SWINGIN' DOWN THE LANE - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"Swingin' Down the Lane," sometimes spelled "Swinging Down the Lane," was composed by Isham Jones with lyrics by Gus Kahn and first published in 1923. The earliest recording was made that same year by Isham Jones and His Orchestra in New York, helping establish the tune as a dance-band favorite of the 1920s.

Subsequent notable versions include recordings by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and later jazz vocalists who favored the song’s gentle, strolling character. The lyrics evoke a romantic walk filled with ease and charm, and musically the piece reflects early American popular-song style with a smooth, flowing 32-bar form. Its relaxed melodic contours and steady rhythmic swing have kept it in the standard repertoire for nearly a century.