Composed by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard, with lyrics by Kenneth Casey, Sweet Georgia Brown was first recorded on March 19, 1925, by bandleader Bernie, and quickly rose to the top of the radio charts, resulting in five weeks at number one for Ben Bernie and his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra.

It is said that Bernie came up with the lyrics to Sweet Georgia Brown (although he is not the credited lyricist) after meeting Dr. George Thaddeus Brown in New York City. Dr. Brown was a longtime member of the Georgia House of Representatives who told Bernie about his daughter, Georgia Brown, and how subsequent to her birth on August 11, 1911, the Georgia General Assembly had issued a declaration that she was to be named Georgia after the state. This anecdote would be directly referenced by the song's lyric: "Georgia claimed her – Georgia named her"

Sweet Georgia Brown has over 40 renditions recorded by artists from different genres and times. Some of the most notable being Bing Crosby rendition recorded on April 23, 1932, with Isham Jones and his Orchestra – this version of Sweet Georgia Brown reached No. 2 in the charts of the day.

The version most recognizable today is used by the Harlem Globetrotters. This rendition of Sweet Georgia Brown is a 1949 instrumental by Brother Bones and His Shadows with whistling and bones by Brother Bones. It was adopted as the Globetrotters theme in 1952.

Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers recorded it twice, while The Beatles, with Roy Young, as a backup band recorded Sweet Georgia Brown again for Tony Sheridan on May 24, 1962, This recording was rereleased as a single in 1964 during the wave of Beatlemania with Sheridan having re-recorded the vocals with tamer lyrics and the additional verse: "In Liverpool she even dares/to criticize the Beatles' hair/With their whole fan-club standing there/oh Sweet Georgia Brown".

Roberta Flack recorded "Sweet Georgia Brown" for her 1994 album Roberta. As Flack feared the song might be perceived as demeaning to women, her version featured newly-added lyrics – written by Flack herself with her producers, this rendition is meant to establish Georgia Brown as "a strong woman who is gorgeous, sexy, strong and intelligent.” Among the other renditions are artists like Cab Calloway, Coleman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Burnett, Nancy Sinatra, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mel Brooks, and A Tribe Called Quest - proving that everyone, across time and genres, loves a little Sweet Georgia Brown!