Lyrics It Ain't What You Do - Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb

It Ain't What You Do

When I was a kid about half past three
My ma said «Daughter, come here to me»
Said things may come, and things may go But this is one thing you ought to know…
Oh 't ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it That’s what gets results
'T ain’t what you do it’s the time that you do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the time that you do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the time that you do it That’s what gets results
You can try hard
Don’t mean a thing
Take it easy, greasy
Then your jive will swing
Oh 't ain’t what you do it’s the place that you
do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the time that you do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it That’s what gets results
You’ve learned your ABC’s
You’ve learned your DFG’s
But this is something you don’t learn in school
So get your hip boots on And then you’ll carry on But remember if you’re tryin' too hard
It don’t mean a thing
Take it easy
(band members:
'T ain’t what you bring it’s the way that you
bring it
'T ain’t what you swing it’s the way that you
swing it
'T ain’t what you sing)
— it's the way that you sing it
(That's what gets results)
(band members sing while Ella adlibs:
'T ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it
'T ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it