Jersey Bounce is a swing era tune written in 1941 by Tiny Bradshaw, Eddie Johnson and Bobby Plater with lyrics by Buddy Feyne, who used the pseudonym Robert B Wright. The best known version is Benny Goodman and His Orchestra’s instrumental arrangement, recorded in New York on January 15, 1942 and released on Columbia Records. It soared to No 1 for four weeks in 1942, and was also charted that year by Jimmy Dorsey (No 9) and Shep Fields (No 15). Versions were performed by Glenn Miller, Harry James, Red Norvo, Jan Savitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Mae Morse and The King Sisters. During World War II the title Jersey Bounce became a popular nickname for aircraft, including a B-24D Liberator of the 93rd Bomb Group. Mel Powell arranged the Goodman recording in a Duke Ellington inspired style, contributing a distinctive piano and brass texture that helped define the tune’s sound. The song captures the brisk, jaunty energy of early 1940s big band music and even references Journal Square in its lyrics.
