Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby

"Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" is a 1944 Louis Jordan song, released as the B-side of single with "G.I. Jive". "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" reached #1 on the US folk/country charts.^[1] The Louis Jordan recording also peaked at number two for three weeks on the pop chart and peaked at number three on the R&B charts.^[2]

It was co-written by Jordan and Billy Austin. Austin (March 6, 1896 - July 24, 1964) was a songwriter and author, born in Denver, Colorado. The phrase "Is you is or is you ain't" is dialect, apparently first recorded in a 1921 story by Octavus Roy Cohen, a Jewish writer from South Carolina who wrote humorous black dialect fiction. Glenn Miller recorded this song on a radio broadcast from Europe during World War II.

Cover versions

• The tune has become something of a jazz standard with versions recorded by artists including The Andrews Sisters, June Christy, Bing Crosby, Nat "King" Cole, Buster Brown, Renee Olstead, Dinah Washington, Woody Herman, Anita O'Day, Joe Williams, B.B. King, Vic Damone, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Diana Krall, Joe Jackson and Emilie-Claire Barlow. There was also a cover of this on Tom and Jerry by Tom Cat.

• A remix of the Dinah Washington version by Rae & Christian appeared on the Verve Remixed (2002) album.

In popular culture

• The song was featured in the film "Follow the Boys", starring Marlene Dietrich.
• In 1946, the song was sung in a more upbeat fashion by Tom in the Tom and Jerry short "Solid Serenade".
• A remix by DJ Shark, credited to Dinah Washington vs. DJ Shark appeared in the Michael Douglas film It Runs in the Family.
• The song was featured in the 2009 film "World's Greatest Dad", starring Robin Williams. It was performed by Bruce Hornsby.
• The song is featured at the end of Series 1, Episode 7 of Spaced.
• The song is featured in the opening credits of the John Cameron Mitchell film Shortbus.

References