Greatest love songs ever: #41 “I’ve Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)”

By Tom Quiner

Love isn’t always pretty. Duke Ellington’s “I’ve Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)” is our second ‘torch song’ in our list of “52 Greatest Love Songs Ever.” “Stormy Weather” was our first.

Paul Francis Webster added the lyrics to elevate Ellington’s imitable melody into the stratosphere. Some of you reading this may relate to his text. It tells the story of someone who loves someone dearly, but he (she) doesn’t treat them very well.

Love can be one-sided. Lovers can break your heart, especially when you’ve “got it bad.”

This song is usually sung by women, but Frank Sinatra croons it well, reminding us that women can sometimes be the source of great hurt in relationships, too.

Sinatra sings “I’ve Got It Bad (and that ain’t good)

Torch songs shine a light on the darkness of unhealthy love affairs. They tell stories that bind us together in our shared hurt. Love is so utterly beautiful, that it challenges us to dare greatly to find it, savor it, and blossom in its potential.

But there are bumps along the road, as Ellington and Webster convey in this jazz classic.

“I’ve Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)” is the Duke’s second entry on my list of great love songs. (His first was “In a Sentimental Mood,” #44 on my list). Ellington is the polar opposite of today’s manufactured, copy-cat music.

He wrote countless, exquisite short, instrumental pieces of three minutes or less for his big band, because that was as long as a 78rpm record could accommodate in that era.

His songs were Black, jazzy, and sophisticated. Lyrics were a secondary consideration, added down the road over the years. His lyricists were some of the greats, partnering to create a body of work that elevates Mr. Ellington into the ranks of the Gershwins, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin in terms of writing elegantly crafted love songs.

In later years, he wrote long form compositions, including serious works, such as his Concert of Sacred Music,” which explored his Christian roots.

Ellington’s melody’s are clean and pure, but enriched by mature chords which are so out of vogue with today’s pop songwriters. On “I’ve Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)”, Grammy and Oscar winning lyricist, Paul Francis Webster, adds a sophisticated lyric that connects with his listeners immediately:

“Never treats me sweet and gentle, the way he should,

I got it bad, and that ain’t good.”

So how good is this song? It’s so good that serious artists down through the generations, from Louis Armstrong to Weather Report, have covered it. I like to post a few versions in this blog series, but it was tough to do because there are so many good ones. Ella’s version (top of page) includes the verse, which is so often excluded by most artists. Sinatra sings his version with a vintage Nelson Riddle arrangement.

Carly Simon sings it

I’ve always been a sucker for Carly Simon’s voice, and love her interpretation on her excellent 10th studio album, “Torch.” Enjoy these top artists as they bring “I’ve Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)” to life in their own respective styles.

Next week, we are going to radically shift gears with one of the catchiest love songs on this list, sung by one of the greatest singers of love songs ever.

In the meantime, be sure to encourage your friends to subscribe to our blog. We’re counting down the ’52 Greatest Love Songs Ever’ a week at a time. Why? Because love is the greatest antidote to abortion. Thanks for checking in. See you next week! Oh, and don’t forget to attend “An Evening of Glory” tonight at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Waukee, Iowa.

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