Blue Lou is a 1933 jazz standard written by Edgar Sampson with lyrics by Irving Mills. The first recording and release were by Benny Carter and His Orchestra on October 16, 1933. It became a swing era staple, with later recordings by Chick Webb in 1934 and Fletcher Henderson in 1936, and by Charlie Shavers in 1944 with Milt Hinton and J. C. Heard. The tune is noted for its use of a half-diminished chord, described by some musicologists as the bebop chord. Blue Lou is widely performed and counted among the great jazz standards.
