Perdido is a swing-era jazz standard composed by Juan Tizol in 1941. Tizol, a Puerto Rican valve trombonist and longtime member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, wrote the tune spontaneously on a train while sitting next to vocalist Herb Jeffries. He handed the sketch to Ellington, who arranged it immediately, and the band debuted it that same night at a dance. The title is a Spanish word meaning "lost." Perdido was first recorded on December 3, 1941, by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra as a radio transcription, followed by a commercial recording for the Victor label on January 21, 1942. Despite Tizol's reputation for contributing Latin-influenced pieces to Ellington's book, including Caravan and Conga Brava, Perdido has the least Latin character among his well-known compositions, instead leaning into a straight-ahead swing feel with strong rhythmic drive and a memorable, hook-laden melody. Lyrics were added in 1944 by Ervin Drake and Hans Lengsfelder, broadening its pop appeal. The tune charted at number 21 in 1943. Among Ellington's many notable performances, a 1964 live version spotlighting tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves became a particular showpiece. Perdido has been recorded hundreds of times across big band and small group settings and remains one of the most enduring standards in the jazz repertoire.
