‘90s swing revival, I’m sure you’ll find a lot more of the attitude you’re looking for. Lots of former punk rockers put on some really nice vintage suits and played balls-to-the-wall swing, mixing retro sensibilities with rock ‘n’ roll swagger. Bands like Royal Crown Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra, and the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies might be right up your alley, with fast-paced, exciting swing you can work out to. Most of these bands have singers, but that shouldn’t spoil your good times. ---
**Author:** ![Eltanin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Eltanin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eltanin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/3 "2007-04-21T05:40:11Z")
Also check out Woody Herman and Artie Shaw - the former’s “Woodsheddin’ With Woody” and the latter’s “Concerto for Clarinet” are two of the hardest swing songs I’ve come across. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/4 "2007-04-21T05:47:56Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Bands like Royal Crown Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra, and the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies might be right up your alley, with fast-paced, exciting swing you can work out to. Most of these bands have singers, but that shouldn’t spoil your good times. [/QUOTE] Definitely. Zoot Suit Riot was a big radio hit and most people are only familiar with that one song, that and Jump Jive and Wail by the BSO. But honestly the Daddies’ _Forever_ is a great album all around. _Brown Derby Jump_ and _Mr. Whitekeys_ are my favorite tracks. Squirrel Nut Zippers are also great but more eclectic and weird, less swing-y and more burlesque-ey. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/5 "2007-04-21T06:06:49Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] Squirrel Nut Zippers are also great but more eclectic and weird, less swing-y and more burlesque-ey. [/QUOTE] I love them too, but they definitely draw from a different era – more '20s/'30s than '30s/'40s, and more of a Southern, Dixieland-type thing with their banjos and lower brass than the very polished, big-city hipster sounds of the other swing bands of the time. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/6 "2007-04-21T06:29:54Z")
Some Brian Setzer Orchestra is on my exercise list, and Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, and Atomic Fireballs. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/7 "2007-04-21T07:04:56Z")
Well, _In the Mood_ is an obvious choice; not quite as forcefully rhythmic as _Sing, Sing, Sing_, but still pretty good. If you’re willing to stretch your definition just a bit, the Reverend Horton Heat did a cover of the _Jonny Quest_ theme that is the best exercise music ever. More rockabilly than swing, but if that song comes up while I’m on the exercise bike, look out. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/8 "2007-04-21T07:08:05Z")
Well, I’ve been on a Louis Prima jag for a few weeks, and a Louis Jordan jag for the last couple of _years_. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/9 "2007-04-21T17:10:35Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] Well, I’ve been on a Louis Prima jag for a few weeks, and a Louis Jordan jag for the last couple of _years_. [/QUOTE] Both great choices, although I wouldn’t think most of Prima’s mid-tempo shuffle rhythms would lend themselves too well to hardcore workouts. [QUOTE=Robot Arm] If you’re willing to stretch your definition just a bit, the Reverend Horton Heat did a cover of the Jonny Quest theme that is the best exercise music ever. More rockabilly than swing, but if that song comes up while I’m on the exercise bike, look out. [/QUOTE] Reverend Horton Heat is AWESOME, whether you’re working out, driving, fighting, drinking, having sex, or anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/10 "2007-04-21T17:20:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Both great choices, although I wouldn’t think most of Prima’s mid-tempo shuffle rhythms would lend themselves too well to hardcore workouts. Spin up _The Wildest!_ Fantastic for any purpose, including hardcore workouts. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/11 "2007-04-21T18:48:29Z")
Check out “Basie Straight Ahead” by Count Basie, great album with lots of straight ahead swingers. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/12 "2007-04-21T19:20:32Z")
What about Cab Calloway, wouldn’t he have some songs to fit the bill? ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/13 "2007-04-21T22:06:06Z")
You might also want to check out the _Swing Kids_ soundtrack. But otherwise, I heartily second (third, whatever) Basie, Ellington, Cab Calloway and Woody Herman. Goodman also had some other stuff that swung hard - Bugle Call Rag is a personal favourite. Amongst newer stuff, I’m really not a fan of neo-swing (I’m a lindy snob and I admit it - you can’t lindy well to that stuff), with the exception of Squirrel Nut Zippers. I’ll also put in a plug for my favourite dance band - [51st Eight](http://www.the51steight.com/web-content/pages/home.html). They’ve got previews of some of their songs online, and you can order their CDs through the website. ---
**Author:** ![guppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@guppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guppy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/14 "2007-04-21T22:28:20Z")
There are a lot of good suggestions here. I’d like to add [Fats Waller](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller) and [Django Reinhardt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt). Django’s stuff really swings hard and he’s playing with only 2 fingers! ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/15 "2007-04-22T20:53:50Z")
Just thought of one song in particular to recommend (because it’s playing in iTunes right now) - Jumpin’ at the Woodside by Count Basie. ---
**Author:** ![AuntPam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@AuntPam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntPam)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/16 "2007-04-22T21:20:13Z")
Flyin’ Home by Lionel Hampton. Any uptempo big band version will get you moving right along. Under “obscure British bands” look for the version by Giants of Jive. Try Duke Ellington’s version of the Nutcracker Suite–some of it’s excellent for moving. I used to tap dance to it. Now I work out. I quit going to spinning classes forever because my instructors, sequentially, favored a) disco. Bad disco. Loud bad disco. b) Thrash. c) Disco again, but with a former military instructor who counted in sets of 15!! It is beyond-belief maddening to listen to someone count 15 against music that is written in 4/4 and for which the count is “andoneandtwoandthreeandfourandfiveandsixandeight.” I honestly don’t know how he could do it. Rhythm-impaired, is my guess. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/17 "2007-04-22T21:36:52Z")
[QUOTE=AuntPam] Flyin’ Home by Lionel Hampton. Any uptempo big band version will get you moving right along. Under “obscure British bands” look for the version by Giants of Jive. [/QUOTE] Wow, another Ray Gelato fan! I’ve never met anyone else who has even heard of the Giants of Jive. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/18 "2007-04-22T21:38:44Z")
Great! Thanks, guys…I’d have come back and answered sooner but this weekend’s been insane… I’m going to check out a lot of these suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-hard-swing/401041/19 "2007-04-22T21:55:15Z")
Some representative samples of the “newer” swing bands: Royal Crown Revue – “Hey Pachuco,” “Mugzy’s Move” Cherry Poppin’ Daddies – “Zoot Suit Riot,” “Master and Slave” Big Bad Voodoo Daddy – “You and Me and the Bottle Make Three Tonight,” “Go Daddy-O!” Brian Setzer Orchestra – “Rumble in Brighton,” “Jump Jive and Wail”