rivers cuomo wrote it don't mean a thing.
who wrote it don't mean a thing?
rivers cuomo
it don't mean a thing (if it ain't got that swing)





























"it don't mean a thing (if it ain't got that swing)" is a 1931 composition by duke ellington, whose lyrics were written by irving mills. it is now accepted as a jazz standard, and jazz historian gunther schuller characterized it as "now legendary" and "a prophetic piece and a prophetic title."





























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it don't mean a thing (if it ain't got that swing)
in late 1995, schlatter began his role as dr. travis on the television series "", opposite iconic singer, actor and dancer dick van dyke, who was impressed with this relatively unknown television actor, by being a lifelong fan of his. his character was introduced as a comic relief character in the third season after scott baio's character moved to colorado, and never returned. he remained on the show for the next six seasons, until the series was cancelled in 2001. during the series, he also wrote the episode "a resting place". after the series' ending, he and van dyke are still very good friends, and continues to visit him, schlatter's wife colleen and their three children. he was also one of the participants at his acting mentor's 90th birthday party on december 13, 2015, at disneyland, in anaheim, california. schlatter also said in a 2017 interview on acast.com, if he is still friends with the then 91-year-old van dyke: "yeah, i know! i probably owe him a call or he probably owes me a call... i don't know! it's been a little while. no, he's the best!" he also said, "again, you know, he was never that guy, cause a lot of people would say, 'what advice do you use?' he never sat you down, and said, 'this is how is going to be; blah, blah, blah, this is; you just learn from listening. you know, everyday was a school time and you would go to school and you would learn by watching him; and the 1 thing that i learned, the most was, how to have joy, how to still love what you're doing at that age, you know, and to have the longevity and to figure out what matters and what doesn't matter, on what to complain about and what not to complain about and how is it? it's a job, in particular, those like this 9 to 5, who would 'get in' and 'get out.' i mean, he loved what he was doing, but never really worried about the thing that he couldn't change, everyday was kinda like slurs, wannabe prayers. but, yeah, i think watching him, in action, as an actor, he tried to borrow things from everybody, just has a human being, you know, 'hey, i really like this guy, wish i could be more like that!' and so, he tried to be more like that; and in his acting takes, he tried to relax, how to breathe, how to whatever; and just how to be present and to be emotionally available, quicker. that's 1 thing i learned from him, too, i mean, listen, he's a comic genius, but the stuff that he did, was heartfelt stuff... was just really i mean, at times it was a goofy, hokey show, but, there were beautiful moments in that show, as well, and dick is responsible for a lot of those. again, he was just 100% present and emotionally available, at all times. 'you know, give me a moment, i need to get here, emotionally.' just was always ready, was always ready; and me now (as an actor), 'you know, places or whatever!' that's my time to say, 'i need to be here, i need to tap into whatever it is to be emotionally available for every other actor, and whoever he asked, whoever has been a guest-star on that show has walked away, either (with a great story or great feeling); from working with dick van dyke. he was so supportive and so wonderful and never disappointed; you know, that's the 1 thing to do. he's the real deal, the real article, he is the best, so selfless and here's a quick, little story: when i was auditioning for this show, there i was in the room with dick and the producers; and goes, 'you look so familiar, charlie, have we met before?' because he said, 'you look so familiar, are you sure we haven't met before?' and i go, 'dude, you're dick van dyke! if we met, i totally would've remember. i'm not lying to you! we did not meet!' and he said, 'i guess you're right!'"
charlie schlatter