The short is basically Sir Duke performing his title composition in four parts: 1)The Laborers which has inserts of men putting bags down on the ground with the emphasis on the impact of the way the bags are dropped, 2) A Triangle: Dance, Jealousy, Blues-once again, inserts depict the steps that are described here with Billie Holliday singing about her man being gone in the last one, 3)A Hymn of Sorrow has men looking sad and praying, and 4)Harlem Rhythm simply shows people having a good time. The rest is just Ellington playing the piano with his own writing showing the titles. This was another great musical short on the Kino Video DVD named "Hollywood Rhythm Vol. 1: The Best of Jazz and Blues".