"Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" (later renamed "Theme for Lester Young") is a jazz standard composed by Charles Mingus originally recorded by his sextet in 1959 as listed below, and released on his album Mingus Ah Um. Mingus wrote it as an elegy for saxophonist Lester Young, who had died two months prior to the recording session, and was known to wear a broad-rimmed pork pie hat. It is one of Mingus' best-known compositions and has been recorded by many jazz and jazz fusion artists. Joni Mitchell added lyrics to the song for her album Mingus, recorded in collaboration with Mingus during the months before his death. Rahsaan Roland Kirk also composed lyrics to the song, included on his album The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man.
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