Sydney Swingout Syndicate

Where the Original Spirit of Lindy Hop Lives on

Lindy Hop Music Examples

Examples of Great Swing/ Lindy Hop Music

These tracks represent the essential repertoire for Lindy Hop dancing, ranging from the smooth and sophisticated to the wild and energetic. The list includes songs specifically mentioned as favorites by Frankie Manning and other original Lindy Hoppers, as well as tracks that have become standards at Lindy Hop dances worldwide. The variety of tempos ensures dancers of all levels can find appropriate music, from beginners working on basic steps to advanced dancers showcasing their aerials and fast footwork.

Top 10 Essential Lindy Hop Tracks

  1. “Shiny Stockings” – Count Basie (Frankie Manning’s favorite song)
  2. “Sing, Sing, Sing” – Benny Goodman (The ultimate swing anthem)
  3. “Stompin’ at the Savoy” – Chick Webb/Ella Fitzgerald (Homage to the birthplace of Lindy Hop)
  4. “Flying Home” – Lionel Hampton (Perfect for fast Lindy)
  5. “One O’Clock Jump” – Count Basie (Kansas City swing at its best)
  6. “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” – Count Basie (High-energy classic)
  7. “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” – Duke Ellington (Defines the era)
  8. “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” – Andrews Sisters (Popular vocal swing)
  9. “Tuxedo Junction” – Erskine Hawkins/Glenn Miller (Smooth and swinging)
  10. “Wednesday Night Hop” – Andy Kirk (Lindy Hop choreography classic)

Top 50 Lindy Hop Tracks

Fast Tempo (180+ BPM)

  1. “Shiny Stockings” – Count Basie
  2. “Flying Home” – Lionel Hampton
  3. “Jumpin’ at the Woodside” – Count Basie
  4. “Don’t Be That Way” – Chick Webb
  5. “Moten Swing” – Bennie Moten/Count Basie
  6. “Stealin’ Apples” – Benny Goodman
  7. “Big John’s Special” – Fletcher Henderson
  8. “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” – Sidney Bechet

Classic Swing Era (140-180 BPM)

  1. “Sing, Sing, Sing” – Benny Goodman
  2. “Stompin’ at the Savoy” – Chick Webb/Ella Fitzgerald
  3. “One O’Clock Jump” – Count Basie
  4. “It Don’t Mean a Thing” – Duke Ellington
  5. “Corner Pocket” – Count Basie
  6. “Wednesday Night Hop” – Andy Kirk
  7. “Apollo Jump” – Lucky Millinder
  8. “Tuxedo Junction” – Erskine Hawkins
  9. “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” – Ella Fitzgerald
  10. “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön” – Andrews Sisters
  11. “Opus One” – Tommy Dorsey
  12. “Jersey Bounce” – Benny Goodman
  13. “Take the ‘A’ Train” – Duke Ellington
  14. “Splanky” – Count Basie
  15. “Shorty George” – Count Basie
  16. “Lavender Coffin” – Lionel Hampton

Vocal Classics

  1. “Shout Sister Shout” – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
  2. “Ain’t She Sweet” – Jimmie Lunceford
  3. “The Joint Is Jumpin'” – Fats Waller
  4. “You Make Me Feel So Young” – Frank Sinatra
  5. “Why Don’t You Do Right?” – Peggy Lee
  6. “Who Walks In When I Walk Out?” – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
  7. “L-O-V-E” – Nat King Cole
  8. “Fever” – Peggy Lee
  9. “On the Sunny Side of the Street” – Ella Fitzgerald

Medium Tempo Groove (110-140 BPM)

  1. “Easy Does It” – Count Basie
  2. “All of Me” – Billie Holiday
  3. “Paper Moon” – Ella Fitzgerald
  4. “Blue Skies” – Benny Goodman
  5. “Honeysuckle Rose” – Fats Waller
  6. “I’ve Heard That Song Before” – Harry James
  7. “Begin the Beguine” – Artie Shaw
  8. “Perdido” – Duke Ellington
  9. “Cotton Tail” – Duke Ellington

Jump Blues & Early R&B

  1. “Flip Flop and Fly” – Big Joe Turner
  2. “Let the Good Times Roll” – Louis Jordan
  3. “Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop” – Lionel Hampton
  4. “Sixty Minute Man” – The Dominoes
  5. “Good Rockin’ Daddy” – Etta James

Modern Standards for Lindy Hop

  1. “Caravan” – Duke Ellington
  2. “Minor Swing” – Django Reinhardt
  3. “C-Jam Blues” – Duke Ellington