Welcome to SongsAndMemories.com
YOUR HIT PARADE
RADIO AND TV
1935-1949
To go directly to a year, click on one below.
To read about the social setting for each year, click on this link and type in the year.
THE SHOW BEGINS ON
SATURDAY NIGHT RADIO
(Please note: we utilize no single source of music chart history because no two sources are in agreement in most instances, especially when compiling lists of top hits for a single year as opposed to a single week. We, therefore, use a composite of many lists which include everything from air play to sheet music sales, as well as record plays and jukebox hits. Where available, of course, we have used the original YOUR HIT PARADE listings.)
1935
THE TOP 15 SONGS OF THE YEAR
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HITS FROM BROADWAY
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1936
THE TOP 20 SONGS OF 1936:
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HITS FROM BROADWAY
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1937
THE TOP SONGS
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HITS FROM BROADWAY
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1938
OTHER POPULAR SONGS FROM 1938:
"UMBRELLA MAN" Sammy Kaye and his Orchestra
"LOVE WALKED IN" Kenny Baker
"CATHEDRAL IN THE PINES" Shep Fields
"SAVE MY HEART" Red Norvo
"PLEASE BE KIND" Red Norvo
"BOOGIE WOOGIE" Tommy Dorsey
"MUSIC, MAESTRO, PLEASE" Tommy Dorsey
"STOMPIN AT THE SAVOY" Benny Goodman Orch
"JUMPIN AT THE WOODSIDE" Count Basie Orch
"BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA" Bob Crosby & Bobcats
"TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE" Fats Waller
"I LET A SONG GO
OUT OF MY HEART" Duke Ellington
"I'M GONNA LOCK MY HEART" Billie Holiday
"I GOT RHYTHM" Benny Goodman Quartet
"THEY SAY" Artie Shaw (Helen Forrest)
"FLAT FOOT FLOOGEE" Mills Bros & Louis Armstrong
"WABASH CANNONBALL" Roy Acuff
"YOU'RE A SWEETHEART" Dolly Dawn
'I HADN'T ANYONE TILL YOU" Connie Boswell
1939
SOURCES ALL AGREED FOR THIS YEAR ON WHAT WERE THE TOP 20 SONGS
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SOME OF THE OTHER POPULAR SONGS IN 1939 BUT NOT IN THE TOP 20:
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1940
OTHER BIG SONG HITS FROM 1940:
"ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE" Tommy Dorsey
"DO YOU CARE" Bob Crosby
"CARELESS" Glenn Miller
"IMAGINATION" Glenn Miller
"FOOLS RUSH IN" Glenn Miller
Frank Sinatra
"SAY SI, SI" Andrews Sisters
"PENNSYLVANIA 6-5000" Glenn Miller
"RUG CUTTER'S SWING" Glenn Miller
"MAYBE" Bing Crosby, The Ink Spots
"DOWN ARGENTINE WAY" Bob Crosby
"INDIAN SUMMER" Tommy Dorsey
"SAY IT OVER AGAIN" Tommy Dorsey with
Frank Sinatra
"MA, HE'S MAKIN EYES AT ME" Dick Robertson
"OH, JOHNNY, OH" Little Bonnie Baker
"JAVA JIVE" The Ink Spots
"I'M NOBODY'S BABY" Judy Garland
Benny Goodman
"DARN THAT DREAM" Benny Goodman
"ON THE ISLE OF MAY" Connee Boswell
"PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT" Billie Holiday
"THE STARLIT HOUR" Ella Fitzgerald
"WITH THE WIND AND
THE RAIN IN YOUR HAIR" Stan Kenton
"DON'T GET AROUND MUCH
ANYMORE" Duke Ellington
"PLAYMATES" Kay Kyser
"YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE" Jimmie Davis
"THE LAST TIME" Louis Armstrong
1941
WHERE POSSIBLE SONGS ARE LINKED
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TOP HITS
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THERE WERE NO IMPORTANT HITS FROM BROADWAY IN 1941
1942 THE WORLD WAR II YEARS
50 SONGS TOPPED THE CHARTS: SEE THE LIST BELOW
(where more than one artist is listed, there was equal play
time on each version; all listed artists had hit versions. In
some cases, we offer more than one version-when that
happens click on the artist rather than the song title)
THE TOP 25 SONGS
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# 26 THROUGH # 50
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THE TOP 10 FROM 1942 (ANOTHER SURVEY...)
CASTLE FILMS: "NEWS REEL....1942"
1943 DURING WORLD WAR II
Popular Songs 1943
(sources seldom agree on order)
1. Paper Doll - Mills Brothers
2. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' - Bing Crosby
3. As Time Goes By - Rudy Vallee
4. Oklahoma! - Alfred Drake
5. I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James with Helen Forrest
6. Sentimental Lady - Duke Ellington
7. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - The Ink Spots
8. That Old Black Magic - Glenn Miller
9. Stormy Weather - Lena Horne
10. Taking a Chance on Love - Benny Goodman with Helen Forrest
11. Sunday, Monday or Always - Bing Crosby
12. Comin In on a Wing and a Prayer - The Song Spinners
13. There Are Such Things - Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra
14. You'll Never Know - Dick Haymes
15. Pistol Packin' Mama - Al Dexter & His Troops
16. I Had The Craziest Dream - Harry James with Helen Forrest
17. In the Blue of the Evening - Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra
18. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart - Judy Garland
19. Boogie Woogie - Tommy Dorsey
20. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home to - Dinah Shore
21. Two O'Clock Jump - Harry James
22. Juke Box Saturday Night - Glenn Miller
23. When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World) - Vaughn Monroe
24. People Will Say We're in Love - Bing Crosby/Trudy Irwin
25. Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition - Kay Kyser
26. You'll Never Know - Frank Sinatra
27. Artistry In Rhythm - Stan Kenton
28. There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere - Jimmy Wakely
29. Don't Cry, Baby - Erskine Hawkins
30. Perdido - Duke Ellington
31. People Will Say We're in Love - Frank Sinatra
32. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Duke Ellington
33. Let's Get Lost - Vaughn Monroe
34. Mister Five By Five - Harry James
35. Moonlight Becomes You - Bing Crosby
36. All for You - King Cole Trio
37. Why Don't You Do Right - by Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee
38. I'm Old Fashioned - Fred Astaire
39. Brazil - Xavier Cugat
40. Shoo-Shoo Baby - Ella Mae Morse
You may notice that the list above doesn't quite agree with other lists you've seen; that's because it takes many more facts into consideration, along with a few intangibles. For example, Bing Crosby's Oh! What a Beautiful Morning scores higher on this list than his #1 hit Sunday, Monday or Always. It was obviously a bigger song at the time, yet the song from Oklahoma is a standard known to young and old alike almost 70 years later. As trends change, as old standards are slotted into new movie soundtracks, this list can change with those trends. For example, a resurgence in Mills Brothers popularity, and the continued popularity of Paper Doll have returned it to its rightful place at the top of 1943.
In 1943 the music may have been "Swing," but the charts were ruled by Bing, and not Glenn Miller, who was now serving in the US Army.
One song not even listed here is White Christmas, which held the top spot for two weeks in January, and then returned to popularity again in December, where it stood at the top of the airplay charts for a while. So why isn't it listed here? With all but a few exceptions, songs are only listed in one year -- Paper Doll was a hit well into 1944, for example -- and with the sustained popularity of White Christmas, it could be listed in most of the years from 1942-1955 on. However, as you'll see below, there's always an exception...
The news this year, again, was the musician's strike, which began in August 1942. The American Federation of Musicians felt they were being cheated on royalties. The strike forced record companies to record without orchestral backups, hence vocal groups were used to mimic a band sound. It also led the record companies to release earlier recordings that were previously thought to be sub-par, as well as to reissue records from their back catalogue. Some records on the store shelves in 1943 were recordings from as far back as the mid-1920s. One such song, As Time Goes By , dated back to the early 1930s, and was re-released to coincide with the popularity of the hit movie Casablanca, which featured the song. So indeed, Rudy Vallee's recording appears in top lists more than one time.
The strike was to work wonders for The Mills Brothers and The Ink Spots, who could replicate orchestral sounds very well vocally. In the case of the Mills Brothers, one of whom played guitar, the strings added a nice counterpoint to the vocals.
The first company to settle with the union was Decca Records, who happened to have the brothers Dorsey, the brothers Crosby, and the brothers Mills under contract. A quick look at the chart shows that those acts account for a fifth of the songs listed.
The other big story in 1943 was a little Broadway musical called
Oklahoma. None of the songs hit the top of the charts, but the sustained
popularity of this timeless show puts two of them in the top five. Most of the songs were released in a box set by -- surprise -- Decca Records. It was Decca Album No. 359 and contained six double-sided 78's. It was one of the first original soundtracks packaged as a multi-song set, and the recordings are still available today on MCA, scion of the original label.
1943: world wide events (click to link)
(sources seldom agree on order)
1. Paper Doll - Mills Brothers
2. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' - Bing Crosby
3. As Time Goes By - Rudy Vallee
4. Oklahoma! - Alfred Drake
5. I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James with Helen Forrest
6. Sentimental Lady - Duke Ellington
7. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - The Ink Spots
8. That Old Black Magic - Glenn Miller
9. Stormy Weather - Lena Horne
10. Taking a Chance on Love - Benny Goodman with Helen Forrest
11. Sunday, Monday or Always - Bing Crosby
12. Comin In on a Wing and a Prayer - The Song Spinners
13. There Are Such Things - Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra
14. You'll Never Know - Dick Haymes
15. Pistol Packin' Mama - Al Dexter & His Troops
16. I Had The Craziest Dream - Harry James with Helen Forrest
17. In the Blue of the Evening - Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra
18. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart - Judy Garland
19. Boogie Woogie - Tommy Dorsey
20. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home to - Dinah Shore
21. Two O'Clock Jump - Harry James
22. Juke Box Saturday Night - Glenn Miller
23. When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World) - Vaughn Monroe
24. People Will Say We're in Love - Bing Crosby/Trudy Irwin
25. Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition - Kay Kyser
26. You'll Never Know - Frank Sinatra
27. Artistry In Rhythm - Stan Kenton
28. There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere - Jimmy Wakely
29. Don't Cry, Baby - Erskine Hawkins
30. Perdido - Duke Ellington
31. People Will Say We're in Love - Frank Sinatra
32. Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Duke Ellington
33. Let's Get Lost - Vaughn Monroe
34. Mister Five By Five - Harry James
35. Moonlight Becomes You - Bing Crosby
36. All for You - King Cole Trio
37. Why Don't You Do Right - by Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee
38. I'm Old Fashioned - Fred Astaire
39. Brazil - Xavier Cugat
40. Shoo-Shoo Baby - Ella Mae Morse
You may notice that the list above doesn't quite agree with other lists you've seen; that's because it takes many more facts into consideration, along with a few intangibles. For example, Bing Crosby's Oh! What a Beautiful Morning scores higher on this list than his #1 hit Sunday, Monday or Always. It was obviously a bigger song at the time, yet the song from Oklahoma is a standard known to young and old alike almost 70 years later. As trends change, as old standards are slotted into new movie soundtracks, this list can change with those trends. For example, a resurgence in Mills Brothers popularity, and the continued popularity of Paper Doll have returned it to its rightful place at the top of 1943.
In 1943 the music may have been "Swing," but the charts were ruled by Bing, and not Glenn Miller, who was now serving in the US Army.
One song not even listed here is White Christmas, which held the top spot for two weeks in January, and then returned to popularity again in December, where it stood at the top of the airplay charts for a while. So why isn't it listed here? With all but a few exceptions, songs are only listed in one year -- Paper Doll was a hit well into 1944, for example -- and with the sustained popularity of White Christmas, it could be listed in most of the years from 1942-1955 on. However, as you'll see below, there's always an exception...
The news this year, again, was the musician's strike, which began in August 1942. The American Federation of Musicians felt they were being cheated on royalties. The strike forced record companies to record without orchestral backups, hence vocal groups were used to mimic a band sound. It also led the record companies to release earlier recordings that were previously thought to be sub-par, as well as to reissue records from their back catalogue. Some records on the store shelves in 1943 were recordings from as far back as the mid-1920s. One such song, As Time Goes By , dated back to the early 1930s, and was re-released to coincide with the popularity of the hit movie Casablanca, which featured the song. So indeed, Rudy Vallee's recording appears in top lists more than one time.
The strike was to work wonders for The Mills Brothers and The Ink Spots, who could replicate orchestral sounds very well vocally. In the case of the Mills Brothers, one of whom played guitar, the strings added a nice counterpoint to the vocals.
The first company to settle with the union was Decca Records, who happened to have the brothers Dorsey, the brothers Crosby, and the brothers Mills under contract. A quick look at the chart shows that those acts account for a fifth of the songs listed.
The other big story in 1943 was a little Broadway musical called
Oklahoma. None of the songs hit the top of the charts, but the sustained
popularity of this timeless show puts two of them in the top five. Most of the songs were released in a box set by -- surprise -- Decca Records. It was Decca Album No. 359 and contained six double-sided 78's. It was one of the first original soundtracks packaged as a multi-song set, and the recordings are still available today on MCA, scion of the original label.
1943: world wide events (click to link)
1944: STILL AT WAR
(NO MORE GLENN MILLER ON THE CHARTS!)
In 1944, as in previous years, Bing Crosby ruled the charts. Seven of his songs topped the hit parade, and a case could be made for several others. Ask most people who was the biggest singing star of the 1940s, and the universal answer is Frank Sinatra. Ol' Blue Eyes had his hits, to be sure, and his mere presence created near-riot situations around the country. But it was Der Bingle who ruled the charts. Sinatra was the "Elvis" of his day, except he didn't garner nearly as many number one records as Presley would a dozen years later.
Two unlikely groups also defined the decade. First one that comes to mind is The Andrews Sisters. Their vocal style and all-American spirit worked perfectly during the war years. They were just as comfortable fronting Glenn Miller as Desi Arnaz, working a song with Abbott & Costello or Guy Lombardo. They worked with bandleader Bob Crosby and then went on to record 47 songs with his brother, the aforementioned Bing. Of those 47 songs, 23 made it to the charts. A lot of sister vocal teams have followed, but none have come close to Maxene, Patty, and LaVerne.
The other vocal group to dominate the decade was The Mills Brothers. Although not nearly as ubiquitous as the Andrews Sisters, their run was impressive mainly because they were a "comeback" group. In the early 1930s John Mills Jr., Herbert Mills, Harry Mills, and Donald Mills had a string of hits working America's most popular radio show with Rudy Vallee. They had numerous film appearances, and amazed listeners with their talent for making "four boys and a guitar" sound as if an entire band were playing. By 1934, The Mills Brothers became the first African-Americans to give a command performance before British royalty. In 1939 they returned to Europe, and toured South America as well. The group didn't return to the USA until late 1941, and found that their place had been usurped by The Ink Spots. The Mills boys roared back with a vengeance in 1943 with Paper Doll, which spilled over into the first four weeks of January 1944 at the #1 spot on the charts. The Ink Spots were a great vocal group, but their top recordings aren't nearly as easy to listen to today as those by The Mills Brothers, which have stood the test of time.
It's interesting how certain songs are charted by one artist, then become synonymous with another act. Such is the case with Crosby's I'll Be Seeing You, which hit #1 in July 1944. It did a brief shuffle at the top with Harry James' I'll Get By, then stayed at the top until Bing knocked himself out with Swinging On a Star. Bing's run at the top actually began on May 6th, and held the top spot with three songs until the first week of October, with the exception of four weeks that James was #1. Anyway, the point is that I'll Be Seeing You was a huge sentimental hit in a country slugging it out in Europe and the Pacific. But for all of Bing's success in 1944, the song became better known for being associated with Liberace, who embraced it as a sort of theme song. Today even those old enough to remember Bing's version need to be reminded that it was Crosby -- not Liberace -- who made the song a hit.
It was also in 1944 that Les Brown and his Band of Renown were beginning to make a name for themselves with the addition of canary Doris Day on the vocal leads. While their major mark would not come until the next year (with 2 songs in the Top Ten), their covers of various Hit Parade songs were widely played.
THE HIT PARADE HONOR ROLL OF FAME FOR 1944:
1. Swinging On A Star - Bing Crosby /Les Brown & Doris Day
2. Trolley Song - Judy Garland
3. Besame Mucho - Jimmy Dorsey (Kitty Kallen/Bob Eberly)
4. You Always Hurt The One You Love - Mills Brothers
5. Mairzy Doates - Merry Macs
6. I'll Be Seeing You - Bing Crosby
7. Twilight Time - Les Brown
8. It's Love-Love-Love - Guy Lombardo
9. My Heart Tells Me - Glen Gray
10. I Love You - Bing Crosby
11. I'll Walk Alone - Dinah Shore
12. I'm Making Believe - Ella Fitzgerald & Ink Spots
Les Brown & Doris Day
13. Straighten Up And Fly Right - The King Cole Trio
14. Til Then - The Mills Brothers
15. I'll Get By - Harry James & Dick Haymes
16. Long Ago and Far Away - Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest
Bing Crosby/ Rita Hayworth & Gene Kelly /Jo Stafford
Les Brown and Doris Day (most covered song of year)
17. Amor - Andy Russell / Bing Crosby
18. G.I. Jive - Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five
20. Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night of the Week -
Harry James & Frank Sinatra/ Les Brown & Doris Day
21. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall - Ella Fitzgerald & Ink Spots
22. I 'm Lost - Benny Carter
23. Main Stem - Duke Ellington
24. Cow-Cow Boogie - Ink Spots & Ella Fitzgerald/Ella Mae Morse
25. It's Love, Love, Love - Guy Lombardo Orchestra
26. Rum And Coca Cola - Andrews Sisters (charted two yrs)
27. And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine - Stan Kenton
28. Cherry - Harry James
29. Shoo-Shoo Baby - Andrews Sisters
30. Hamp's Boogie Woogie - Lionel Hampton
31. San Fernando Valley - Bing Crosby
32. Don't Sweetheart Me - Lawrence Welk
33. A Hot Time In the Town of Berlin - Bing Crosby &
the Andrews Sisters
34. It Had To Be You - Dick Haymes and Helen Forrest
35. Time Waits For No One - Helen Forrest
35. It Could Happen To You - Jo Stafford/Les Brown & Doris Day
1945
THE END OF WORLD WAR II/ LES BROWN AND DORIS DAY MAKE IT BIG
Les Brown/Doris Day
In 1945, as in previous years, Bing Crosby ruled the charts. He was so popular that even hits that weren't his...became his. It's Been a Long, Long Time is one such song that best exemplifies this; seldom would a record competing as a cover of chart toppers also become a chart topper, but Der Bingle managed to do it for a week in December by knocking the Harry James/Kitty Kallen version off the top spot. Crosby's version -- with a memorable guitar by Les Paul -- is actually thought to be the "original" by many listeners.
That being said, not one, but two singers that would define the word "vocalist" for the next few decades had their first number one hits in 1945. Both were monster hits, although they've faded a bit with the passage of time. Working as lead female vocalist for Les Brown and his Band of Renown, Doris Day had her first #1 hit in early April of 1945 with My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time. That song was knocked out of the top spot by Doris' second number one -- and better remembered -- Sentimental Journey, also fronting Les Brown. And that song became not only the biggest hit of 1945, but also one of the most popular standard tunes of the decade and one of the most popular songs of the entire 20th Century. It came at the end of World War II and was a perfect anthemn to end the war and bring home the soldiers. In 1945 and 1946, Doris and Les were the most popular big band entertainers in the world and had literally scads of charted hit recordings.
That being said, not one, but two singers that would define the word "vocalist" for the next few decades had their first number one hits in 1945. Both were monster hits, although they've faded a bit with the passage of time. Working as lead female vocalist for Les Brown and his Band of Renown, Doris Day had her first #1 hit in early April of 1945 with My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time. That song was knocked out of the top spot by Doris' second number one -- and better remembered -- Sentimental Journey, also fronting Les Brown. And that song became not only the biggest hit of 1945, but also one of the most popular standard tunes of the decade and one of the most popular songs of the entire 20th Century. It came at the end of World War II and was a perfect anthemn to end the war and bring home the soldiers. In 1945 and 1946, Doris and Les were the most popular big band entertainers in the world and had literally scads of charted hit recordings.
Doris Day & Perry Como
on Tv Special 1971
The other first #1 was Perry Como's Til the End of Time. Como had been a mildly popular vocalist with Ted Weems' orchestra in the 1930s, but was headed back to his barbershop by the early 1940s. In 1942 he was approached to hostThe Chesterfield Theatre radio program, and by 1945 was a household name when he hit the top of the charts. So when regular listeners
were told that it was Como's first, they thought it was some sort of mistake. The song was a huge hit at the time, but today it's somewhat questionable whether Como's Temptation might be as well remembered...and that song only peaked at #15. The irony is that while Como was enjoying his time in the #1 spot, Les Brown and Doris Day also had a version of the tune which sat comfortably in the #3 slot. Whatever the case may be, the singing barber would rack up a total of 14 #1 songs over the next 14 years. Doris Day went on to have nearly that number, but unfortunately is better remembered for her big
movie career, which overshadowed her just as good tenure as a songstress.
The Andrews Sisters Rum and Coca Cola created something of a real
firestorm in 1945. It started as a calypso song from Trinidad, commenting on how American sailors drank rum and coke, and then used their American bankrolls to attract (or purchase) the local women. It may not have been the first song to mention a brand name, or drinking, or hint at the idea of prostitution. But it was certainly the first to do all three at once, and was banned by a majority of network radio stations. According to Patty Andrews, "We had a recording date...we had some extra time and we just threw it in, and that was the miracle of it. It was actually a truly faked arrangement." Sister Maxine once said, "We never thought of the lyric...it was cute, but we didn't think of what it meant." The banned, cute, faked arrangement became one of the top 10 best selling records of the decade.
were told that it was Como's first, they thought it was some sort of mistake. The song was a huge hit at the time, but today it's somewhat questionable whether Como's Temptation might be as well remembered...and that song only peaked at #15. The irony is that while Como was enjoying his time in the #1 spot, Les Brown and Doris Day also had a version of the tune which sat comfortably in the #3 slot. Whatever the case may be, the singing barber would rack up a total of 14 #1 songs over the next 14 years. Doris Day went on to have nearly that number, but unfortunately is better remembered for her big
movie career, which overshadowed her just as good tenure as a songstress.
The Andrews Sisters Rum and Coca Cola created something of a real
firestorm in 1945. It started as a calypso song from Trinidad, commenting on how American sailors drank rum and coke, and then used their American bankrolls to attract (or purchase) the local women. It may not have been the first song to mention a brand name, or drinking, or hint at the idea of prostitution. But it was certainly the first to do all three at once, and was banned by a majority of network radio stations. According to Patty Andrews, "We had a recording date...we had some extra time and we just threw it in, and that was the miracle of it. It was actually a truly faked arrangement." Sister Maxine once said, "We never thought of the lyric...it was cute, but we didn't think of what it meant." The banned, cute, faked arrangement became one of the top 10 best selling records of the decade.
THE TOP 40 HIT PARADE SONGS OF 1945
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THE BIG SHOW ON BROADWAY WAS ONE OF RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S ALL TIME MOST POPULAR MUSICALS, "CAROUSEL"
THE BIG MOVIE MUSICALS WERE:
"ANCHORS AWEIGH" "THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S"
"THE DOLLY SISTERS" "STATE FAIR"
"THE STORK CLUB" "THRILL OF A ROMANCE"
1946: WORLD WAR II ENDS/ THE VOCALISTS BEGIN TO TAKE OVER
THE TOP OF THE MUSIC CHARTS
Betty Hutton in "Stork Club"
With the death of Glenn Miller and the Musician's Strike, big bands were beginning to reverse the order. It used to be THE BAND with (vocal chorus by.....). Singers like Doris Day and Peggy Lee now became the major focus, and the band became a backdrop. Some band leaders managed to hang on for a year or two (especially Les Brown) but by the time 1950 rolled around, there were few in sight.
1946 saw the biggest vocal hit of the multi-talented Betty Hutton's career, Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief. Never a great vocalist in the class of a Dinah Shore or even Doris Day, Hutton still managed to lend an infectious sound to go along with her stunning good looks. Her next closest thing to a big hit was probably A Bushel and a Peck, a duet with Perry Como that charted nicely in 1950 (with stiff competition from Doris Day as a single).
This was the year in which the charts were dominated by three major male vocalists, two of which would continue to dominate for many years. Perry Como, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby literally owned the majority of the hit records.
1946 saw the biggest vocal hit of the multi-talented Betty Hutton's career, Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief. Never a great vocalist in the class of a Dinah Shore or even Doris Day, Hutton still managed to lend an infectious sound to go along with her stunning good looks. Her next closest thing to a big hit was probably A Bushel and a Peck, a duet with Perry Como that charted nicely in 1950 (with stiff competition from Doris Day as a single).
This was the year in which the charts were dominated by three major male vocalists, two of which would continue to dominate for many years. Perry Como, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby literally owned the majority of the hit records.
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Seldom has a song enjoyed such a meteoric rise as did "To Each His Own" in the Summer of 1946. The recording by Eddy Howard, on Majestic Records first hit the Billboard magazine charts on July 11, spent 19 weeks on the chart, five of those at #1. Within a month, RCA rushed out a competing version by Freddy Martin and his Martinmen, which added insult to injury by knocking Howard off the top spot. It lasted a dozen weeks on the charts, two at the top. The American public had a brief respite from To Each His Own when Frank Sinatra knocked Martin out with Five Minutes More. But the song just wouldn't die, as a version by Decca's The Ink Spots claimed the top spot. Sinatra jumped back a week later, then was edged out again by To Each His Own when Eddy Howard's original roared back for two more weeks. But America wanted more! Mercury rushed out a version by Tony Martin, which spent three months on the charts and reached #4. Columbia would not be outdone, selling a female lead by Paula Kelly with the Modernaires. That spent six weeks on the charts and reached #5.
And yet, it was not the #1 song of the year. That kudo goes to Perry Como for "Prisoner of Love" which was closely followed by "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" by Vaughn Monroe. Sinatra and Bing claimed their spots in the top ten with "Five Minutes More" and "I Can't Begin To Tell You", respectively.
The Single Female Artists ( not connected to a band at the time) with the most charted hits were Dinah Shore and Margaret Whiting. Peggy Lee and Doris Day were represented but still only as featured singers with an orchestra (Benny Goodman and Les Brown.)
1946 THE TOP TWENTY
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THE SECOND TOP TWENTY
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OTHER SONGS FROM 1946 WHICH WERE EXTREMELY POPULAR ON THE RADIO AND ON JUKEBOXES
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THE TOP MOVIE MUSICALS
1. WALT DISNEY'S, "SONG OF THE SOUTH"
2. "BLUE SKIES" BING CROSBY & FRED ASTAIRE
3. "TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY" BIG STAR EXTRAVAGANZA
4. "ROAD TO UTOPIA" BOB HOPE, BING CROSBY, DOROTHY LAMOUR
THE TOP BROADWAY MUSICALS
1. Ethel Merman in "ANNIE GET YOUR GUN"
2. COLE PORTER'S "CALL ME MISTER"
1947 A YEAR OF GREAT DIVERSIONS AND THE RISE OF THE NOW POPULAR SINGING VOCALISTS
Buddy Tops The Hit Charts
1947 was one of the last years that saw the influence of the "big band" in pop music. They would hold on for a few more, but the vocalist was usually firmly placed at the top of the charts. Among the recordings on the chart below, only Count Basie was an act totally in the big band mode -- although Basie could've charted that record with any cast of musicians he might choose; Basie's orchestra was the sound he wanted, which is the only reason he maintained a big band act. The other 14 top songs were all known now by the vocalist, not the bandleader.
Near You is one of the all-time #1 songs of the 1940's, having spent 16 weeks at the top spot. "The Anniversary Song" (the most covered song of the year) and "Linda" (which established Buddy Clark as an important vocalist) could alternate in any of the Top 3 Positions, all were equally popular. (A case could also be made for "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, even though it was originally released in 1941. He re-recorded it in 1947, and it has topped the charts every Christmas Season ever since. That said, we do not include it as one of the top songs for 1947.) As for the songs themselves and their place in history, you could probably shuffle the list of songs in any order you'd like, and it would still make sense. A case could be made for any one of them...1947 is one of the greatest hit- producing years in the history of American popular song up until that time.
Near You is one of the all-time #1 songs of the 1940's, having spent 16 weeks at the top spot. "The Anniversary Song" (the most covered song of the year) and "Linda" (which established Buddy Clark as an important vocalist) could alternate in any of the Top 3 Positions, all were equally popular. (A case could also be made for "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, even though it was originally released in 1941. He re-recorded it in 1947, and it has topped the charts every Christmas Season ever since. That said, we do not include it as one of the top songs for 1947.) As for the songs themselves and their place in history, you could probably shuffle the list of songs in any order you'd like, and it would still make sense. A case could be made for any one of them...1947 is one of the greatest hit- producing years in the history of American popular song up until that time.
THE TOP 20 SONGS (IN NO SPECIFIC ORDER)
(ONLY THE BIGGEST VERSIONS ARE LINKED TO THE SONG
CLICK ON THE ARTIST NAME IN A DIFFERENT COLOR)
1. LINDA BUDDY CLARK
2. THE ANNIVERSARY SONG
AL JOLSON TEX BENEKE W/GLENN MILLER ORK
GUY LOMBARDO DINAH SHORE ANDY RUSSELL
3. NEAR YOU FRANCIS CRAIG
ALSO THE ANDREWS SISTERS LARRY GREEN
4. HEARTACHES TED WEEMS
4. I WISH I DIDN'T LOVE YOU SO
VAUGHN MONROE DINAH SHORE BETTY HUTTON
DICK HAYMES DICK FARNEY
5. PEG 'O MY HEART
THE HARMONICATS BUDDY CLARK
THE THREE SONS ART LUND
6. SMOKE, SMOKE, SMOKE (THAT CIGARETTE)
TEX WILLIAMS
7. MANAGUA, NICARAGUA
FREDDY MARTIN
8. THE OLD LAMPLIGHTER SAMMY KAYE
9. (I LOVE YOU) FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS
NAT KING COLE TRIO CHARLIE SPIVAK EDDY HOWARD
DINAH SHORE ELLA FITZGERALD ART KASSEL
10. OPEN THE DOOR, RICHARD COUNT BASIE
11. BALLERINA (DANCE, BALLERINA, DANCE)
VAUGHN MONROE BUDDY CLARK
BING CROSBY JIMMY DORSEY
12. MAM'SELLE
ART LUND FRANK SINATRA DICK HAYMES RAY DOREY
PIED PIPERS DENNIS DAY FRANKIE LAINE
13. WHEN YOU WERE SWEET SIXTEEN
PERRY COMO
14. CHI-BABA CHI-BABA PERRY COMO
15. ALWAYS FRANK SINATRA
16. TOO FAT POLKA ARTHUR GODFREY
17. HUGGIN' AND CHALKIN' HOAGY CARMICHAEL
18. CIVILIZATION
DANNY KAYE & THE ANDREWS SISTERS
19. ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM THE ALAMO
THE MILLS BROTHERS (unavilable/here is the song)
20. THE WHIFFENPOOF SONG BING CROSBY
20. THAT'S MY DESIRE FRANKIE LAINE
OTHER POPULAR VERSIONS
SAMMY KAYE MARTHA TILTON WOODY HERMAN
(THE SONG STARTED ITS JOURNEY IN '46)
OTHER POPULAR SONGS FROM 1947 INCLUDED THESE:
HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA MAKE BELIEVE YOU DO
BUT BEAUTIFUL SINCERELY YOURS FEUDIN' AND FIGHTIN'
TOP MOVIE MUSICALS OF 1947
"MOTHER WORE TIGHTS" starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey
"ROAD TO RIO" starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour
"THE SHOCKING MISS PILGRIM" with Betty Grable and Dick Haymes
THE BIG MUSICALS ON THE GREAT WHITE WAY (BROADWAY)
IT WAS A YEAR OF ALL TIME CLASSICS!!!!
"ANNIE GET YOUR GUN"
"BRIGADOON"
"FINIAN'S RAINBOW"
"HIGH BUTTON SHOES"
"OKLAHOMA"
IN 1947, FRANK SINATRA & DORIS DAY CO-STARRED ON "YOUR HIT PARADE"
HERE, THEY SING SOME OF THE TOP SONGS FROM THE POPULAR SHOW
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MUSICAL MOVIES IN 1947: THERE WAS A BONANZA OF MOVIES IN THIS YEAR, INCLUDING SOME OF THE FOLLOWING:
"GOOD NEWS" "MOTHER WORE TIGHTS" "ROAD TO RIO"
"THE PERILS OF PAULINE" "IT HAPPENED IN BROOKLYN"
"LITTLE MISS BROADWAY" "THE FABULOUS DORSEYS"
"THE SHOCKING MISS PILGRIM" and
"I WONDER WHO'S KISSING HER NOW"
BROADWAY MUSICALS WERE ALSO IN GREAT ABUNDANCE, INCLUDING ONE OF THE MOST LANDMARK BROADWAY SHOWS OF ALL TIME,
"OKLAHOMA"
OTHER BIG BROADWAY MUSICALS THS YEAR INCLUDED:
"ANNIE GET YOUR GUN" "BRIGADOON"
"ALLEGRO" "FINIAN'S RAINBOW"
"HIGH BUTTON SHOES"
1948
Buddy Clark,Doris Day on Top!
Buddy Clark continued to make a mark on the music world in 1948, but Doris Day was right up there with him, either singing Top Ten Duets or as individual single hit sellers. Doris' first movie, "Romance on the High Seas" got her several top records including an Oscar Nomination for Best Song, "It's Magic". Together, they really dominated the Music Charts and the National Jukeboxes.
The biggest story of course in 1948 occurred when Musician's Union boss James Petrillo called for another strike. After a powerful strike in 1942, the Union received a better royalties deal. But with the rise of television, Petrillo felt that performances would be broadcast around the country, and the musicians would again be shortchanged. The strike resulted in hugely popular acapella recordings, and a search for groups that could harmonize and replicate musical sounds on record. The "oooh ooh wooo wooo" of the popular Mills Brothers fit this perfectly; their hit I Love You So Much (It Hurts Me) didn't even need the permitted guitar in the background. In fact most people need to be told first, then listen closely to this tune to realize that there are no instruments! Another hit in this manner was The Ink Spots' You Were Only Fooling. This also kick-started the career of the Ames Brothers. Decca Records didn't really have a strong vocal group to match the Mills Brothers, so the Urick brothers from Massachusetts were brought in, renamed, and put to record.
Certain instruments were permitted, or could be played by the vocalist (the guitar on the Mills Brothers 1948 recordings, for example). Such was the sound of Art Mooney, who used everything but the kitchen sink to replace the prohibited instruments. I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover echoed the Dixieland sound, and lived on in shows, theme parks, skiffle bands, barbershop quartets -- you name it -- for over 20 years after 1948.
Many standard artists like Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Nat King Cole , Dinah Shore and Peggy Lee were lucky enough to have some songs resting on the shelves that could be released at this time because they had been recorded before the strike occurred. Such was also the case with the most popular singers of the year (Clark and Day) who had recorded their songs before hand. Two songs battled for the Academy Award for Best Song in '48: "It's Magic" (Doris Day) and "Buttons and Bows" (Dinah Shore). The latter one won; no one could ever figure out why. ("Oscar" has rarely been known for good taste or common sense.)
Most sources agree that the following are the top songs of the year; None of them agree on the order. So, here are the songs that made a mark on the 1948 Hit Parade. Often, there were two or three versions of the same tune in the top ten at the same time. (For the purposes of our listing, we include them together.)
LOVE SOMEBOY/CONFESS DORIS DAY & BUDDY CLARK a million selling double-barrelled hit. Patti Page also had a hit with "Confess".
BALLERINA On this one, there was a choice between BUDDY CLARK, VAUGHAN MONROE and NAT KING COLE. All were popular versions, among several others that charted as well.
IT'S MAGIC/PUT 'EM IN A BOX DORIS DAY The ballad hit from the film "Romance on the High Seas" was the bigger side, but both were popular songs from the movie, and listeners enjoyed both sides, especially on the country's jukeboxes.
I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR LEAF CLOVER ART MOONEY There were other versions of the song but no one outdistanced this one.
MANANA/GOLDEN EARRINGS PEGGY LEE Miss Lee was very strong on the charts with these two songs, with little competition.
Margaret Whiting had 3 songs that rocked the charts in '48, the most popular of which was A TREE IN THE MEADOW. The other two had strong competition. They were: NOW IS THE HOUR and FAR AWAY PLACES. Other big recordings of "Now is the Hour" came from Bing Crosby , Guy Lombardo and Gracie Fields. On "Far Away Places", it was Mr. Crosby, once again.
"I'LL DANCE AT YOUR WEDDING" A toss-up on this one. Buddy Clark and Peggy Lee both had super hits on this song. You take your choice.
"NATURE BOY" NAT KING COLE Many people sang it; no one really gave Nat any competition on this one.
"BUTTONS AND BOWS" DINAH SHORE This one came from a popular Bob Hope movie, but this is the version that took all the money and won the oscar for Best Song of 1948. Yes, debateable for sure. The version by Bob Hope & Jane Russell with cowboy, Roy Rogers, from the film, "Paleface", was pretty catchy.
"YOU CAN'T BE TRUE, DEAR" KEN GRIFFIN This was the top recording of the song, but there were hit versions by Dick Haymes and Vera Lynn as well.
"THE WOODY WOODPECKER SONG" KAY KYSER ORCHESTRA (VOCAL BY GLORIA WOOD). While the Kyser Organization had the big single chart hit, with kids it was the original Disney version on top.
"THE 12TH STREET RAG" PEE WEE HUNT He did not know it at the time, but Pee Wee's record has become a classic.
"BECAUSE" PERRY COMO No doubt Perry was very happy that RCA had this song in the vaults and waited till 1948 to release it. It became one of his all time biggest records.
"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH (IT HURTS ME) THE MILLS BROTHERS It takes two listens and someone to point it out before listeners hear the lack of instrumentation or rather the group themselves supplying what sounds like real instruments. Talk about talent! That is one way to avert the strike!
"YOU CALL EVERYBODY DARLING" The big hit on this #1 song was by AL TRACE and his orchestra. Click on the audio file below:
The biggest story of course in 1948 occurred when Musician's Union boss James Petrillo called for another strike. After a powerful strike in 1942, the Union received a better royalties deal. But with the rise of television, Petrillo felt that performances would be broadcast around the country, and the musicians would again be shortchanged. The strike resulted in hugely popular acapella recordings, and a search for groups that could harmonize and replicate musical sounds on record. The "oooh ooh wooo wooo" of the popular Mills Brothers fit this perfectly; their hit I Love You So Much (It Hurts Me) didn't even need the permitted guitar in the background. In fact most people need to be told first, then listen closely to this tune to realize that there are no instruments! Another hit in this manner was The Ink Spots' You Were Only Fooling. This also kick-started the career of the Ames Brothers. Decca Records didn't really have a strong vocal group to match the Mills Brothers, so the Urick brothers from Massachusetts were brought in, renamed, and put to record.
Certain instruments were permitted, or could be played by the vocalist (the guitar on the Mills Brothers 1948 recordings, for example). Such was the sound of Art Mooney, who used everything but the kitchen sink to replace the prohibited instruments. I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover echoed the Dixieland sound, and lived on in shows, theme parks, skiffle bands, barbershop quartets -- you name it -- for over 20 years after 1948.
Many standard artists like Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Nat King Cole , Dinah Shore and Peggy Lee were lucky enough to have some songs resting on the shelves that could be released at this time because they had been recorded before the strike occurred. Such was also the case with the most popular singers of the year (Clark and Day) who had recorded their songs before hand. Two songs battled for the Academy Award for Best Song in '48: "It's Magic" (Doris Day) and "Buttons and Bows" (Dinah Shore). The latter one won; no one could ever figure out why. ("Oscar" has rarely been known for good taste or common sense.)
Most sources agree that the following are the top songs of the year; None of them agree on the order. So, here are the songs that made a mark on the 1948 Hit Parade. Often, there were two or three versions of the same tune in the top ten at the same time. (For the purposes of our listing, we include them together.)
LOVE SOMEBOY/CONFESS DORIS DAY & BUDDY CLARK a million selling double-barrelled hit. Patti Page also had a hit with "Confess".
BALLERINA On this one, there was a choice between BUDDY CLARK, VAUGHAN MONROE and NAT KING COLE. All were popular versions, among several others that charted as well.
IT'S MAGIC/PUT 'EM IN A BOX DORIS DAY The ballad hit from the film "Romance on the High Seas" was the bigger side, but both were popular songs from the movie, and listeners enjoyed both sides, especially on the country's jukeboxes.
I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR LEAF CLOVER ART MOONEY There were other versions of the song but no one outdistanced this one.
MANANA/GOLDEN EARRINGS PEGGY LEE Miss Lee was very strong on the charts with these two songs, with little competition.
Margaret Whiting had 3 songs that rocked the charts in '48, the most popular of which was A TREE IN THE MEADOW. The other two had strong competition. They were: NOW IS THE HOUR and FAR AWAY PLACES. Other big recordings of "Now is the Hour" came from Bing Crosby , Guy Lombardo and Gracie Fields. On "Far Away Places", it was Mr. Crosby, once again.
"I'LL DANCE AT YOUR WEDDING" A toss-up on this one. Buddy Clark and Peggy Lee both had super hits on this song. You take your choice.
"NATURE BOY" NAT KING COLE Many people sang it; no one really gave Nat any competition on this one.
"BUTTONS AND BOWS" DINAH SHORE This one came from a popular Bob Hope movie, but this is the version that took all the money and won the oscar for Best Song of 1948. Yes, debateable for sure. The version by Bob Hope & Jane Russell with cowboy, Roy Rogers, from the film, "Paleface", was pretty catchy.
"YOU CAN'T BE TRUE, DEAR" KEN GRIFFIN This was the top recording of the song, but there were hit versions by Dick Haymes and Vera Lynn as well.
"THE WOODY WOODPECKER SONG" KAY KYSER ORCHESTRA (VOCAL BY GLORIA WOOD). While the Kyser Organization had the big single chart hit, with kids it was the original Disney version on top.
"THE 12TH STREET RAG" PEE WEE HUNT He did not know it at the time, but Pee Wee's record has become a classic.
"BECAUSE" PERRY COMO No doubt Perry was very happy that RCA had this song in the vaults and waited till 1948 to release it. It became one of his all time biggest records.
"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH (IT HURTS ME) THE MILLS BROTHERS It takes two listens and someone to point it out before listeners hear the lack of instrumentation or rather the group themselves supplying what sounds like real instruments. Talk about talent! That is one way to avert the strike!
"YOU CALL EVERYBODY DARLING" The big hit on this #1 song was by AL TRACE and his orchestra. Click on the audio file below:
Other versions of the song were popular by JACK LATHROP and THE ANDREWS SISTERS.
"THE SABRE DANCE" WOODY HERMAN AND HIS HERD This is another of those great instrumentals that became a classic. No real competitors.
"MY HAPPINESS" JON AND SONDRA STEELE One of the all-time top songs to feature multiple, competing versions on the charts, this version bubbled just under the number one spot, stalling at #3. THE PIED PIPERS took their version to #4. Either probably would've made it if not for the competing versions. It's interesting to note that the highest chart position for this song was achieved by a Connie Francis version in 1959, which stopped at #2. A little more trivia: This is supposedly the first song Elvis ever recorded. Legend has it that he made a $4 acetate (about $30 today) as a present for his mother.
"BABY FACE" ART MOONEY This one reached #1 and was a gigantic jukebox hit.
"LITTLE WHITE LIES" DICK HAYMES Probably one of the most popular singers of the 1940's, Haymes had hundreds of hits. This was one of his biggest. There was also an upbeat version by DINAH SHORE that got some radio play, but no real competition.
"YOU WERE ONLY FOOLING" THE INK SPOTS had a gigantic hit with this one in 1948, and they had no other versions to compete with them. More popular versions of the song came years later.
"HAIR OF GOLD, EYES OF BLUE" GORDON MACRAE This was one of the few single hits by Gordon. He had many lp and soundtrack hits, as well as duets with Jo Stafford. This is the one that hit the charts for him in 1948. The other was his version of Doris Day's, "It's Magic", the gal who would be his major costar in movies starting in 1950.
"ON A SLOW BOAT TO CHINA" THERE WERE 8 VERSIONS OF THIS SONG THAT HIT THE CHARTS IN 1948, TWO OF THEM HIT THE TOP FIVE. THE MOST POPULAR WERE BY KAY KYSER (#2),AND FREDDY MARTIN (#4).
"MY DARLING, MY DARLING" Two versions of this Frank Loesser Tune parlayed positions in the Top Ten for around 16 weeks; both were equally popular. Both combinations of singers were very popular throughout 1948 and 1949. The singers: DORIS DAY & BUDDY CLARK and JO STAFFORD & GORDAN MACRAE (who would soon become on screen costar for Doris, but because they were on different record labels, they never recorded together. (Because the version by Stafford & MacRae was not popular until 1949, you can hear that version under the listing for 1949). ANOTHER VERSION also hit the charts in 48 by Peter Lynd Hayes and The Stardusters.
"TOOLIE OOLIE DOOLIE" THE ANDREWS SISTERS and a polka were always a winning combination in the 1940's. This was no exception. It stayed 17 weeks on the charts.
The song was also known as "the Yodel Polka".
BIG MOVIE MUSICALS OF 1948 INCLUDED:
"ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS" (DORIS DAY'S DEBUT MOVIE)
"EASTER PARADE" "THE THREE MUSKETEERS"
"EMPEROR WALTZ" "THAT LADY IN ERMINE"
"WHEN MY BABY SMILES AT ME"
1949 THE END OF A DECADE:
PRELUDE TO THE FABULOUS FIFTIES
This was the heyday of "competing" recordings, otherwise known as "covers". Columbia would see a Decca hit rising up the charts and rush to put out a version by Sinatra, Day or Dinah Shore. RCA would persuade Perry to record it. Capitol's Johnny Mercer would try his hand, while Mitch Miller (than at Mercury) would use someone like Frankie Laine. Thus listeners might have as many as four or five versions of a song playing on the radio at any given time, while record buyers could choose between six, seven or more versions on the shelves. It was a common practice, and nobody thought much of it, although there was always a "race" to record and press competing copies to share in the popularity. Songs were often finished in a take or two-Perry Como usually nailed his on take one. The day of tweaking and re-recording version after version was still almost 20 years in the future, when the likes of a Brian Wilson would spend six months fine-tuning "Good Vibrations" in 1966.
Other than the virtual domination of the charts by Monroe, Laine, Shore, Day & Clark, Damone, Crosby and Como, the notable thing about 1949 is the overwhelming popularity of the western or cowboy theme. Obviously Ghost Riders and Mule Train are cowboy songs; others include Deep In the Heart of Texas and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. The popularity of stars like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Hopalong Cassidy was undeniable, and it prompted both Monroe and Laine to adopt a western image. Vaughn Monroe was an avid outdoorsman, so the western image fit easily. Frankie Laine -- born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio -- did it by sheer force, recording a number of TV and movie western themes through the ensuing years. Interestingly enough, Rawhide is probably the best known of Laine's recordings today, mainly because of a version in The Blues Brothers movie. It was also played non-stop at the entrance to a popular Phoenix, AZ attraction, a western-theme town naturally called Rawhide. Laine's last notable such song was the theme to Blazing Saddles, a fantastic vocal for the Mel Brooks film.
A little trivia concerning Laine from 1949...That Lucky Old Sun was number one for three weeks, then was knocked out of the top spot by Mule Train. With Sun at number two, it is believed (but difficult to verify) that Laine was the first solo artist to hold the top two spots at the same time (the original record for that goes back to Les Brown with Sentimental Journey and My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time, with vocals by then only a band singer, Doris Day). Once again, sources disagree on which songs were in which spots, but no one questions the fact that two of the biggest songs from 1949 both featured the vocal talents of Frankie Laine.
THE TOP SONGS OF 1949
ALL POPULAR VERSIONS ARE LISTED TOGETHER
"MULE TRAIN" FRANKIE LAINE
0THER VERSIONS IN THE TOP 20 WERE BY BING CROSBY, VAUGHN MONROE, GORDON MACRAE and TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD (unavailable)
"THAT LUCKY OLD SUN" FRANKIE LAINE
OTHER TOP VERSIONS BY VAUGHN MONROE, SARAH VAUGHAN, FRANK SINATRA
"AGAIN" DORIS DAY and THE MELLOMEN
OTHER TOP VERSIONS BY GORDON JENKINS, MEL TORME, and VIC DAMONE (this version re-recorded and not the original)
"(GHOST) RIDERS IN THE SKY" VAUGHN MONROE
OTHER TOP VERSIONS BY PEGGY LEE, BING CROSBY, AND BURL IVES
"CRUISING DOWN THE RIVER"
BLUE BARRON or RUSS MORGAN
Other competing versions by Jack Smith, Frankie Carle, The Three Suns, and The Ames Brothers
"SOME ENCHANTED EVENING" PERRY COMO
Also popular by BING CROSBY JO STAFFORD FRANK SINATRA EZIO PINZA (from Broadway Show, "South Pacific") and the orchestra of Paul Weston
"MY DARLING, MY DARLING" COMPETING VERSIONS BY
DORIS DAY & BUDDY CLARK and JO STAFFORD & GORDON MACRAE
(The original version by Day & Clark was popular in Summer of '48 and continued on into 1949. It was revived by Stafford & MacRae a year later and topped the charts again. The version by Jo & Gordon can be heard below.)
"DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS"
Competing Versions by: ALVINO REY, BING CROSBY, and HORACE HEIDT
"BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE"
(This was an EXTREMELY popular song. See all the details on our Navigation Menu under "Same Song Different Versions.) Three versions of this hit vied for Top Ten Honors. These were by Johnny Mercer & Margaret Whiting, Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong.
"POWDER YOUR FACE WITH SUNSHINE" HAD 5 VERSIONS VYING FOR TOP HONORS. THE BIGGEST SELLER WAS BY EVELYN KNIGHT. THE MOST POPULAR VERSION WITH DEEJAYS AND ON JUKEBOXES WAS BY BUDDY CLARK & DORIS DAY. THE OTHERS WERE BY DEAN MARTIN, SAMMY KAYE and THE BLUE BARRON ORCHESTRA.
"YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART" VIC DAMONE
Although Damone had a few earlier hits, this was his first #1 hit and million seller and one of the biggest songs of his entire career. And yes, he had competition from versions by BUDDY CLARK and THE INK SPOTS.
"JEALOUS HEART" AL MORGAN
NO OTHER VERSIONS CAME CLOSE. AL HAD THIS ONE ALL TO HIMSELF!
"SLIPPING AROUND" MARGARET WHITING & JIMMY WAKELY This #1 hit had no real competition and even spawned an "answer record" by Doris Day and Her Country Cousins called "I'll Never Slip Around Again" and that, in turn, was covered by Whiting and Wakely.
"A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" EVELYN KNIGHT
1949 seemed to be the year for Evelyn Knight. She hit the #1 spot with this one and with her version of "Powder Your Face" (above). No other hits for her but enough so that she could not be classified as a One Hit Wonder! Evelyn had no real competition on this one and it became so popular that Columbia released a similar song by Doris Day called "Bluebird On Your Windowsill" which became a minor hit for her this year.
"I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I" THE ANDREWS SISTERS & GORDON JENKINS The sisters are still going strong in 1949, even though Patty steps out in the solo spot on this one. This one reached #1 and there was competition from Toni Arden and Tex Beneke.
"A-YOU'RE ADORABLE (THE ALPHABET SONG)" PERRY COMO & FONTANE SISTERS Just a wee bit of competition on this song came from versions by Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae and Tony Pastor's Orchestra. It was popular with the big band circuit (those still around...)
"A DREAMER'S HOLIDAY" BUDDY CLARK or PERRY COMO Both versions reached the Top Ten. Another popular version was by The Eddy Howard Orchestra. And although it did not chart in the Top Twenty, Dean Martin was beginning to make some noise in 1949 and he had a good version of this one, too.
"FAR AWAY PLACES" Three of the most popular singing artists of 1949 had a version of this one, and all of them vied for top spots. The biggest versions (top 10) were by BING CROSBY, MARGARET WHITING, and PERRY COMO. Hear Perry's version in the audio file below.
"(WHERE ARE YOU) NOW THAT I NEED YOU" DORIS DAY AND THE MELLOMEN
From Betty Hutton's hit film, "Red Hot and Blue", she also had a version of the song but it did not chart in the Top Twenty. There was also a version by Frankie Laine (unavailable).
"CARELESS HANDS" MEL TORME
Although Mel had competing versions of this one by BING CROSBY and SAMMY KAYE, it was his version that reached the top of the charts and made most of the money.
"SOMEDAY" VAUGHN MONROE
Vaughn had this one all to himself, and it went all the way to #1 and charted for over 5 months.
BIG MOVIE MUSICALS OF THE YEAR
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MAJOR BROADWAY MUSICALS FOR '49
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footnote 1949: This is just one of several years that prove a point we have been trying to make on the music pages of our website as well as on our radio show at live365. When musical statisticians do their thing, they mostly look at songs and records that charted at #1. That said, often big artists get lost in the shuffle. One for instance: Doris Day in 1949 did NOT have a #1 Song (although some sources say "Again" did hit the top.) However, she had 7 songs that were all in the top 20 and one of those, "Cuttin Capers (Canadian Capers)" was one of the biggest jukebox hits of the year, along with songs like "Someone Like You" (which is still used in TV commercials today). It is time to look at the entire perspective of a specific artist and not just #1 Hits. We have TRIED to do this in our listings for the Hit Parade. Many times, top songs on the Hit Parade Show did not coincide with the Top Chart Lists.
A MOVE TO TELEVISION It was in 1949 that YOUR HIT PARADE moved from radio to television for another 9 years, and so we move to a second page for the show, which had its demise in 1959.
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