THINGS AIN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE - Free Jazz Leadsheet

“things ain’t what they used to be” is a jazz standard composed by Mercer Ellington with lyrics by Ted Persons, first published in 1942. It was arranged for Duke Ellington's orchestra and first performed by Johnny Hodges on July 3, 1941 in Hollywood. It has since become widely performed as an instrumental, recorded by Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Oscar Peterson, and others.

The lyrics, when present, convey nostalgia and lament over changes in life or relationships. Musically, the piece is structured as a 12-bar blues in a major key, often featuring a II–V turnaround, commonly performed at slow to medium swing tempos.