“The Song Is You” was composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the 1932 musical Music in the Air. Frank Sinatra, Charlie Parker and many jazz musicians have recorded it, and it’s often played at a fast tempo.
The form is a 32-bar AABA, usually in C major. The A sections move through ii-Vs in C, while the bridge jumps to E major, a major third up, before returning. That surprising key change is the tune’s highlight.
For improvisation, practice the move from C to E and back. Target the G# (third of E) at the start of the bridge to make the shift clear.
Practice slowly, then increase tempo. Learn the melody from Sinatra’s version.
Section by section: the A sections move through ii-V-Is in C, so practice bebop lines that target chord tones on strong beats. The bridge jumps to E major, so start the bridge with a strong G# or B to make the key change obvious, and then work through the ii-Vs back to C. The final A repeats the opening with a turnaround. Fast tempos are common, so build speed gradually with a metronome.
Practice tip: practice the transition into the bridge by itself, playing the last two bars of the A section and the first two bars of the bridge on a loop. Smooth transitions are what make a solo sound polished.
Memorizing the The Song Is You Lead Sheet PDF: learn the form in sections, not all at once. Play the first eight bars until you can do them with your eyes closed, then add the next section. Within a week or two you won’t need the page at all, which is the real goal of any lead sheet.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate. Recordings to study: Sinatra’s recordings and Charlie Parker’s versions. Learn more about the composer on Jerome Kern’s Wikipedia page, and find more standards on Minedit.