Things Ai n't What They Used to Be - Wikipedia Things Ai n't What They Used to Be This article is about the song. For the Ella Fitzgerald album, see Things Ai n't What They Used to Be ( And You Better Believe It ). For the McCoy Tyner album, see Things Ai n't What They Used to Be ( McCoy Tyner album ). For the musical, see Fings Ai n't Wot They Used T'Be. `` Things Ai n't What They Used to Be '' is a 1942 jazz standard with music by Mercer Ellington and lyrics by Ted Persons. In 1941 there was a strike against the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, of which Duke Ellington was a member. Because of the strike he could not air his songs on the radio. Instead, he used songs written by his son Mercer and pianist Billy Strayhorn. Strayhorn 's compositions of this time include `` Take the ' A ' Train '', `` Chelsea Bridge '' and `` Day Dream '', and Mercer wrote `` Things Ai n't What They Used to Be '', `` Blue Serge '' and `` Moon Mist ''. Jazz musician and historian Chris Tyle argues that most likely Mercer Ellington came up with the melody and his father then arranged the song for the band. The song is most often played as an instrumental. Lyrics were written by Ted Persons. `` Things Ai n't What They Used to Be '' was the lead in for The Harley Show, Music out of Baltimore. Notes ^ Jump up to : `` Things Ai n't What They Used to Be '' at jazzstandards.com - retrieved on 27 May 2009 Duke Ellington Studio albums The Blanton -- Webster Band Never No Lament : The Blanton - Webster Band Braggin ' in Brass : The Immortal 1938 Year Liberian Suite Great Times ! Masterpieces by Ellington Ellington Uptown The Duke Plays Ellington Ellington ' 55 Dance to the Duke ! Ellington Showcase Historically Speaking Duke Ellington Presents... The Complete Porgy and Bess A Drum Is a Woman Studio Sessions, Chicago 1956 Such Sweet Thunder Ellington Indigos Black, Brown and Beige Duke Ellington at the Bal Masque The Cosmic Scene Happy Reunion Jazz Party Back to Back Side by Side Anatomy of a Murder Festival Session Blues in Orbit The Nutcracker Suite Piano in the Background Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G. Unknown Session Piano in the Foreground The Great Summit : The Master Takes Paris Blues First Time ! The Count Meets the Duke Duke Ellington & John Coltrane Featuring Paul Gonsalves Studio Sessions 1957 & 1962 Midnight in Paris Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins Studio Sessions, New York 1962 Money Jungle Afro - Bossa The Symphonic Ellington Duke Ellington 's Jazz Violin Session Studio Sessions New York 1963 My People Ellington ' 65 Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins Ellington ' 66 Concert in the Virgin Islands The Popular Duke Ellington The Far East Suite The Jaywalker Studio Sessions, 1957, 1965, 1966, 1967, San Francisco, Chicago, New York... And His Mother Called Him Bill Second Sacred Concert Studio Sessions New York, 1968 Latin American Suite The Pianist New Orleans Suite Orchestral Works The Suites, New York 1968 & 1970 The Intimacy of the Blues The Afro - Eurasian Eclipse Studio Sessions New York & Chicago, 1965, 1966 & 1971 The Intimate Ellington The Ellington Suites This One 's for Blanton ! Up in Duke 's Workshop Duke 's Big 4 Mood Ellington Live albums Duke Ellington at Fargo, 1940 Live The Carnegie Hall Concerts : January 1943 The Carnegie Hall Concerts : December 1944 The Carnegie Hall Concerts : January 1946 The Carnegie Hall Concerts : December 1947 Ellington at Newport Dance Concerts, California 1958 Dance Dates, California 1958 Newport 1958 Jazz at the Plaza Vol. II Duke Ellington at the Alhambra Live at the Blue Note The Great Paris Concert A Concert of Sacred Music In the Uncommon Market Soul Call Yale Concert 70th Birthday Concert Togo Brava Suite Live at the Whitney Third Sacred Concert Eastbourne Performance Collaborations with Alice Babs Serenade to Sweden with Count Basie First Time ! The Count Meets the Duke with Teresa Brewer It Do n't Mean a Thing If It Ai n't Got That Swing with Rosemary Clooney Blue Rose with John Coltrane Duke Ellington & John Coltrane with Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book Ella at Duke 's Place The Stockholm Concert, 1966 Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur with Coleman Hawkins Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins with Frank Sinatra Francis A. & Edward K. Compositions `` African Flower '' `` All Too Soon '' `` Azure '' `` Black and Tan Fantasy '' `` Black, Brown and Beige '' `` C Jam Blues '' `` Cotton Tail '' `` Day Dream '' `` Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue '' `` Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me '' `` Do n't Get Around Much Anymore '' `` Drop Me Off in Harlem '' `` Echoes of Harlem '' `` Everything but You '' `` I Ai n't Got Nothin ' but the Blues '' `` I Did n't Know About You '' `` I Got It Bad ( and That Ai n't Good ) '' `` I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart '' `` I 'm Beginning to See the Light '' `` I 'm Just a Lucky So - and - So '' `` In a Mellow Tone '' `` In a Sentimental Mood '' `` It Do n't Mean a Thing ( If It Ai n't Got That Swing ) '' `` Just A-Sittin ' and A-Rockin ' '' `` Just Squeeze Me ( But Please Do n't Tease Me ) '' `` The Mooche '' `` Mood Indigo '' `` Prelude to a Kiss '' `` Rocks in My Bed '' `` ( In My ) Solitude '' `` Sophisticated Lady '' Billy Strayhorn compositions associated with Ellington `` Take the `` A '' Train '' `` Lush Life '' `` Chelsea Bridge '' `` Something to Live For '' `` Satin Doll '' `` Blood Count '' Juan Tizol compositions associated with Ellington `` Caravan '' `` Perdido '' Orchestra members Hayes Alvis Cat Anderson Ivie Anderson Harold Ashby Alice Babs Shorty Baker Butch Ballard Art Baron Aaron Bell Louie Bellson Joe Benjamin Barney Bigard Lou Blackburn Jimmy Blanton Wellman Braud Lawrence Brown Harry Carney Johnny Coles Willie Cook Buster Cooper Kay Davis Wild Bill Davis Wilbur de Paris Bobby Durham Mercer Ellington Rolf Ericson Jimmy Forrest Victor Gaskin Peter Giger Tyree Glenn Paul Gonsalves Sonny Greer Fred Guy Jimmy Hamilton Otto Hardwick Rick Henderson Al Hibbler Johnny Hodges Major Holley Charlie Irvis Quentin Jackson Hilton Jefferson Herb Jeffries Freddie Jenkins Money Johnson Herbie Jones Taft Jordan Al Killian Queen Esther Marrow Wendell Marshall Murray McEachern Louis Metcalf James `` Bubber '' Miley Harold `` Geezil '' Minerve Ray Nance Tricky Sam Nanton Oscar Pettiford Eddie Preston Russell Procope Junior Raglin Betty Roché Ernie Royal Al Sears Joya Sherrill Willie Smith Elmer Snowden Rex Stewart Billy Strayhorn Billy Taylor Clark Terry Juan Tizol Norris Turney Ben Webster Arthur Whetsol Cootie Williams Nelson Williams Skippy Williams Booty Wood Jimmy Woode Britt Woodman Sam Woodyard Filmography Black and Tan Check and Double Check Belle of the Nineties Murder at the Vanities Jam Session Cabin in the Sky Anatomy of a Murder Paris Blues Assault on a Queen Change of Mind Related Mercer Ellington ( son ) Duke Ellington Bridge Duke Ellington House Duke Ellington School of the Arts Luther Henderson Irving Mills Sophisticated Ladies Play On ! Sacred Concerts Discography This article about a jazz standard or composition written in the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Things_Ain%27t_What_They_Used_to_Be&oldid=766936535 '' Categories : 1942 songs 1940s jazz standards 1940s jazz composition stubs Talk About Wikipedia Deutsch فارسی Suomi Edit links This page was last edited on 23 February 2017, at 00 : 46. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote things ain't what they used to be
Answer: music by Mercer Ellington