Caravan

One day in 1936, Ellington remembered, trombonist Juan "Tizol came up with [part of Caravan]. See, it wasn't in tempo, he stood [and played it] sort of ad lib. He played it, [the] first ten bars, we took it and worked out the rest of it."

Ellington first recorded it in 1936 with a septet. In 1937, he recorded it with his big band of sixteen musicians, and this became the best-known version. From Sonny Greer's dramatic opening percussion effects to the final unresolved chord, this classic recording of Caravan paints an intriguing picture of some distant and exotic place. Its serpentine melody conjures an image of, perhaps, a Middle Eastern snake-charmer's trick, or a camel caravan undulating across the rolling sand dunes. Yet at the same time, Caravan's rhythms bespeak Tizol's Latin American roots. Caravan is one of the Ellington orchestra's first conscious efforts to incorporate influences from other cultures into its music.

Caravan has been recorded by a wide variety of musicians, including Ella Fitzgerald, Nat "King" Cole, Chet Atkins, the Carpenters, the Ventures, Les Paul, Bobby Darin, Phish, and the Latin artists Candido, Tito Puente, and Prez Prado. It is included in the movies Chocolat, Ocean's Eleven (2001 version), Ocean's Thirteen, the Woody Allen films Alice and Sweet and Lowdown, and the television programs The O.C. and The Simpsons.

The Lyrics

Caravan is best-known as an instrumental. But when it was initially published, lyrics were included. They are credited to Irving Mills, Ellington’s publisher and manager.

Night
And stars above that shine so bright,
The myst’ry of their fading light
That shines upon our caravan.
Sleep
Upon my shoulder as we creep
Across the sands so I may keep
This mem’ry of our caravan.
This is so exciting
You are so inviting
Resting in my arms
As I thrill to the magic charms
Of you
Beside me here beneath the blue,
My dream of love is coming true
Within our desert caravan.

Caravan Sheet Music, 1937

This sheet-music edition, for piano and vocal, was published in 1937. Caravan became something of a hit, and in recognition of its popularity earned an award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), to which Ellington gained membership in 1935.

Caravan Sheet Music, around 1960

In the first decades of the 20th century, sheet music sold in large quantities, and publishers could afford to commission illustrations for the covers, as in the first edition of Caravan. In later years, as recordings rose in sales while sheet music declined, publishers often resorted to generic designs, such as this 1960s cover.

Caravan Band "Parts," 1936 or 1937

These three trumpet parts for Caravan—bearing the names of Cooty (Cootie Williams), Rex (Stewart), and (Artie) Whetsel—date from 1936 or 1937.

Caravan Score, 1937-40

Most composers' scores carry the names of the instruments (1st trumpet, 2nd trumpet, etc.). As was typical for Ellington, this short score for Caravan bears the names of key individuals in his band, because he orchestrated his pieces with specific players in mind. In various places you see trombonists (Juan) Tizol, (Lawrence) Brown, and Tricky (Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton); saxophonists Rab or Rabbit (Johnny Hodges) and Otto (Hardwick); clarinetist/saxophonist Barney (Bigard); and trumpeter Cooty (Cootie Williams). Seeing which player is assigned which note provides scholars with a much fuller understanding of this piece, and enriches the listening experience for the trained ear. Though the score is undated, the identified individuals help date it to 1937-40, when the above-named were in the band.

Caravan Sheet Music, undated

To keep the music fresh, Ellington and Strayhorn would sometimes create new arrangements of the band's standard works, such as Mood Indigo, Caravan, and Take the "A" Train. Strayhorn arranged many pieces for the Ellington band, and this undated version of Caravan, playfully labeled "Cara-Vann," was one of them.