Jitterbug Waltz is a 1942 jazz composition by Thomas "Fats" Waller. It was recorded on March 16, 1942 by Fats Waller and His Rhythm for RCA Victor and released as a single, later appearing on numerous jazz compilations. The tune is an instrumental waltz in Eb major in 3/4 time and is regarded as one of the first jazz waltzes. The melody was inspired by piano exercises his son Maurice had been practicing, and Maurice has claimed it was the first jazz waltz ever written. At the time Waller was 38 and at the peak of his RCA Victor career; the recording is notable for being one of the early jazz records to feature a Hammond organ. Jitterbug Waltz has been performed and recorded by many artists including Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Chet Atkins, Vince Guaraldi, and Eric Dolphy, among others, with vocal versions appearing later, such as Dinah Washington in 1957. The original recording has even found its way into popular media, licensed for Bioshock 2.
