It makes a change to play a tune beginning with 'Z'!
But the 1935 tune Zing Went The Strings of My Heart is unusual in another way. The Chorus comprises 56 bars. It's also a little unusual in that the words as well as the music were composed by the same man: James F. Hanley. He is perhaps even better known as the composer of the tunes Indiana and Second-Hand Rose.
Hanley fought in the American Army during World War One. He died in 1942, sadly at the age of only 49.
Hanley fought in the American Army during World War One. He died in 1942, sadly at the age of only 49.
Despite the 56 bars, it feels like a normal 32-bar tune when you play it. This is because it has a simple pattern:
A1: 16 bars
A2: 16 bars (it's A1 repeated, apart from bars 15 and 16)
B: Middle Eight [ yes - eight]
A3: 16 bars again - an exact repeat of A2.
As well as that, the chord progressions are simple and of a standard kind.
It even lends itself to a spirited vocal.
I can't remember the last time I heard a traditional jazz band play Zing Went The Strings of My Heart, but its structure makes it an interesting one for the repertoire. It can be a very jolly up-tempo number. And a band can make it more interesting by dividing the long chorus between several lead instruments, rather than having 56-bar solos.
