I Got Rhythm

I Got Rhythm is an American jazz and popular-song standard composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and published in 1930. It was written for the Broadway musical Girl Crazy, where it was introduced by Ethel Merman. The song quickly became one of the most influential compositions in jazz history.

Django Reinhardt recorded I Got Rhythm several times. His first known recording was made in Paris on 13 October 1935 with Stéphane Grappelli’s Hot Four: Grappelli on violin, Django on lead guitar, Joseph Reinhardt and Pierre “Baro” Ferret on rhythm guitars, and Louis Vola on double bass.

Django returned to the tune repeatedly. In 1937 he recorded it with Dicky Wells and a group of visiting American jazz musicians. In 1938 he recorded two takes with harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler, with Stéphane Grappelli unusually playing piano. He recorded the composition again during his 1949 Rome sessions.

Musical character:
I Got Rhythm is bright, energetic and highly syncopated. Its famous A sections revolve around tonic-centred turnaround harmony, while the bridge moves through a chain of dominant chords. This harmonic design proved so effective for improvisation that it became a standard jazz form in its own right.

Rhythm changes:
The chord progression derived from the song became known simply as “rhythm changes.” In its common jazz form it is a 32-bar AABA structure. The A sections typically use variations of I–vi–ii–V, while the bridge moves through dominant chords such as III7–VI7–II7–V7. Hundreds of later jazz compositions were written over variations of this harmonic framework.

Connection to Manouche Jazz:
The connection is fundamental. Django recorded the tune repeatedly in very different ensembles, from the classic all-string Hot Club sound to sessions with American horn players and harmonica. Its fast-moving harmony and strong rhythmic structure make it one of the most natural vehicles for Gypsy Jazz improvisation.

Interesting facts:

• George Gershwin wrote the music and Ira Gershwin the lyrics.
• The song was published in 1930 and appeared in the Broadway musical Girl Crazy.
• Ethel Merman introduced the song on Broadway, helping establish her as a major star.
• The original published chorus is actually 34 bars long, with an additional two-bar ending.
• Jazz musicians usually omit those final two bars when improvising, producing the familiar 32-bar rhythm-changes form.
• The bridge is built around a chain of dominant chords moving through the circle of fifths.
• Many later jazz compositions use the same harmonic framework, including Anthropology, Oleo, Rhythm-a-Ning and Cotton Tail.
• Django’s first known recording dates from 13 October 1935.
• He recorded another version in 1937 with Dicky Wells and visiting American jazz musicians.
• In 1938, Django recorded two takes with harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler.
• George Gershwin later used the tune as the basis for his orchestral Variations on “I Got Rhythm”, premiered in 1934.

I Got Rhythm is not merely a famous song but one of the foundations of jazz improvisation. Its chord progression became a common musical language shared by swing, bebop and later jazz musicians — and Django Reinhardt was among the early European masters who repeatedly explored its possibilities.