Don't Get Around Much Anymore is a jazz standard written by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Bob Russell. It began life as an instrumental titled Never No Lament and was first recorded by Ellington and his orchestra on May 4, 1940. Russell added the lyrics in 1942, and the song was published that year. It became a hit in 1943 with two No. 1 R&B recordings by The Ink Spots and Ellington’s band, and it reached the top ten on the pop chart as well, Ellington’s version peaking at No. 8. The tune is a swinging big band jazz number that has been covered by many artists over the years, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, Sam Cooke, and others. A later notable version was recorded by Paul McCartney in 1987 for the CHOBA B CCCP project, released on the CHOBA B CCCP album in 1988. It remains a staple of Duke Ellington’s songbook and a touchstone of swing and jazz vocal standards.
