Why was Take The A Train important?
The song brought Ellington and his band financial success, became his “theme” song that he would perform regularly for the rest of his life, and is still one of the most important compositions in all of jazz.
What is the meaning behind Take the A train?
The title of the song refers to the A line of New York’s subway train service. At the time of the song’s conception, this line ran from Brooklyn, up into Harlem, and then northern Manhattan where it used the express rails. Although traditionally played as an instrumental, ‘Take The A Train’ does have lyrics.
When was Take The A Train performed?
1941
“Take the A Train,” the signature tune of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, was recorded on this day in 1941. The song marked the beginning of a decades-long partnership between Ellington and a shy young songwriter named Billy Strayhorn.
Who actually composed take the A train?
Duke Ellington
Billy Strayhorn
The the ,a’ Train/Composers
What instruments did take the A train use?
Besides Strayhorn’s “Take The ‘A’ Train and “After All” there was Mercer’s “Jumpin’ Punkins,” “John Hardy’s Wife,” and “Blue Serge.” The personnel included Rex Stewart (cornet), Wallace Jones, Ray Nance (trumpet), Lawrence Brown and Joe Nanton (trombone), Juan Tizol (valve trombone), Barney Bigard (clarinet), Johnny …
How did a train get his name?
His name stems from the A Eighth Avenue Express of the New York City Subway, commonly referred to as “the A train”. He has his own brand of beer called Speeding Bullet Ale and his own cereal called Frosted A-Trains.
Why did Strayhorn write take the A train?
“Take the ‘A’ Train” was composed in 1939, after Ellington offered Strayhorn a job in his organization and gave him money to travel from Pittsburgh to New York City. Ellington wrote directions for Strayhorn to get to his house by subway, directions that began, “Take the A Train”.
Who wrote lyrics for Duke Ellington?
Billy Strayhorn
Dayton, Ohio, U.S. William Thomas Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger, who collaborated with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington for nearly three decades.
What instruments were used in Take the A train?
Who Sings Duke Ellington Take the A train?
Duke Ellington
The the ,a’ Train/Artists
Where did Duke Ellington perform Take the A train?
Casa Manana
Coincident with Billy Strayhorn writing “Take the ‘A’ Train,” Duke Ellington was playing at the Casa Manana in Los Angeles and broadcasting nightly. Due to an ASCAP strike Ellington could not air his compositions, so he enrolled the help of Strayhorn and Mercer Ellington, his son, neither of whom belonged to ASCAP.
What is the melody of Take the A train?
Musical analysis of “Take the “A” Train” Strayhorn also uses elements of the whole-tone scale in this piece with the D7(b5) in mm. 3-4 of the “A” section; the melody at this point is on the flatted fifth (Ab in the chord of D7).
What is the story behind take the a train?
“Take the ‘A’ Train” was composed in 1939, after Ellington offered Strayhorn a job in his organization and gave him money to travel from Pittsburgh to New York City.
What is the Duke Ellington song take the a train?
Take the “A” Train. ” Take the ‘A’ Train ” is a jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn that was the signature tune of the Duke Ellington orchestra. It is arguably the most famous of the many compositions to emerge from the collaboration of Ellington and Strayhorn.
When was the song take the a train originally recorded?
In fact, he said that the music and lyrics for “Take the A Train,” originally recorded on February 15, 1941 by Ellington for Victor Records, came more quickly than the subject of the song itself – the New York subway line to the Sugar Hill District of Harlem. It was so easy for him, he said it was “like writing a letter to a friend.”.
Does ‘take the a train’ have words?
Although traditionally played as an instrumental, ‘Take The A Train’ does have lyrics. Since most jazz pieces are centered more around instrumentalists, the lyrics are minimal. The following also only represents one version of what can be sung.