“On the Sunny Side of the Street” was composed by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields in 1930. Its cheerful lyric and bouncing melody made it a hit for Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton and Frank Sinatra. It’s a fun, upbeat tune and a great choice for beginning improvisers who want to practice swing feel.
The form is a 32-bar AABA, usually in C major. The A section moves from C to E7 (a III7 chord) and then to F, the IV chord, before returning to C through a ii-V. That move from the I chord to III7 to IV is the signature sound of the tune. The bridge moves to Gm7 and C7, landing on F, then works back to C with more secondary dominants.
For improvisation, the key moment is E7 to F. Play G# on E7 and resolve it up to A on F; that half-step move instantly outlines the harmony. The rest of the tune sits comfortably in C major, so use major pentatonic and bebop ideas. Louis Armstrong’s approach is a great model: he paraphrases the melody, adds playful rhythmic twists and keeps everything singable.
Practice by learning the melody from Armstrong’s recording, then playing it with your own variations. Improvise a chorus using only chord tones, then one using the C major pentatonic scale with passing tones. It’s also a great tune for practicing walking bass and simple comping.
Common mistake: playing it too fast. The tune swings best at a relaxed, happy tempo, where the melody can bounce. Keep the mood light, and smile while you play; listeners can hear it.
Recordings to study: Louis Armstrong’s version, Dizzy Gillespie’s playful 1957 recording with Sonny Rollins and Sonny Stitt, and Lionel Hampton’s vibraphone take. Learn more about the composer on Jimmy McHugh’s Wikipedia page, and find more upbeat swing standards on Minedit.