Slap That Bass

1937 song by Fred Astaire

"Slap That Bass"

Song by Fred Astaire

B-side

"They All Laughed"

Published

1937 by Chappell & Co.^[1]

Released

April 1937

Recorded

March 21, 1937^[2]

Studio

Los Angeles, California

Genre

Jazz, Pop Vocal

Label

Brunswick 7856

Composer(s)

George Gershwin

Lyricist(s)

Ira Gershwin

Fred Astaire singles chronology

"They Can't Take That Away from Me"
(1937)

"Slap That Bass"
(1937)

"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"
(1937)

"Slap That Bass" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, introduced by Fred Astaire and Dudley Dickerson in the 1937 film Shall We Dance.^[3]

The song refers to the slap style of double bass playing that was popular at the time.

Notable recordings

Uri Caine, on album Rhapsody in Blue (2013)
Georgia Brown - Georgia Brown Sings Gershwin/Georgia Brown (2003)
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook (1959)
Susannah McCorkle - How Do You Keep the Music Playing (1985)
Chris Connor - Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song (1957)

Notes and references

^ "Chappell & Co". en.scorser.com. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
^ "BRUNSWICK 78rpm numerical listing discography: 7500 - 8000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
^ Mueller, John (1986). Astaire Dancing - The Musical Films. London: Hamish Hamilton. p. 120. ISBN 0-241-11749-6.

George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Guy Bolton and Jack McGowan's Girl Crazy (1930)

Adaptations

Girl Crazy (1932 film)
Girl Crazy (1943 film)
When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965 film)
Crazy for You (1992 musical)

Songs

1930 musical	"Bidin' My Time" "Embraceable You" "Sam and Delilah" "I Got Rhythm" "But Not for Me" "Treat Me Rough" "Boy! What Love Has Done to Me!"
1992 musical	"I Can't Be Bothered Now" "Things Are Looking Up" "Someone to Watch Over Me" "Slap That Bass" "The Real American Folk Song Is a Rag" "Stiff Upper Lip" "They Can't Take That Away from Me" "Nice Work If You Can Get It"

v t e George Gershwin
Albums	Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls
Ballets	An American in Paris Gershwin Piano Concerto Three Preludes Who Cares?
Operas	Blue Monday (1922) Porgy and Bess (1935)
Orchestral works	Rhapsody in Blue (1924) Concerto in F (1925) An American in Paris (1928) Second Rhapsody (1931) Cuban Overture (1932) Strike Up the Band (1934) Hoctor's Ballet (1937)
Piano compositions	Three Preludes (1926) French Ballet Class (1937)
Songs	"Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did?" "(I've Got) Beginner's Luck" "Bidin' My Time" "Blah Blah Blah" "Boy Wanted" "Boy! What Love Has Done to Me!" "But Not for Me" "By Strauss" "Clap Yo' Hands" "Do It Again" "Doin' Time" "Embraceable You" "Fascinating Rhythm" "A Foggy Day" "For You, For Me, For Evermore" "Funny Face" "'The Half of It, Dearie' Blues" "He Loves and She Loves" "How Long Has This Been Going On?" "I Can't Be Bothered Now" "I Got Rhythm" "I Was Doing All Right" "I've Got a Crush on You" "Isn't It a Pity?" "Just Another Rhumba" "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" "Let's Kiss and Make Up" "Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)" "Looking for a Boy" "Lorelei" "Love Is Here to Stay" "Love Is Sweeping the Country" "Love Walked In" "The Man I Love" "My Cousin in Milwaukee" "My One and Only" "Nice Work If You Can Get It" "Of Thee I Sing" "Oh, Lady Be Good!" "Oh, So Nice!" "The Real American Folk Song (is a Rag)" "'S Wonderful" "Sam and Delilah" "Slap That Bass" "Somebody from Somewhere" "Somebody Loves Me" "Someone to Watch Over Me" "Soon" "Stairway to Paradise" "Stiff Upper Lip" "Strike Up the Band" "Summertime" "Swanee" "That Certain Feeling" "They All Laughed" "They Can't Take That Away from Me" "Things Are Looking Up" "Tra-la-la" "Treat Me Rough" "Walking the Dog" "Who Cares?" "You've Got What Gets Me"
Tribute albums	Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin By George Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book Ella Sings Gershwin Gershwin Live! Gershwin's World The Glory of Gershwin Ira, George and Joe Nice Work If You Can Get It Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook Red Hot + Rhapsody: The Gershwin Groove Rosemary Clooney Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin
Related articles	Gershwin Prize Ira Gershwin (brother) Arthur Gershwin (brother) Frances Gershwin (sister) Gershwin Theatre
List of compositions by George Gershwin Category:George Gershwin