'Tis Autumn is a popular song composed by Henry Nemo in 1941, with lyrics that paint a gentle, melancholic portrait of the fall season through vivid personification of nature. The earliest known recording was made by Les Brown and His Orchestra with vocalist Ralph Young on September 17, 1941, in New York. Nemo's lyric employs playful imagery throughout, describing tired trees shedding their leaves, birds migrating south, and Old Father Time presiding over the seasonal change, punctuated by a lilting refrain. The melody is flowing and stepwise, building expressively before settling back into its wistful mood, well suited to intimate trio settings as well as fuller orchestral arrangements. Among the many artists who have recorded the song, Nat King Cole's 1949 version is frequently cited as definitive, featuring his precise vocal phrasing alongside scat passages and bird-like effects. Chet Baker recorded it multiple times in cool jazz settings, while Red Garland included it on his weather-themed album All Kinds of Weather. Joe Pass returned to the tune across several recordings over nearly two decades. Though not as ubiquitous as Autumn Leaves among seasonal jazz standards, 'Tis Autumn has maintained a steady presence in the repertoire, attracting both vocalists drawn to its evocative lyrics and instrumentalists who find warmth and narrative possibility in its melody.
