STORIES OF SONGS FEATURED IN THE US CHARTS TO 1955
Compiled and edited from web sources; by Brian Lemin 2013
(Not exactly in alphabetical order, but near enough… sorry)
I guess there is some information on about 200 songs
(Dear Mr. Gable) You Made Me Love You The song was originally written by James Monaco with lyrics by Joseph McCarthy, and simply title You Made Me Love You. According to Hollywood legend this song was written or adapted for Judy Garland to sing to Clark Gable on the occasion of the stars birthday. It was so well received that the song made it into the film Broadway Melody of 1938. The legend is more than likely true as Louis B Mayer, the head of MGM, treated his contracted "stars" as family. He gave lavish parties on a regular basis. Many of these parties would be filmed and shown as extras before or after an MGM movie. The original song would be recorded over and over by artists such as Debbie Reynolds Al Jolson and Harry James Eddie Duchin.
Second Hand Rose This song was featured as the piece Brice used to audition for Florenz Ziegfeld in the Film Funny Girl. The piece would appear again on the charts at number 32 in 1965 on the Barbra Streisand album, My name is Barbra. The album would go to number two and would go platinum. Waller was the son of a lay preacher. His father wanted him to pursue a religious vocation, but his talent for music took him in another direction.
His professional career began at the age of 15, when he became the organist at the Lincoln Theater on 135th St. There is some evidence to suggest that Waller studies as pianist under Leopold Gadowski and composition with Carl Bohm at the Julliard School. Waller was best known for his popular songs, but while in Britain on his 1939 European tour he recorded his London Suite. This suite shows his aspirations to become a serious composer.
Fats Waller died too soon, in 1943, of too much alcohol and hard living. His legacy is the music he left behind.
The Sheik (Also known as the Sheik of Araby.) This piece of Music was inspired by the 1921 film The Sheik starring Rudolph Valentino.
Clyde Doerr was a friend of Paul Whiteman. Whiteman secured a contract for Doerr to record for Victor ecords. The first recording that Doerr made was The Sheik, and it was so successful that Whiteman severed all contact with Doerr out of resentment.
A Bushel And A Peck Guys and Dolls is a musical based on a story By Damon Runyon. It tells the tale of a young missionary girl who falls in love with a gambler in New York City. The musical made it's premiere on Broadway in 1950 and would run for 1200 performances. It also took the Tony Award for that year. A Bushel And A Peck is song by Miss Adelaide who is a singer at a local club, the song was part of her act.
A Kiss To Build A Dream On This song was composed by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby and Oscar Hammerstein II in 1935. In 1951 it was used in the film The Strip, in the film it was sung by practically the entire cast including Armstrong as well as by Mickey Rooney with William Demarest, by Sally Forrest, and by Kay Brown. But it would be recorded by Armstrong and the hit would go to Mr Armstrong.
A Tisket A Tasket The song is a reworked nursery rhyme that was originally published in the late 1800s. It was considered a rhyming game in the same way as Ring a Round the Rosie was done as children held hands an moved in a circular fashion. In 1938 Elle Fitzgerald updated the words of A Tisket A Tasket and turned in to one of the great Jazz Standards.
Aba Dabba Honeymoon Written and published by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan in 1914, the first recording of the song was made by Collins and Harlin also in 1914. The song would come back in the 1950 movie "Two Weeks With Love". "Aba Dabba Honeymoon" would go to #3 on the Billboard chart in 1951. The song was again brought back on 1959 the film soundtrack that brought the Three Stooges back called "Have Rocket Will Travel". In the 1970s the Television Show Laverne and Shirley would use the song in the episode titled "The Shotz Talent Show."
Ac - cent - tchu - ate The Positive Written in 1944 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer the song is essentially a sermon set to music using the examples of old testament heroes like Noah and Jonah focusing on the positive of the things when life throws hard situations at us. C.S. Lewis wrote in one of his letters; "The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own', or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life-the life God is sending one day by day: what one calls one's 'real life' is a phantom of one's own imagination. "
-from a letter to Arthur Greeves, 20 December 1943
After You've Gone Was actually written in 1918 with by Turner Layton, with lyrics written by Henry Creamer and was originally recorded by Marion Harris in 1922. It would be recorded by Benny Goodman, Fats Waller and Phil Collins. It would be used by Ethel Merman in the TV show That Girl, when Merman describes to Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) how she was fired from her first night club job for singing to loud.
Ain't Misbehavin Fats Waller was a composer and song writer that left a large library of great music that will live on forever after his much too short a life. Waller would be the first to record the song but he also performed the song in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. The song would go on to be recorded by such different artists as Johnny Ray and Bill Haley and The Comets. The song would also be the Title of a musical revue in 1978 that showcased the jazz songs on the period.
Ain't She Sweet. Was written by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen, both of whom have places in the Song Writers Hall Of Fame. The song would continue to recorded across the 20th century by such artist as Pearl Bailey, Guy Lombardo and The Beatles.
A'int We Got Fun Was used as Eric Northman's ringtone in a 2010 episode of Trueblood. Also used as part of a pivotal point in F Scott Fitzgerald's novel the Great Gatsby.
Always "Always" was written by Irving Berlin in 1926. It was a wedding gift for bride Ellin McKay whom he married the same year. Not only was the song for her, he gave her the royalties too. This song would truly go on to be a pop standard and has been recorded by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and most recently by Sir Paul McCartney in 2012. Frank Sinatra sang the song during the celebration of Berlin's one hundredth birthday in 1988. Berlin would die the following year.
Always Always was originally written by Irving Berlin in 1925 as a gift for his wife. He also gave her the royalties. This song is a timeless romantic piece that celebrates a love that will never go away. This would be the second time the song would hit the charts since it was first written.
Amazing Grace This song may be as popular as it's source, which is the Bible. It's author was John Newton a Slave Trader who, one day, was caught in a terrible storm at sea, he prayed for God's Mercy. God answered Newton's Prayer. A year or so later Newton gave up the slave trade and began to study theology; he would eventually pastor a church. Newton with his friend William Cowper wrote the lyrics for Newton's sermon for January 1, 1773. However it was more than likely chanted and not actually sung. Music would be added and different tunes used. It was in 1835 that the song was married to the tune, New Britain, which is the version we know today. For TV comedy fans the lyrics can be sung exactly to the tune of the theme of Gilligan's Island. It is estimated that Amazing Grace is performed around 10 million times annually. William Wilberforce, who would be one of the main players in the freeing of the slaves in Britain, was a friend of Newton's and was influenced and encouraged by him.
April in Paris This song composed by Vernon Duke with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg for the 1932 for the Broadway musical, Walk A Little Faster. The musical itself would be forgotten but the song would move and be recorded by Glenn Miller Doris Day and Tommy Dorsey.
April Showers This was one of Al Jolson's trademark songs. And was written by Louis Silvers and BG De Silva for a musical called Bomba. The song was used in the The Bugs Bunny 1962 short Wet Hare.
Are You Lonesome Tonight Vaughn De Leath was also known as The Original Radio Girl actually recorded this song twice in 1927 on June 13 as a solo and again on September 21 as the vocalist for The Colonial Club Orchestra. The song would continue to be popular but rise to mega popularity when Elvis Presley recorded it in 1960. It would remain number one on the Billboard charts for 6 weeks.
Around Her Neck She Wore A Yellow Ribbon The yellow ribbon has been a sign of someone waiting for their loved one to come home since the time of the emperor Nero. She Wore A Yellow Ribbon is an example of this tradition. The version we are aware of today was written in 1907 as a marching song for the army. In1949, the song became the title of a film starring John Wayne. The lyrics were slightly altered for the film but the music stayed the same. The yellow ribbon would remain a symbol of homecoming throughout the years and in 1980 when the American captives were released from Iran the ribbon was put up all over the United States.
As Time Goes By As Time Goes By was written by Herman Hupfeld and performed as hit by Jacques Renard and his Orchestra as well as Rudy Vallee that year. The song was performed first in the Broadway musical Everybody's Welcome. This song would come in to it's full popularity in 1942 when it was song in the film Casablanca. This song would appear on AFI's 100 years 100 songs at #2.
Baby Face The music was written by Harry Akst, the lyrics by Benny Davis. It was recorded by numerous artrists over the years such as Little Richard and Paul MCCartney. The song was also song by Julie Andrews in the 1967 movie musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Baby It's Cold Outside It can be considered sad that some songs can get so attached to a holiday that we lose track of them the rest of the year. Among those songs is Winter Wonderland, Frosty The Snowman and Suzy Snowflake. None of these even mentions Christmas and yet the songs are relegated to this category. Baby It's Cold Outside is one of these. The words and music for the song were written by Frank Loesser and was first publically performed by the composer and his wife. In 1949, the film,Neptune's Daughter was released and the song was sung twice in the film. The song won Loesser an Academy Award for that year.
Baby It's Cold Outside is a conversation between a man and woman. The man is trying to convince the woman to stay at his house as it's too cold and the snow too deep for her to go home. The song got a twist when it was sung by Kurt and Blaine in the 2010 Christmas episode of Glee.
Be careful It's My Heart This song, written by Irving Berlin, was originally performed by Bing Crosby in the film Holiday Inn. The film told the story of a performer who gets fed up with life as a stage performer and buys a farm.. When he realizes farming is not for him, he turns the farm into an Inn only opened on Holidays so he could be off the rest of the year. This song was written for Valentine's Day. Three other songs would also come out of this motion picture The title song Holiday Inn also known as Happy Holidays, Easter Parade and arguably the most popular of all Christmas songs, White Christmas.
Be My Love Written in 1950 by Sammy Cahn (Lyrics) and Nicholas Brodzsky (music), this song would go to number one on the Billboard chart, and sell one million copies. The song was introduced by Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza in the 1950 movie The Toast of New Orleans.
Mario Lanza was a native of Philadelphia. He was born in 1921 and named Alfred Arnold Cocozza, the son of Italian Immigrants. Before his star began to blaze he and his child hood friends would go into restaurants in Philadelphia, Lanza would sing and the gang would get dinner for free.
Lanza was discovered by Luis B Mayer, the head of MGM studios, he was signed to seven year contract and changed his name. His mother's maiden name was Lanza.
Unfortunately Lanza would become difficult to work with. He would get into arguments with the studio, his directors and his co-stars. Hedda Hopper said of him that "his smile, which was as big as his voice, was matched with the habits of a tiger cub, impossible to housebreak". Mario Lanza would die in 1959 at the age of 38. He passed from a pulmonary ambulism. Author Eleonora Kimmel concludes that Lanza "blazed like a meteor whose light lasts a brief moment in time".
Beer Barrel Polka This song, also known as Roll Out The Barrel, was written in 1927 by a Czech muscian named Jaromir Vejvoda. As originally written it was played without lyrics. The song became popular with soldiers during World War II, but it's origins as well as lyrics and translations came much earlier. The song would be recorded by many artits and bands. The Wiggles made a recording of it for their album and video Sailing Around The World. If you grew up in Philadelphia you would be exposed to song fairly early as it was a staple for yearly Mummers Parade.
Over The Rainbow What can be said about Over The Rainbow that has not already been written. The song was created by Harold Arlen with lyrics by E.Y. Harburg for one of the most famous movies of the 20th Century, The Wizard of OZ. The song is song by the character of Dorothy Gale played by Judy Garland as she yearns for someplace there would not be any trouble. Before the film's release the song was threatened to be cut, but wiser heads prevailed. The song would have had quite a different history and impact if it had starred Shirley Temple as MGM would have preferred. Temples little girl sweetness and attitudes would probably not have the same impact as Garlands more mature voice.
The song would have very few recordings made by other artists before Barbra Striesand would use the song in her 1986 One Voice Concert that was performed on September the 6th at her Malibu home for 5000.00 dollars a ticket. Miss Streisand would pay homage to Garland before singing the song. Mr. Shue played by Mathew Morrison would sing the song in the first season finale of Glee.
God Bless America Written by Irving Berlin, legend has it that Kate Smith called Berlin and asked him to give her something new for her radio program. Mr Berlin searched through his back files and pulled out God Bless America. Kate Smith would perform the song to almost immediate popularity. The song would long be associated with Miss Smith and at the end of her life while she lived in Philadelphia she sang the song regularly at The Philadelphia Flyers home games. Philadelphia honored Miss Smith by erecting a statue of her outside The Flyers Home Stadium. Many people feel that this song would make a better national anthem that Star Spangled Banner.
Bill Murray and Ed Smalle That Old Gang of Mine The song is about the ending of childhood friendships as we move into adulthood. The song's original title was Wedding Bells are Breaking up That Old Gang of Mine, and has been recorded by such artists as Dean Martin and The Four Aces.
Birth of the Blues The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. It was Introduced by Paul Whiteman in 1926. The song would have a long history and would be a hit for Frank Sinatra. Bing Corsby would star in a movie inspired by the song title.
Blue Danube Was written by Johann Strauss II in 1865 and would be performed for the first time in 1866. The piece would make it's American debut in 1867. The piece would have words added by poet Joseph Wey and Strauss would later write additional music for the piece. The song was not immediately popular but in the end would be one of Strauss best compositions. The song would become popular again when it was used in the Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Blue Moon Written by Rogers and Hart, this one song that tends to make a regular comeback, originally recorded by Glenn Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra. The Marcels made it number on the Billboard charts in 1961. Gray was a saxophonist that fronted the orchestra. His named appeared on most of the recordings from 1934 on.
Blue Skies Blue Skies was written by Irving Berlin who plays an important role in the first half of the 20th century in American Pop Music. It would go across the century and into the 21sr century being recorded again and again by such artists as Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Debbie Boone and Rod Stewart.
The song was written by Berlin as an added song to the Rodger's and Hart Musical, Betsy. The song would live on, but the musical closed after 39 performances.
Blue Skies would go to be performed both on television movies and Broadway shows. The song had a movie named after it and joined other Berlin songs that has that honor such as White Christmas, Easter Parade and There's No Business Like Show Business. Most recently the song was brought back to life in a production number for the Broadway production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas.
Blue Velvet A Pop song from, 1951, Blue Velvet was written by Bernie Wayne and and Lee Morris. Song would be a hit for Tony Bennett, but would be a mega hit for Booby Vinton in the 1960s.
Blues in the Night Written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, Blues in the Night was written as the title song for a film by the same name. The song was written very quickly and was played at a dinner party hosted by Margaret Whiting whose guests included, Judy Garland Mickey Rooney Mel Torme Oklahoma
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince this song was the first to be directly related to World War II. The song told the story of a talented bugler that after he was drafted, could only play Reveille until his captain organizes a band for him to play with. The song would be a huge hit for the Andrew Sisters and would not be forgotten. It would make it back to the charts in 1973 as a hit for Bette Midler. It would top out at #8 on the top 100 chart and would go to #1 on the Billboard easy Listening chart.
Brother Can You Spare A Dime This song could be considered the theme song of the entire decade of the 1930's. The 30's was the era of the Great Depression where millions of Americans were out of work and some incredibly successful people found themselves in bread lines. The lyrics to this song and the very sad music reflect the desperation of the times. Written in 1931 by lyricist E. Y. "Yip" Harburg and composer Jay Gorney, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" was introduced in the 1932 musical New Americana. The song would go on to be recorded by such artists as Rudy Vallee and Bing Crosby. It would be continue to be recorded throughout the century. George Michael would record the song for his 1999 album Songs from the Last Century. The song was used in a poignant moment in the television comedy The Golden Girls.
Carolina in the Morning The song was written by Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn (lyrics) for the musical revue The Passing Show of 1922. I t was performed by William Frawley, Fred Mertz of I Love Lucy, who would later perform it along with Vivian Vance, Ethel Mertz, in an episode of the show. The song would be revived regularly as a standard into the 1950s. Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore would use the song in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. See The YouTube video above
Charleston Charleston is a song that was created to go specifically with the Charleston dance which was all the rage in the 1920s. It was originally performed by Paul Whiteman and popular on both sides of the Atlantic. One memorable movie that used the song was It's A Wonderful Life as Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed dance themselves into the school swimming pool.
See above video.
Chattanooga Choo Choo Chattanooga Choo Choo was written by Harry Warren, the music and Mack Gordon, lyrics and originally performed in the movie Sun Valley Serenade. The film starred Sonja Henie and Milton Berle. The Orchestra leader Glenn Miller also had a lead role in the film. The song was originally performed as a vocal number that went into a production number. It would be recorded as a single by Glenn Miller for RCA Victor and would remain 9 weeks on the Billboard charts at number one. The recording would be honored with the first Gold Record on February 10, 1942.
Cheek To Cheek Two Legends - One Song. Cheek to Cheek was written by Irving Berlin for Astaire's Top Hat (#7 below), which co-starred his most well known partner Ginger Rodgers.
Astaire was not as well known for singing capabilities so much as his incredible dancing ability. Debbie Reynolds tells of him spending hours and hours practicing with the choreographer Hermes Pan. Mr. Astaire was a consummate hard working professional who strived for perfection through hard work.
Come On A My House This song was written by Two Armenian Americans Ross Bagdasarian and his cousin William Saroyan in 1939. The song did not immediate success. When it was recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1951 the song made it as a hit. The song, is inreality is a nod to the Armenian custom of having guests in the home and offering them various foods. Cloooney's rendering of the song makes the listener feel as if she is offering more than the candy she sings about
Cuban Love Song This song was the title for a 1931 film that told the story of a U.S. soldier who returns to Cuba to seek his illegitimate child. Directored by W.S. Van Dyke, and produced at MGM in 1931, the film starred Lawrence Tibbett, Lupe Velez, Jimmy Durante.
Daddy's Little Girl If there was a song that was used at almost every wedding in the 1950s 60s, 70s and 80s, this would be it. Not however during the ceremony. The song would be used for the father daughter dance at the reception to the tears of all the women married or single. The song's lyrics and music were written by Boby Burke and Horace Gerlach.
Dancing in the Dark The music for this song was by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Howard Dietz, and was originally performed by John Barker in the 1931 revue The Band Wagon. Besides Bing Crosby the song was recorded by Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet. The song was also used as a ballet sequence danced by Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in the 1953 MGM film version of The Band Wagon.
Dear Hearts and Gentle People The Song was written in 1949 with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Bob Hilliard. The song was based on words written on a scrap of paper that was found on the body of Steven Foster when his body was discovered in a New York City Hotel in 1864. The words were simply" Dear friends and gentle hearts."
De-Lovely Another hit from the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, this song would reappear over and over again as the Musical is revived on a regular basis. The song is song by the hero of the musical Billy Crocket who is a stowaway on the ship where the musical takes place. Though song by the male lead in the show the song would go on to become more associated with Ethel merman as she would record it several times. In the video presented here the song is song by Torchwood's John Barrowman. The song would become the title of the movie musical biography of Cole Porter's life.
Don't Fence Me In The music for the song was written by Cole Porter. The lyrics were adapted from a text by a poet and engineer with the Department of Highways Robert (Bob) Fletcher in Helena, Montana in 1934. Porter bought Fletchers material for $250.00. The song was to be used in a movie musical to be produced by 20th Century Fox that ended up being shelved. 10 years later the song was resurrected for Roy Rodgers in the film, Hollywood Canteen. The first time America got introduced to the song was on Kate Smith's radio program. The song hit full stride later in 1944 when Bing Crosby and The Andrews would enter a recording studio, and having never heard the song before, recorded it in thirty minutes. This Version of the song would top the charts for eight weeks from 1944 into 1945.
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me The history of Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree is long and varied. It's origins begin in an eighteenth Century English folk song entitled Long Long Ago. Long Long Ago was then transformed into a song entitled Anywhere the Bluebird Goes. The song was written by Sam H. Stept with the lyrics by Lew Brown and Charles Tobias. At the outbreak of World War II the lyricists came back together to create the song we now know. Glenn Miller made the original recording but several artists would record the song. Though not the original vocalists, The Andrews Sisters would team with Glenn Miller and make the song their own.
Doris Day Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered This song has it's origins in the 1940 musical Pal Joey, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, which launched the career of legendary dancer Gene Kelly. It would hit the charts, though ten years, later in 1950. Many artists would go on to record the song, including Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Cher.
Earth Angel -Signature Song
Written by the group's own Curtis Williams, it is considered by some to be the first song of the rock and roll era, possibly because it was releases in the last week of December, 1954.
Fighting about which song was the first of the rock era aside, we can safely say that they were the first 'one hit wonder' of the rock era.
was actually the "B' side of the single 'Hey Señorita.'
Easter Parade Written by Irving Berlin in 1933 for the musical As Thousands Cheer, Easter Parade would go on to be sung by Bing Crosby in the movie Holiday Inn which would introduce the song White Christmas and then would be sung by Fred Astaire and Judy Garland in a film named after the song. Easter Parade is a song celebrating the tradition of The Easter Parade which goes on all over America on Easter Sunday.
et Me Sing and I'm Happy This song is another written by Irving Berlin, as the new decade starts Berlin would have his hand in shaping American music and especially American popular songs. Let Me Sing and I'm Happy is sort of an ode for anyone who loves to sing. People that sing in Community Theater, in choirs and in the shower and this song was made for them. The song was recently resurrected for the stage musical Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Happy Days Are Here Again
The song was copyrighted in 1929 by Milton Ager (music) and Jack Yellen (lyrics). The song is best remembered as the campaign song for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It has often been referred to as the unofficial anthem for the Democratic Party. The song would be resurrected in the early 1960s by Barbra Streisand first as a single and then on her first album. Her take on the song would make it a ballad instead of the upbeat happy, hopeful song it was originally written as. Streisand would sing the song as a duet with Judy Garland. The song would be a medley of Garland's Get Happy in counterpoint to Streisand's Happy Days. The performance would be recreated for an episode of GLEE and song by Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel
Puttin on the Ritz
This song was another hit for Berlin and is most associated with Fred Astaire. The title refers to the idea of getting dressed up to go out to some place really nice or "swanky," as the slang was used at the time. The Ritz was and is a very upscale hotel. The song would continue to be used. In films it would be song by Clark Gable in the film Idiot's Delight. It would again be filmed in Mel Brookes' Young Frankenstein. Puttin on the Ritz would hit the charts again in 1983 as recorded by Taco. It would be peak at # 4
Get Happy
Get Happy was composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler, and was originally performed in the musical the Nine Fifteen Revue by Ruth Etting. The song is most associated with Judy Garland from the film Summer Stock co-starring Gene kelly. In 1939 Arlen would write the music for another Judy Garland standard, Somewhere over the Rainbow.
Embraceable You
Written by George abd Ira Gershwin for an operetta called East is West. It would be performed again by Ginger Rogers in the Broadway Musical Girl Crazy. The song would continue to be recorded by such artists as Frank Sinatra, Liberace, and Liza Minnelli. Liza's mother, Judy Garland, performed the song in the film version of Girl Crazy.
Ten Cents A Dance
Written by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart, the song was published in 1930 and was first performed by Ruth Ettings in the musical Simple Simon. The song is a lament song by a woman who makes her living by dancing with strange men for money.
On The Sunny Side of the Street
On The Sunny Side Of The Street was composed by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and introduced in the Broadway musical Lew Leslie's International Revue, starring Harry Richman and Gertrude Lawrence. The song would be recorded many times by such artiste as Willie Nelson, The Manhattan Transfer and Rod Stewart.
Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Gal) The song's title is usually known as Has Anybody Seen My Gal. And it's origins are not quite known. The song was originally out around 1914 and more than one person took credit for its composition. When the song became a hit in 1926 it's music and words were changed a bit by Ray Henderson ,(music) Sam M. Lewis and Joseph Widow Young (lyrics). This version of the song would be the one to endure.
Galway Bay Music for and about the Irish seems to have had grip on the U.S. in the 1940's. Galway Bay would be a song that would transcend the century and for Irish Catholics would almost become a hymn as it is still is used in Mass around St. Patrick's Day.
The song was written by Dr. Arthur Colahan in Leicester in 1947. Crosby revised some of the lyrics and the song became a huge hit with Irish Immigrants around the world.
Galway Bay is a real bay in Ireland and the song is a yearning to return to home.
Get Your Kicks on Route 66 The song, for the most part, is known by just part of it's title, Route 66. It was composed in 1946 by Bobby Troupe and recorded that same year by Nat King Cole. Troupe got his inspiration for the song while driving across country from Pennsylvania to California. He used Route 66 for most of the journey and lists all the places the road passes thru. The song has been recorded by such artists as different as Natalie Cole and Aerosmith.
Johnny Mercer
Walt Disney animation has brought to the world many songs. Love songs, fun songs and sad songs. The Disney Studios is also responsible for the song" Zip a Dee Do Dah". The music is by Allie Wrubel and the lyrics by Ray Gilbert. The movie was animated and live action and was called "Song of The South." Song of the South told the folk stories of Uncle Remus and was popular for it's time, unfortunately for modern movie enthusiasts the movie is locked in the Disney vaults and not available in this country. Uncle Remus was a slave and told his stories to his owners children in the film. It seems that telling his stories, in this way, has become politically incorrect. The film can be purchased in The United Kingdom.
Gimme a Little Kiss Will Ya Huh The song was written and composed by Maceo Pinkard. Pinkard was born in 1897 and was considered one of the greatest composers of the Harlem Renaissance. Not only was he a prolific song writer he also was an orchestra conductor and eventually founded his own music publishing frim Maceo Pinkard Music.
Glow Worm The original song was titled Das Gluhwurmchen and was part of Paul Linck's 1902 operetta Lysistrata, when translated into English the song became a standard and was titled Glow Worm. Johnny Mercer would expand the lyrics and this is the song that would become a hit for The Mills Brothers.
Goodnight Sweet Heart The song was written by the British song-writing team of Ray Noble,Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly,and performed by such artists as Rudy Vallée, Bing Crosby and Dean Martin, among others. The song appeared in two different films Stage Door Canteen and Holiday in Mexico.
Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight -Signature Song
Lead singer James "Pookie" Hudson was also the group leader, and this is probably the longest-lasting Doo-Wop/R&B /Pop crossover hit. A 'white' version by the Maguire Sisters charted higher at the time, but the Spaniels version is still the number one 'goodnight' song of all time.
Goody Goody This song was written by Matty Malneck, music and Johnny Mercer Lyrics. Originally recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, The song be used on The Muppet Show and be recorded by such artists as Frank Sinatra. In 2007 the song would be recorded by The BBC Orchestra for the film, The Water Horse: legend of the Deep.Judy Garland
Heart and Soul Heart and Soul is one song that almost every young pianist is quickly taught as a first piano duet. The song was published in 1938 with music by Hoagie Carmichael and lyrics by Frank Loesser. In 1952 The Four Aces recorded the song and it maxed out on the charts at #11.
Hello Young Lovers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were approached to write a musical form the book Anna and the King of Siam. The book is based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens who was an English governess and school teacher In the Court of Siam in the 1860s. The book had already been made into a straight film in 1946 starring Rex Harrison as the king. The attorney for Gertrude Lawrence, one of the queens of Broadway, approached Rodgers and Hammerstein to write a musical from the novel for her client.
The team wasn't very comfortable at first. Their musicals, so far, were all based in America in country and rural settings. This show would have to be different and would need to reflect a whole new musical element. It would somehow have to sound oriental and feel American. Rodger's and Hammerstein succeeded in the challenge. The King and I ran for 3 years on Broadway for 1246 performances. Gertrude Lawrence would die during the run, and the main surprise about the musical is, though it starred and was created for Gertrude Lawrence, the show was completely taken over by Yul Brynner, who played the king. This would become his signature role and would be associated with him more than any other actor.
The song Hello Young Lovers, is song by Anna when she first meets the wives of the king. In the song she explains how she thinks of her husband who has died and how young people make her feel when she sees them.
Here Comes Peter Cottontail Having topped the charts in 1949 with the song Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, it is not surprising that Gene Autry would come back the following year with a song about a popular rabbit for Easter. The song was written by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins and would peak at #5 on the Billboard Charts. The song would later become the title for a 1971 Easter special which told the story of how a young Peter got the job as Easter Bunny.
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands He's Got The Whole World In His Hands is a Christian Spiritual whose origins are unknown. It was first published in 1927 in a paperback hymnal. It would be recorded by Artists such as Marion Anderson as well as Mahalia Jackson. In 1958 the song woild hit the number one spot on the list of songs most played by jockeys. This version of the song was recorded by English singer Laurie London with the Geoff Love Orchestra
I've Got You Under My Skin Written by Cole Porter the song was first performed for the MGM musical Born To Dance. It was nominated for Best Song for The Academy Awards. This song would go on to be a signature song for Frank Sinatra and a number ten hit for The Four Seasons in 1966.
It Ain't Necessarily So This popular song is operatic in its origin as it was written by George and Ira Gershwin for their opera Porgy and Bess. In the Opera the song is sung by the villain of the piece whose name is Sportin Life. In the song he is arguing about parts of the Bible. It is curious to note that this song would be a hit the same year as He's Got The Whole World In His hands. The song is sung by black performers and written for a black character, but it has also been recorded by white performers such as Cher, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson.
Hold me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me Written by Harry Noble in 1952 the song is considered to be an early hit of the pop rock era. When Karen Chandler recorded the song it would make it to #7 on the charts, and would be the only charted song for her career.
Honey Suckle Rose The song was originally composed in 1928 by Fats Waller, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. Waller would finally record the song in 1934 and this recording would be inducted in to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song would be recorded by Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong and be featured in an MGM Musical.
How Are Things In Glocca Morra Finian's Rainbow is a Broadway musical that tells the story of an Irish man and his daughter who travel Ireland from America in order to bury a pot of gold that had been stolen from a leprechaun. Finian wants to bury the gold next to Fort Knox to make it grow. The leprechaun follows Finian to get his gold back and the story explodes. How Are Things In Glocca Morra is a song Finian's daughter Sharon sings about her longing for her Irish home.
How Deep Is The Ocean How Deep Is The Ocean is a love song by Irving Berlin. This is one of the few Berlin songs that was introduced directly by radio and not part of a Broadway show. The song is a series of questions that describes love by comparison. "The first line sets the tone for the song, "How much do I love you, I'll tell you no lie, how deep is the Ocean, how high is the sky?" The song would be recorded by such great 20th century artists as Frank Sinatra, Julie Andrews and Eric Clapton. Recently the song was added to the Broadway show Irving Berlins White Christmas. So the song made it to Broadway seventy years later.
I Believe Written by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, and Al Staltzman In 1953 the song was actually commissioned by Jane Froman for her television show. Froman was concerned about the goings on in the US and asked for a song that could renew faith in troubled times. Frankie Lane would make a big hit with the song and his version of the song holds the record for staying on the charts longest, 18 weeks, in the UK.
I believe would go on to be recorded over and over again by many artists. The song became a signature song for the Lettermen and would go on to achieve almost the status of a hymn.
In the pre-rock and roll era, often called the Pop Standards era, or the 'Great American Songbook', there was an emphasis on the songwriters and the individual songs themselves.
For that reason we can't give these songs or even artists a ranking - often the same songs were made hits by multiple people in the same year - , for example, was a top 20 hit for 3 artists - Eddie Fisher, Eddie Calvert and Ray Anthony in 1954. We have included Signature Songs - the songs that are probably best known by the indiviual singers, when appropriate.
In keeping the Pop Culture Madness standard of highlighting songs and performances that have outlasted others of their era, here are the most known songs of 1954.
I can't Give You Anything But Love Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics) This song origins are actually a bit obscured. There is some evidence to suggest that Fats Waller wrote the music and sold it to Mchugh. But whatever it's beginning, the song would be recorded again and again by such artists as Judy Garland and Doris Day.
I Could Write A Book The Musical Pal Joey was where this song made it's debut written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. It was first sung by Gene Kelly who would go on to become one of the biggest stars in MGMs Galaxy. Pal Joey concerned the love affair between an amoral nightclub performer and the wife of a rich man. It was cynical, which was different for a Broadway show at the time. Critic would not agree about its merits, but it would be revived several times over the years. A film was made of the show which starred Frank Sinatra.
I Cried for You A popular song that would be recorded by many artists including: Count Bassie, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.
I Don't Want To Walk Without You With music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Frank Loesser and was first performed by Betty Jane Rhodes in the film Sweater Girl released by paramount Pictures. Irving Berlin would say of all the songs he had heard this song was the one he wished he had written. When recorded by Harry James and his orchestra it would hit number one and would again appear on the charts at number 36 when recorded by Barry Manilow in early 1980.
It's a Great Day For The Irish The Irish love thier muisci especially on St. Patrick's Day. This song was written by one of the music directors for MGM Studios, Rodger Edens. The song, written especially for Judy Garland, to show off her strong vocal talents was added to the score of the George m Cohan Musical Little Nellie Kelly. The song was sung during a recreation of New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade. Garland would sing this song in many of her concerts, and for many Irish Americans this song is considered an Anthem for the St. Patrick Holiday.
I Dream Of Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair The song was written by composer Stephen Foster. Foster composed this piece during a time that he was separated from his wife, whose name was Jenny, for an extended period of time. It is considered today as one of Foster's finest compositions. However when the song was introduced in 1854 it received little attention.
I Got Rhythm This song would span the decades. Written by The Gershwin brothers, the song was originally sung by the great Ethel Merman in the show Girl Crazy. It would be used in An American in Paris starring Gene Kelly and made it to # 3 on the charts in 1967 when sung by The Happenings. Barbra Streisand and Brian Wilson also recorded the song and Merman would record a disco version in the 1970s.
I Love You For Sentimental Reasons The song was written in 1945 by William Best. Deek Watson is credited as also being part of the creation of the song, although there is some dispute about this. The song has been recorded and rerecorded throughout the century into the next. Dean Martin, Linda Ronstadt and Kathy Lee Gifford would all record this American Standard.
On The Atchison Topeka and The Santa Fe The Harvey Girls is a film that dramatized the life of the women that went west to be waitresses for the Harvey House Restaurants which were expanding by being placed strategically across the United States at Railroad stations to serve hungry travelers going west in the 1800s. The film starred Judy Garland as well her co-star from The Wizard of Oz Ray Bolger. Angela Lansbury, at the time a part of MGMs Galaxy of Stars, also had a featured role in the film. On The Atchison Topeka and The Santa Fe was a production number sung when the ladies arrive at their new home in the west.
I Only Have Eyes For You Composed by Harry Warren with lyrics by Al Dubin, the song written in 1934 for the film Dames where it was sung Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. The song would continue to be recorded throughout the century by such artists as Frank Sinatra the Temptations and in 1959 by The Flamingos. This recording would make it to #11 on Bill Boards Top !00. The song was used in such movies as American Graffiti, The Right Stuff and Warner Brothers Merrie Melody Cartoons.
42nd Street 42nd St. is the title and the title song of a 1933 movie musical Starring Ruby Keeler. The song would go on to be popular the movie would end up as two major Broadway productions and many songs from the show would be come standard.
You're The Top The song comes from the 1934 musical Anything Goes whose score was written by the great Cole Porter and told the story of a ships stowaway that falls in love with an heiress on the ship. The song was hit at the time especially when song by it's original performer Ethel Merman. This would be the first time Miss Merman would be on the charts but her popularity on Broadway would make her a star not soon to be forgotten.
You're The Top would be used in many other shows and be recorded by many arties such as Barbara Streisand and John Barrowman The show would be revived many times and continues to be performed in the 21st century. Recently the song was song by Rachel Berry's two dads in GLEE.
I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Ice Cream These days the song is remembered more for it's title than any other reason. The song was written by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and Robert A. K. King. The title, at least, has been used in TV shows as different as The Two Fat Ladies and Barney.
I Wanna Be Loved By You Written by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby, with lyrics by Bert Kalmar, for the 1928 musical "Good Boy". The song became a hit when recorded by Helen Kane who would go on to be known as the Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl. Miss Kane would be the inspiration for the cartoon character Betty Boop. The song has remained a standard and may best be remembered as sung by Marilyn Munroe in the movie Some Like It Hot
I Want To Be Happy The song was written for the 1925 musical No No Nannette and is one of the most remembered pieces from the show. It was recorded first by Carl Fenton but hit the charts with the Vincent Lopez recording. The song would go onto be recorded by orchestra leader great Benny Goodman and crooner, Bing Crosby.
I Won't Dance This song was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and Otto Harbach for a 1934 musical called Three Sisters which opened in London and flopped. When it was decided to film the Broadway show Roberta the song was re-worked by Kern and Harbach and included in the movie.
I Get a Kick Out of You This is another hit out of Cole Porter's Anything Goes. The musical legends of both Porter and Merman would grow out of this musical as they both become stars on musical sky. One thing that should be mentioned here is that there is a line from the song that would be cut and reinstated over the years as the harmfulness of drugs was discovered and being true to a creator's original work was argued out. The Line is "I get no kick from cocaine, even if I took one little sniff it would bore me incredibly too. But I get a kick out of you."
If I Had A Talking Picture of You If I Had a Talking Picture of You was by Lew Brown, B.g. Desylva, Ray Henderson. This song was probably inspired by the introduction of talking movies in the 1929. It would later be song as a period song for Peter Davidson's title character of Campion in the BBC series.
If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Have Baked A Cake Written by Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill and Clem Watts the song was published in 1950 and recorded in January of that year by Eileen Barton. The song became such a big hit that it's record producer, National Records, could not handle the demand and turned to the larger record company, Mercury Records, to help with distribution. The song would be recorded by many other artist, a few times as a duet. Bing Crosby and Bob Hope would record the song in this was as well as Ethel Merman and Ray Bulger.
If You knew Susie "If You Knew Susie"written by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer. The song written in 1925 was Cantor's best known hit from the 1920's. It stayed as the United Sates Number One song for 5 weeks.
I'll be With You In Apple Blossom Time The song was written by Albert Von Tizler and Neville Freeson, it was copyrighted in 1920 and recorded a number of times before it hit #5 on the charts when recorded by The Andrews Sisters. It would go on to be recorded by such artists as Wayne Newton and Barry Manilow It hit the charts at 31on the US charts when recorded by Tab Hunter and #41 that same year on the UK charts when recorded by Rosemary June.
I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time - Charles Harrison Like many songs from this era, 'Apple Blossom Time' originally came out in 1920, but made a comeback in the 1940's during WW 2. The song, sung by The Andrew Sisters, had meaning for many who were waiting for the return of out troops. Other songs in this category are I'll Be Seeing You, and I'll be Home for Christmas.
I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise Written by George and Ira Gershwin and premiered in the musical The George White Scandals. Described by a critic in 1922 as"The most perfect piece of jazz ever written." The song was also used in the 1951 MGM musical "An American in Paris."
I'm An Old Cowhand This is considered a comic song and was written by Johnny Mercer for the film Rhythm on the Range which starred Bing Crosby. Crosby would also sing the song in the movie. Crosby recorded the song with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra and it would become a hit for 1936. It has been sung Roy Rodgers and Frank Sinatra. In an Episode of I Love Lucy the song would be sung by Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball as their characters of Ethel Mertz and Lucy Ricardo.
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter With music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young, this song would become part of what is known as The Great American Song Book. The book itself doesn't exist but it's meaning is clear. If a song has lasted past a certain amount of years and is retained in peoples memory then it is part of the book. Many songs from different periods of American Music still come up today some of them in commercial jingles others as part of a movie score. These song haunt our collective memory and I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter is included in these songs. The Song itself was recorded several times throughout the 20th century by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Barry Manilow.
I'm Just Wild About Harry Written by Eubie Blake, (music) and Noble Sissle, (lyrics) ,for the all black musical Shuffle Along. This was the first all black musical that was also completely written and composed by blacks. The song was also used in Harry Truman's 1948 campaign song.
Whiteman started his career in Denver playing the Viola in The Denver Symphony Orchestra in 1907. By 1914 he had moved to San Francisco. During World War I he led a 40 piece Navy band, playing marches by day and show tunes at night.
In 1918, Whiteman organized a dance band in San Francisco. Not long after he moved to New Jersey and finally settled in New York in 1920. He soon became the best known American band leader especially with his recordings of Whispering and Japanese Sandman.
For his first extended concert tour in the United States he commissioned George Gershwin to write Rhapsody in Blue.
During 1928 to 1952 Paul Whiteman's Orchestra was featured on many network radio shows. They also took part in several films starting in 1930 with King of Jazz. The orchestra provided music for six Broadway shows and produced more than 600 phonograph records. Later Whiteman would work as music director for ABC. He died in 1967.
Whiteman's musical memorabilia including his large library of more than 3000 arrangements was bequeathed to Williams College in Williamstown MA. The memorabilia and sheet music now form The Whiteman Collection.
I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clove The Irish have a way of creating music, especially Irish Americans. I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover was written by Mort Dixon with music by Harry M. Woods and originally hit the charts in 1927, but as a good song can't be kept down, this song too made a reemergence in 1948. This is another song that would be and still is associated with The St. Patrick's Day Celebration. Also The Philadelphia's Mummers Day Parade has also featured this song played by their famous String Bands.
I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover Written by Harry Woods and Mort Dixon the song has a long history of being remade. It was used in more than one of Warner Brothers Merrie Melody cartoons. The song is a staple for St. Patrick's Day and was even parodied in 1973, the title changed to I'm Looking over My dead Dog Rover. The song has been adapted as an anthem for Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union and The Son's of Ben, the team supporters, sing it at every home game. In 2012 the song was recorded again by Willie Nelson.
I'm Sittin on Top Of The World I'm Sitting On Top Of The World was written by Ray Henderson, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. It was a 1925 hit for Al Jolson but went on to be recorded by many others including: Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Brenda Lee and Willie Nelson.
Indian Love Call Jeannette McDonald and Nelson Eddie Some would question that this song should be included in a list of the most popular songs or in songs most remembered, but the song was hugely popular in it's time and would go on to be a song used in comedy shows and sketches. The song has it's origins in a 1924 musical oreretta called Rose-Marie. The music was Written by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II, The show would go on to have four film versions made.
The Most popular of these versions would be the one made by Jeannette McDonald and Nelson Eddie. McDonald and Eddy would become one of Americas favorite couples and along with Gable and Lombard, Tracy and Hepburn and Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.
Inka Dinka Doo Inka Dinka Doo was written by Ben Ryan, with music composed by James Francis "Jimmy" Durante. The song debuted in the 1934 movie Palooka. Durante's song would become a hit for him but it also would become his signature song. He would begin and end his radio program it. One of the truly interesting facts about the song is one of the other top songs of the year, You're The Top, would mention Durante's name in the lyrics.
It Was Just One Of Those Things Written by Cole Porter for the musical Jubilee, this song would take on a life of it's own as it was recorded over the years by several artists. Twice by Doris Day for two of her films Lullaby of Broadway and Young At Heart. Frank Sinatra recorded it as well as Bing Crosby and Lena Horne. It was used in JD Sallinger's novel as the narrator say of the song even the "stinking band" in the hotel lounge "couldn't ruin it entirely." A line from the song, "good bye farewell amen," was used as the title for the last episode of the hit series MASH. John Barrowman of TV's Torchwood has recorded the song for the twenty-first century.
It's Been A Long Long Time The music for this song was written by Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Kahn. The song would become a major hit as its theme was a lover welcoming their partner home after the war. The song could be sung from either a male or female perspective, so, though the first recording that reached # 1 on the charts was By Harry James with Vocals by Kitty Kallen, a second recording by Les Paul with Vocals by Bing Crosby would work it's way up the charts replacing the Harry James version.
Les Brown and Doris Day
It's Magic The song was written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. It was recorded as part of Doris Day's first Film called "Romance On The High Seas." The song was published in 1947 but did not hit the charts until 1948.
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm Ray Noble Written by Irving Berlin and first introduced in the film On The Avenue with Dick Powell and Alice Faye, two major film stars of the time, the song would go on to be interpreted by different artists in different ways. First, the song was recorded as a love song, but then also recorded as Christmas song. The same thing would happen to songs like Baby It's Cold Outside and Winter Wonderland. Not necessarily a specific Christmas song but somehow associated with the holiday. Jackie Gleason would record the song as well as Bing Crosby and Bette Midler. The song would come to life when it was used as the Finale for the Broadway Musical Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Harbor Lights Frances Langford The song was originally written and performed in Polish by Hugh Williams (pseudonym for Will Grosz) with lyrics by Henryk Szpilman and translated by Jimmy Kennedy. The song was finally officially published in 1950 13 years after its initial recording. Notable artists who recorded the song would include, Bing Crosby Elvis Presley and The Platters.
The Lady is a Tramp Sophie Tucker This song was originally written for the Broadway Show Babes in Arms by Rodgers and Hart. The Broadway show was about a group of young people rebelling against certain forms of etiquette, but when the show was turned into a film starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney the story revolved around a group of kids trying to break into show business. This would be one of the musicals where the kids get together and do a show in a barn. This was a theme for more than a few film musical of the time. Though recorded most notably by Frank Sinatra, the song would come again into the film arena when sung as a duet by the characters of Puck and Mercedes in GLEE.
I've Got The World on a String The song was written in 1932 and composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler. The song was introduced by Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby and would continue to be recorded throughout the decade by many popular songsters including Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow and Michael Buble.
I've Got The World On A String The song was written by Harold Arlen and ted Koehler in 1932 for The Cotton Club Parade. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Cab Calloway the song would make it to the Billboard charts in 1953 when recorded by Sinatra. The song would top at # 14 on the charts.
Jambalaya Jambalaya is a Cajon dish that consists of rice sausage chicken and or shrimp with hot spices. One of the most popular of Cajon foods Jambalaya even has a mix that you can easily make at home.
The song was written and released by Hank Williams and would stay # 1 on the Country Music Charts, but the song wouldn't stay in the country music category and would be recorded by other artists most notably The Carpenters who would record the song on their Now and Then Album. This version would reach number 12 in the UK.
Jeepers Creepers The song made its first appearance in the 1938 film Going Places which starred Dick Powell Anita Louise and a future President of the United States Ronald Reagan. The song was actually sung to a horse by his trainer. The trainer was played by Louis Armstrong. The term Jeepers Creepers was actually slang for Jesus Christ and the term predated the movie and the song. In 2001 a film entitled Jeepers Creeper would appear as a horror movie. Jeepers Creepers would be heard right before the monster would appear.
Lady Be Good Lady be Good was the title song of a Broadway show that debuted in 1924. The song was written by Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson, and the Gershwin brothers. The song was sung in the show by Walter Catlett, but the shows stars were Fred and Adele Astaire. Fred would later to go on to become a movie legend. Eventually the song would be recorded by Astaire as well as the likes of Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald.
Lady Of Spain This song was written in 1931 by Robert Hargreaves, Tolchard Evans, Stanley J. Damerell, and Henry Tilsley. It would continue to be recorded and gain in popularit over the next decade and more. Artist like Bing Cosby, Eddie Fisher. The song was a sort of signature song for Lawrence Welk's Accordionist Myron Floren.
Lavender Blue Originally a 17th century English nursery rhyme. In the 20th century it crossed the sea and began to hit the charts in 1949. Though Dinah Shore made a hit of the song, it would be Burl Ives who would win an Academy Award for his performance of the song in the 1949 Disney film, So Dear To My Heart
Lazy River This song was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Arodin and published in 1930. The song began making it's mark in 1931 when it was recorded by Louis Armstrong. The song would be recorded over and over by such artists as The Mills Brothers and Harry Connick Jr. The song was sung as a duet by Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett in an episode of The Lucy Show.
Little Brown Jug 1869 would mark the public publishing of this song that would remain part of American culture. The song is a drinking song and though it waned popularity for a while it regained its stature during the era of the 1920's and prohibition. Glenn Miller and his orchestra would produce a swing version of the tune and it would become a standard of the Big Band Era.
Look For The Silver Lining Written by Jerome kern the song was originally written for the musical Zip, Goes A Million. It was then reused in another musical called Sally where it picked up popularity. The song was also rewritten to be I Ain't Got Nobody
The song though popular on it's own in the 1920s. It would later become more popular still when paired as a melody with I'm Just a Gigolo. This combination was performed by such artists as Cab Calloway, Louis Prima, and David Lee Roth.
Love For sale This was written in 1930 for the Broadway musical The New Yorkers. although it became popular it was considered scandalous at the time as it was sung by a prostitute describing her profession. The song was banned by radio stations at the time, but it would go on to be recorded many times in subsequent years.
Lucky Lindy Lucky Lindy was written in honor of Charles Lindbergh's historic flight between New York and Paris in a single seat single engine plane called The Spirit of St Louis on May 21 thru the 22, 1927. He was 25 years old and would have careers as an aviator, author, explorer and social activist.
Mack The Knife Composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for the musical The Three Penny Opera. The show was originally performed in Germany, but the song made it to The United States. When the show itself made its appearance in U.S. it had a very short run in 1933, only to be resurrected in 1956 where it played off Broadway for over six years.
Mack The Knife would hit the charts on both the United Sates and The United Kingdom when Bobby Darin Recorded it in 1959. Others to record the song would be Louis Armstrong and Jerry Orbach, best known as Lt Lenny Briscoe in TVs long running Law and Order.
Make Believe Music by Jerome Kern and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the Broadway Musical Showboat. The Musical was one of the first musicals to actually use the songs to. This technique will be perfected when Oscar Hammerstein teams with Richard Rodger's for OKLAHOMA move the story forward. the musical was extremely controversial as it dealt with interracial marriage and it was also the first racially integrated musical. Previously whites and black performers did not perform on the same stage together. The musical was filmed twice one in 1936 and again by MGM in 1951.
Makin Whoopie First popularized by Eddie Cantor in the 1928 musical Whoopee!. Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn( lyrics) for the song as well as for the entire musical. The song would go on to be recorded by Frank Sinatra, and as a duet by Danny Thomas and Doris Day. The song is about sexual intimacy both its good and its bad sides.
Mambo Italiano Although not one of Rosemary's biggest hits, it is her longest lasting, according to the PCM request line.
Three Coins In The Fountain
Frank Sinatra peaked at number four with 3 Coins, but Al and Company were the only ones to hit the number one spot.
The talented boys from Chester (near Philadelphia) PA scored an even bigger hit in 1955 with .
Manhattan Manhattan was written by the song writing team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and would endure as one of their most popular songs. The song was originally written for the Garrick Gaieties Revue in 1925 and was song by Sterling Halloway who would later become the original voice of Walt Disney's Winnie the Pooh.
Manhattan would long endure and be recorded by such artist as Mickey Rooney, Rod Stewart, and Bette Midler. It was recently recorded by John Barrowman Doctor Who's and Torchwood's Captain Jack Harkness.
Marie This song was written by the great Irving Berlin in 1929. It would go on to be recorded by such artists as The Mills Brothers and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra. One reason this recording is particularly memorable is because it is the first time Rudy Vallee would make his mark on the charts. Vallee would go on to make quite an impression on American culture as many would enjoy his songs as well as his personal style. One of the big crazes he started was the full length raccoon coat.
McNamara's Band Written in 1945 by O'Connor and Stamford this song would go up into the top ten for Bing Crosby in 1956. The song was the story of a small Irish band led of course by McNamara. The song was based on an actual Irish band of the same name. It is another standard that Irish Americans have adapted as their own, especially on St.Patrick's Day.
Me and my Shadow The song was originally written by Al Jolson, Billy Rose, and Dave Dreyer. The truth may be that Jolson contributed very little to the song. The song is a standard that was still being played on the radio as late as the 1960s. Artists that recorded the song include Michael Ball and Antonio Banderas, Perry Como, Lou Rawls and Mandy Patimkin.
Mimi Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Would later become popular again in the 1932 film "Love Me Tonight" and sung by Maurice Chevalier.
Richard Rodgers would later achieve major successes with Oscar Hammerstein. ( See Make Believe).
Minnie the Moocher This song would be song recorded and rerecorded by Cab Calloway. The song would be known for it's skat lyrics which would have Callaway sing a phrase and then the audience would repeat the phrase. Calloway would make the phrases more and more complicated until the audience could no longer follow him. Max Fleisher would animate the song using Betty Boop as its main character.
The song would be used in many TV shows such as That Girl and Family Guy. In movies the song would be used in The Blues Brothers, Calloway would sing the song himself in the film. Cab Calloway would have a long and successful career. He would even star with Pearl Bailey in an all black version of Jerry Herman's Hello Dolly
Mona Lisa The Mona Lisa is probably the most famous of Da Vinci's work. The painting resides at The Louvre Museum in Paris and many prints, postcards, and posters have been made of this classic work of art. There is much speculation as to who the model for the painting was, but no one knows for sure, and the enigmatic smile she wears has been perplexing people since the paining was completed. The song compares a woman to the famous portrait. The song was composed by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the motion picture Captain Carey U.S.A. It took the Academy Award for best song in 1950.
Moonlight and Roses Moonlight and Roses originally had no title at all but was simply known as op. 83 #2 when it was first written by 1888 by Edwin Lemare. Lemare did not attach any words to the song either. It was in 1921 that American Songwriters Ben Black and Neil Moret added words to the music without permission. Lamare, who was still alive threatened legal action in 1925 and received a share of the royalties. Lamaer originally received 3 shillings in 1892 for his composition in 1925 he finally received good money for his work.
Mule Train This song was written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath, Doc Tommy Scott and Fred Glickman. The song is a Wild West song that relates the idea of a cowboy carrying male and packages across the west to waiting customers. Though Frankie Laine introduced the song it would be recorded by many other artists. When Burl Ives recorded the song he would add the sound affects of snapping whips and yells.
Music Music Music This Million seller record was first recorded by London Records in 1949 by Teresa Brewer. The song was written by Stephen Weiss and Bernie Baum. Petula Clark would record the song that same year and that version would be popular in Australia.
The song would be recorded again in the 1970s by Melanie, but she would rename it The Nickel Song.
My Buddy Music by Walter Donaldson and Lyrics by Gus Kahn, the song was published in 1922. The cover for the sheet music featured a picture of Al Jolson. The song has been recorded by many artists including, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Streisand and Barry White.
My Mammy Music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Joe Young, this song was one of Al Jolson's most popular recordings and one that he would be remembered for, as he would film it three times. First in 1927s The Jazz Singer, second in 1928s, The Singing Fool and third in 1939 in a film entitled The Rose of Washington Square.
Curiously it was not Jolson who originally introduced the song. It was William Frawley of TVs I love Lucy who first sang it in a Vaudeville style act. Jolson heard the song and made it his own.
My Man My Man (and Funny Girl) are regaining popularity now by Lea Michele as the Character of Rachel Berry in Glee uses Barbara Streisand and Funny Girl as her inspiration for star success.
Nice Work If You Can Get It The song was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the movie musical A Damsel in Distress. In the movie the song was sung by Fred Astaire, who would turn it into a hit. The song became a part of the Gershwin musical Crazy For You and eventually would have a Broadway show of its own named after it.
Whistle While You Work Whistle While You Work was written for Walt Disney's first full length cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Frank Churchill, music and Larry Morey, lyrics. The movie was a huge risk for Disney as a full length animated film had never been attempted before. The song is an upbeat encouragement sung by Snow White as she cleans up the Dwarfs Cottage with the help of the good forest animals. The movie would go on to win Disney a special Academy Award made with one large oscar statue and seven smaller ones. The award was presented to Mr. Disney by child actress Shirley Temple.
Night and Day This song was written by Cole Porter and performed in the musical The Gay Divorcee. Fred Astaire recorded the song and it made it to the # 1 spot. He would again perform the song in the film version of the show. This song is considered to be one of Cole Porter's finest songs. This song was so connected to Cole Porter that the biopic made in the 1940's about the composer was titled Night and Day. The song would go on to be recorded by celebrities as diverse as Frank Sinatra and Ringo Starr. The song would be recorded and song again in a second biography film of Cole Porter called Devovely. This time the song was sung by John Barrowman, TVs Captain Jack Harkness, and Keven Kline
Night and Day Written by Cole Porter for a 1932 musical called the Gay Divorce, the song was first performed by Fred Astaire, and would be performed by him again in the 1934 film version of the show. One of Porters claims is that it was the Islamic call to worship that inspired the song, but there are other stories as well. Night and Day would become the title of Cole Porter's first motion picture Biography.
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen This song is actually a spiritual or a worship song. Though originally sung and on the charts by Maion Anderson, the best known version is probably the one recorded by Louis Armstrong. The song has been used many times both in TV and Films the interesting point here is it has been used mostly in comedies and children's entertainment.
Oh Happy Day This is not the Oh Happy Day that many church goers are familiar with. This song written by and performed by Don Howard was originally first performed at a high school dance; the young adults loved it and asked for it to be performed for a total of 13 times. The song was then recorded at a local recording studio the song became an immediate local hit. From there the song was released at the national level and it made it up to number #4 on the Billboard chart. Time magazine would say of the song the "Mystery Hit" and went on to say that the song was the "rarest kind of hit, unplanned and unplugged."
I Get A Kick Out Of You This song could be considered one of the first songs that spoke out against drug use as one of its lyrics is "I get no kick form cocaine, I know that if I took even one little sniff, it would be bore me incredibly too, but I get a kick out of you." The song was written for the 1934 musical and originally sung by Ethel Merman and was one of three songs that would become hits for the time the other two being You're The Top and the title song, "Anything Goes."
Oh My Papa The song was originally written for a German musical called Der Schwarze, and was called Oh Mein Papa. The song would become popular in the UK when recorded as an instrumental. When the song came to America and the lyrics translated, the song would shoot up to # 1 on the charts
Ol' Man River This song had been around for a year before it became popular in 1928. It was part of the Musical Show Boat which debuted in 1927 and had many firsts including being the first Broadway Show to allow white and black people onstage together. One of the most important things about this 1928 recording is that it put Bing Crosby on the charts for the first time. Crosby would go on to become a recording, movie and TV star. Ol' Man River was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein.
On A Slow Boat To China On A slow Boat To China was written by Frank Loesser, published in 1947. It would first be recorded by Kay Kyser but go on to be recorded by many artists including Rosemary Clooney and Bette Midler.
Paper Doll The song was written by Johnny S Black in 1915, but was not published until 1930. It took another 12 years until the song would become a hit. Unfortunately for Mr. Black he would die 6 years before his song became the hit he had dreamed of.
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers The song was originally composed in 1897 by German composer Leon Jessell. In 1905 Jessell arranged the piece for Orchestra and had it re-published. In 1922 lyrics were written for the piece by Ballard Macdonald. Recorded by Paul Whiteman in 1923 it would soon become more of a Christmas song as time went by. The song has been used in a Betty Boop Cartoon and as a Disney short (see YouTube link) It has been recorded at least ten times by The Boston Pops. Harry Connick Jr. recorded it with the lyrics for his Christmas album and the piece is used annually by the Rockettes for their Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
Pennies from Heaven Was the creation of, Arthur Johnston, music and Johnny Burke, lyrics and sung by Bing Crosby in a film that bore the same title. Frank Sinatra would record the song as well as Dean Martin. Most recently it was used in the otherwise silent 2011 film The Artist.
Pennsylvania 6 - 5000 PE 6 - 5000 is supposedly the oldest continuous phone number in New York City and is owned by The Hotel Pennsylvania. The story goes that many Big Bands played at The Hotel Pennsylvania and this is where the inspiration for the song came from. Written Jerry Gray and Carl Sigman the song would be #5 on The Bill Board Charts when recorded by Glenn Miller
Down Argentine Way
With music by Harry Warren Lyrics by Mack Gordon this song was part of the movie musical by the same name. Produced by 20th Centry Fox, the film starred Don Ameche and Betty Grable. The song, however would be performed by Carmen Miranda and this would be the first time American audiences would see the Cuban singer. Miss Miranda would become well known for wearing large hats that looked like they were made out of fruit, such as pineapples.
People Will Say We're In Love Oh What A Beautiful Morning These three songs which became popular in 1943 are all from the same source, Rodger's and Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA. OKLAHOMA would become a major part of American Musical Theater history. It was the first musical collaborated on by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, both song writers had a history of hits with other partners but none would compare to the work they would do together.
OKLAHOMA was based on a play called Green Grow The Lilacs which told the story of a romance between a farm girl and a cowboy. Rodger's and Hammerstein adapted the play to a musical and developed a new technique for musical comedy. First they started the show with a slow number "Oh What A Beautiful Morning." When the curtain opened all you saw was an old woman churning and the Male lead would come strolling up the Aisle of the theater singing the song. Up to this time musicals started the show with a large production number. Almost all of the songs in the show would move the story along." People Will Say We're In Love" is actually a conversation between the two main characters. The title song OKLAHOMA is a rousing full cast song that appears at the end of the show. It is not surprising that this is the song that Oklahoma, the state, would choose to make their official state song. Hugh Jackman would play the lead of Curly in a 1998 revival of the show.
Play A Simple Melody This song was written by Irving Berlin and used in the Motion Picture, There's No Business Like Show Business. The song is actually two songs, one is a simple old fashioned melody and the second a more complex jazz song. At first the songs are sung separately and then over top of one another. Gary Crosby is Bing's son.
Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition This song was written in direct response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. There were many stories that surround the writing of the lyrics. The music was written by Frank Loesser. One of the stories is as follows: An officer in charge of an ammunition line on the USS New Orleans during the attack on Pearl Harbor said that, "I heard a voice behind me saying, 'Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.' I turned and saw Chaplain Forgy walking toward me, along the line of men. He was patting them on the back and making that remark to cheer and keep them going. I know it helped me a lot, too." (Wikipedia)
Rags To Riches Rags to Riches was written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and reached #1 on the Billboard Charts. The song was stay popular and in 1976 Elvis Presley sang the song unrehearsed at the his concert in Pittsburgh. The song became a regular piece of comedy when the first line of the song was sung by Shirley Finney's boyfriend Carmine Raggusa on Laverne and Shirley.
Rock The Joint Before Bill Haley was Bill Haley and the Comets, he was Bill Haley and the Saddlemen and in 1952 he and his group would record Rock The Joint. The song had previously been recorded by Jimmie Preston and this would version would not make the Billboard charts. It still was part of the beginning of Bill Haley.
Rum and Coca Cola The Andrew Sisters Written as a calypso, it was composed by Lord Invader and Lionel Belasco. It, however was not copyrighted, by the composers in The United Sates, The copyright was done by an entertainer and future co-star of the Dick Van Dyke Show, Morey Amsterdam. When the Andrews Sisters made their recording, the single spent ten weeks on top of The Billboard Charts.
Harry James
Secret Love -Signature Song
won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and was from the film . Jane was either a friend or Lover for Wild Bill Hickok in the old west.
When Doris went into showbiz, she changed her name from 'Doris Kappelhoff' to 'Doris Day.'
Sentimental Journey Written by Les Brown and Ben Homer with lyrics by Arthur Greene, the song, with vocals by Doris Day, would hit #1, and stay 23 weeks on the charts. The song would be released at the end of WWII in Europe and would become one of the popular songs associated with soldiers coming home from the war. There I've Said It Again Vaughn Monroe
This was written by Redd Evans and David Mann. It's original popularity would start in 1945, but it was also a song that would signify the end of an era of music. Bobby Vinton would record the song is 1963 and it would hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and would remain there for four weeks. It would be toppled by The Beatles with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" according to some music historians this musical event would end the "innocent rock era" and begin the modern rock era.
1946
September Song This 1938 popular song was written by Kurt Weill, music and Maxwell Anderson, lyrics for the show Knickerbocker Holiday. The show would have a successful run but the song would out live the show. September Song would be recorded by such artists as Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole. Opera and Broadway star Enzio Pinza would also make a recording of this song shortly before his death. The song would go on to be used in the 1950 film September Affair.
Shake Rattle and Roll This is considered the first 'top ten' rock and roll hit, and was released a few months after the moderately successful , which did signifiacntly better when re-released in 1955.
Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream) -Signature Song
Considered by many to be the first 'rock' song, this Canadian Quartet was backed by Dave Carroll's Orchestra. Dave and the boys also occasionally backed Vic Damome and Rusty Draper.
Shortnin Bread The origins of this song are vague. Although considered a traditional plantation song the first published record of the lyrics was 1900 by a white poet named James Whitcomb Riley. The song would then be revised and republished again 1915 by E. C. Perrow. This is more the song that we know of today
Here a recipe for Shortening Bread retrieved from the website Suite 101. 2 cups all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ cup butter milk, A quarter cup plus two tables spoons butter 1 cup molasses and 1 egg slightly beaten. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease and flower a cast iron skillet. In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and set it aside. . In another small dish dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk. Set that aside also. . In a heavy saucepan, stir the butter and molasses and bring it to a boil. Stir it constantly. Add the molasses mixture to the flour, Stir in and then add the buttermilk and soda and then the beaten egg. Pour the whole mixture into the skillet and place in the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes
Show Me The Way To Go Home The piece is a folk song that was made famous by James Campbell and Reginald Connelly, a British song writing team who wrote the lyrics after a rail road trip where they had had a few drinks. The song soon traveled across the Atlantic and became a hit in 1926. The song has been used in movies and TV and theater, as example in Tennessee Williams Cat on A Hot Tin Roof. And was used recently in an episode of The Family Guy.
Shuffle Off To Buffalo These four songs originated in the film 42nd Street. The movie musical was made by Warner Brothers Studios and starred Ruby Keeler. The musical also starred Ginger Rodgers and Dick Powell, who would go on to star in The Thin Man movie series. This movie was a mile stone for the film industry. It was the first film choreographed by Busby Berkley. Berkley would move onto to MGM where he would be a major contributor to the films starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.
42nd Street told the story of an unknown that goes to her first audition and is hired but then ends up as the star when the lead hurts herself. The movie would be popular for years, but in 1980 the movie would go to Broadway starring Jerry Orbach and Tammy Grimes. 42nd Street would the Tony Award for best musical in 1981. A major revival would be launched in 2001.
Side by Side "Side by Side" is a popular song from 1927 with lyrics by Gus Kahn and music by Harry M. Woods. It is still considered a standard though not as well know today as in the 20th century. The song has been recorded by many artists including Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello for Hudson Hawk, Hayley Mills and Paul Anka, but is probably best known in a 1953 recording by Kay Starr.
Singin in the Rain Not many songs have as varied a history as Singin in the Rain. It's up tempo music with lyrics full of hope would continue to be remembered throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. The song was turned into a film in 1952 starring Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly. The film is considered by many as one of the best movies ever made.
The song was originally written by Arthur Freed lyrics and music by Nacio Herb Brown, and published in 1929. There are suggestions that song was written and performed as early as 1927. Cliff Edwards would perform the song in the 1929 film musical The Hollywood Revue of 1929. This performance would be the opening of the film That's Entertainment a retrospective of MGM musicals. The song would again be used in the film Speak Easily starring Jimmy Durante and again by Judy Garland in the film Little Nellie Kellie.
The song was used in the second season of GLEE as a mash up with Umbrella. The song was song by Mathew Morrison and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Singin in the Rain Singin in the Rain has a legacy that began with one of the very first talking motion picture. It was sung in an MGM musical with a man playing a Banjo with a line of chorus girls. Judy Garland and others would sing it in other motion pictures or record it. But in 1952 Singin in the Rain became a movie musical and was given the royal treatment. The Film would star Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'connor. This film would be considered one of the best ever made and Gene Kelly dancing in the rain while singing the title song would be considered one of films greatest moments.
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes This song was written by composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical Roberta. It was performed in the show by Tamara Drasin. In 1935 the song would be performed by Irene Dunne for the film adaptation of the Broadway hit. The film co-starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The song would continue to be performed throughout the 20th century by such artists as Nat King Cole, Jody Garland and Eartha Kitt (TVs Catwoman). The song would reach number three on the R&B Charts in 1959 when recorded by The Platters
Soliloquy is a song sung by the male lead, Billy Bigelow. Billy is a carnival barker for a Carousel who meets Julie Jordan a mill worker. They marry, although it is not the best of matches. Billy is a bit of a scoundrel and drinks a bit too much. He's not the most reliable of men either. Julie is the exact opposite. They begin their life together and Julie gets pregnant. Soliloquy is Billy's reaction to Julie's pregnancy. The song first tells of his excitement about having a boy, a fact he is not sure of, it then goes into what would happen if he had a�girl. He asks, "what would he do with her?" And what would he do with her? By the end of the song Billy vows to do whatever he has to raise the girl well. Billy and Julie do indeed have a girl, but he is not around to raise her.
The interesting thing about Soliloquy is that was written as a cover song. There was a lengthy scene change in the play, the song was written to cover this time and was sung in front of a closed curtain. In the film the song is sung while Billy wonders around the Maine Coastline.
You'll Never Walk Alone one of the most beautiful of Rodger's and Hammerstein's compositions, it can really only be compared to Climb Every Mountain which the team would write about 15 years later for The Sound Of Music. The songs are really both about standing with faith in times of great trouble. You'll Never walk Alone is written as a song of comfort for Julie after Billy is killed while attempting a robbery. Her cousin Letty sings this to tell her she will never be alone. The song is used quite often as a hymn in almost all denominations of Christianity.
It Might as Well Be Spring Rodger's and Hammerstein's hit OKLAHOMA did not go unnoticed by Hollywood. They tempted the team to go to California to write a score for a musical. The film was called State Fair. The story told of the Frake family's yearly trip to the Iowa State Fair. Each of the members is preoccupied with their own hopes of finding something special at that year's fair. The mother wants to win the prize for the best mince meat. This is helped by her husband secretly adding a large amount of brandy to the final product. Mrs. Frake then comes along and adds even more. Abel Frake, the dad, wants to win the prize for the best pig. The son Wayne wants to get even if with a barker who he feels cheated him at the previous years fair. And Margie has a decision to make. She has to decide if she will marry the boy who she isn't sure she loves.. She wants more than what he is. Her feelings are expressed in the song "It Might as Well be Spring."
Some Enchanted Evening South Pacific is one of Rodger's and Hammerstein's greatest shows. It remains both an entertaining show and a social commentary. The show won several Tony Awards in it's premier year of 1949. It is based on parts of James Michener's Tales Of The South Pacific that was published in 1947.
The book is a a number of short stories that take place during WW II in The South Pacific. The show centers on two couples. Nellie Furbush, a nurse who falls in love with a French planter, Emile Debeque, on the island where she has been stationed. She finds out that he had been married before to an island native and has mixed race children. The second couple that consists of Lt. Cable and a Tonkinese Girls whose name is Liat, he also has to overcome his prejudice. Both couples survive their issues but Lt Cable is killed when he and Debeque go to another island to spy on the Japanese.
There were many songs that would become known from South Pacific, I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair, Happy Talk and others. Some Enchanted Evening would shine and still does as a beautiful love song that describes a man's feelings when first meeting the woman of his dreams.
One interesting fact about South Pacific is that Rodger's and Hammerstein's lives were threatened by The Ku Klux Klan during the Broadway run of the show. There is a song in the show titled "You Have To Be Carefully Taught." The song's message is that you must be taught prejudiced; it is not born in you. The Klan did not like the message and threatened the lives of the composer and lyricist if the song was not removed from theshow. The song was not removed and nothing ever came from the threat.
Somebody Else Is Taking My Place Ross Morgan is listed as one of the writers of this song, but it's real significance is it's putting Miss Peggy Lee on the charts. With Benny Goodman's Orchestra and Miss Lee's vocals the song would stay on the charts at number one for three weeks during 1942. In 1948 when the song was released it became a top thirty song all over again.
The Fuher's Face Spike Jones released his song in an early part of 1942 and it became very popular that same year the Walt Disney Studio released a cartoon by the same name that has a version of the song and starred Donald Duck. The cartoon was war propaganda for the selling of war bonds and won The Academy Award for best animated short that year.
Someone to Watch Over Me Someone To Watch Over Me, was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the musical Oh Kay, which still is done, on occasion, by community theatre groups. The song would be introduced by Gertrude Lawrence, who would remain a top Broadway name for many years. She would eventually go on to play the lead of Anna Leonowens in Rodger's and Hammerstein the King and I. The King and I was written specifically for her and at her request. The ineresting thing about the show is Gertrude Lawrence would fade and he C0-Saty Yul Brynner would begin to rise. The King and I would be his most remembered roll.
The song would grow in popularity and be regularly rerecorded by such singers as Rosemary Clooney, Linda Ronstadt, Sting, Brian Wilson and as late as 2011 by Susan Boyle. The song was performed 3 times on American Idol. It was used as an instrumental in the second season of GLEE and Lady Gaga would perform the song on the today show. Proving this song is timeless. The video provided is Julie Andrews singing the song in the movie STAR which was the life of Gertrude Lawrence.
Sonny Boy The song was written by Ray Henderson, Bud De Sylva, and Lew Brown, and sung by Al Jolson in 1928's The Singing Fool. The song would hit number one and stay there for 12 weeks. The recording Jolson made would make the million copies sold mark. Sonny Boy would become a hit for Eddie Fisher in the 1950s and would be used and referred to often in television show Queer As Folk.
Sophisticated Lady Was originally composed as an instrumental in 1932 by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills, Words were added by Mitchell Paris and Ellington liked them, but they didn't go with his original conception of the song. Still the following year the song would become a hit. Linda Ronstadt and the band Chicago would also record the song.
St. Louis Blues Composed by W. C. Handy in 1914. the song was inspired by a melody that Handy Heard while out of work in St. Louis. It also took some inspiration from a woman who inspired him to write "ma man's got a heart like a rock cast into the sea." The song has been recorded by many artists from The Original Dixie Land Band to Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder and David Sanborn. At his death in 1958 WC Handy was receiving 25,000 dollars in royalty annually.
Stardust Stardust was originally an instrumental written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1927. Two years later lyricist Mitchell Paris would write lyrics for the song based on ideas that both he and Carmichael had discussed. The song would go on to be recorded by Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Ringo Starr and as recently as 2009 by Michael Buble.
Stardust This song is again hitting the charts after its initial recording in 1926, by it's composer Hoagy Carmichael. In 1956 on a disc jockey survey of their favorite records of all time Stardust would come out as number one.
God Bless The Child This song was written by the original performer Billie Holiday along with Arthur Herzog Jr, in 1939, it took until1941 for the song to get recorded but in 1976 this version of the song would be honored with the Grammy Hall Of Fame Award.
The back story of the song is particularly interesting. Billie Holliday tells the tale in her autobiography Lady Sings The Blues, Holiday and her mother are having an argument over money at some point Holiday says "God bless the child that's got his own." This became the starting point for a song. God Bless the Child would go on to be recorded throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, by such artists as Lou Rawls, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross and in the 21st century Moby.
Stormy Weather This song was written in 1933 by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. Ethel Waters first sang it at The Cotton Club night club in Harlem in 1933, and then recorded it later that year. Stormy Weather would become even more popular when recorded by Lena Horne in 1942. She would record the song again for a film that used the song as its title.
Straighten Up and Fly Right This song was written by Nat King Cole and Irving Mills in 1943. The song would become a hit in 1944, and the most popular the song the group produced. The single would peak at number nine on the pop charts. The song be recorded by such artist as The Andrews Sisters, Linda Ronstadt and Lyle Lovett.
If I Loved You Soliloquy You'll Never Work Alone Carousel was Rodgers and Hammerstein's second collaboration after OKLAHOMA. The trick here was to find an idea for a musical that would have the same or a larger impact than OKLAHOMA, and they found it. The Musical is based on a play by Ferenc Molnar',Liliom". Molnar's play is set in Budapest the biggest change that the musical team made was to move the play from it's original setting to the coastline of Maine. The rest of the story is basically the same except that Rodger's and Hammerstein made the ending a bit more hopeful.
If I Loved You
is a conversation between a man and woman in this case Billy and Julie. Both are describing what they would do if they loved the other person, and denying the feeling they obviously have for each other. The song tells a lot about each of the character of the individual and helps establish much of the story.
Stranger in Paradise Originally the song was part of the musical Kismet. Written by Robert Wright and George Forrest, but is based on music composed by Alexander Borodin, titled "Gliding Dance of the Maidens," from the Polovtsian Dances.
Vic Damone and Anne Blythe sang the song in the film version of the show, but the hit would be song by Tony Bennett even though the song was recorded by several other artists.
Swanee - Al Jolson Al Jolson was known as "The World's Greatest Entertainer" - the highest paid and most well-known actor/singer/comedian of the 1920s and 30s. Swannee was originally song by Al but was written by George Gershwin. Gershwin would go on to write many other popular songs that would come out of his Broadway successes with his brother Ira, most notably Porgy and Bess and Strike up the Band.
When My Baby Smiles At Me - Ted Lewis
A bandleader, Ted was probably best know for his catchphrase: "Is EVERYBODY Happy?"
Although originally recorded in 1920, the song became the title of a movie musical, in 1948 starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey. Dailey would win an academy award for his starring role in the film.
Sweet Georgia Brown Sweet Georgia Brown is both a jazz and pop tune standard it was originally written in 1925 by Maceo (music) and Ben Bernie (lyrics). Ben Bernie would be the first to record it along with his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra on March 19th. The song would stay at #1 for five weeks. The song would go on to be recorded by Ray Charles, Nancy Sinatra and Roberta Flack. Dixie Carter did a hysterical version in an episode of Designing Women. But the song is most widely known as the theme song for basketball's Harlem Globetrotters. See Video above.
Sweet Sue Just You This song as originally recorded in 1928 was played sweetly. With music by Victor Young and lyrics by Will J Harris, the song would become more popular in the mid 1930s when the song would be played in more of a swing style. The song was recorded many times by artists like Bing Crosby. It was used to prove Lucy Ricardo's inability to sing in the I Love Lucy episode Breaking The Lease.
T'Aint Nobody's Business If I Do
Written and Performed by Fats Waller.
The 1970's musical Ain't Misbehavin, was named after a Fats Waller song. Ain't Nobody's Business If I do was performed by Nell Carter in the show. Carter would later star in the 1980s situation comedy Gimme a Break.
Take My Hand Precious Lord The music for this song was adapted from a song written in the 1800s called Maitland by George N. Allen. The Lyrics are by Tommy Dorsey and were in response to the death of his wife while giving a birth to a child, the child would ultimately die as well. The song would be embraced by Christians and would be recorded by many artists such as Anne Murray and Elvis Presley. The song would follow a tradition in Christian Music which started as far back as Martin Luther. The originator of the Reformation would take popular music of the day and give the tune Christian lyrics. The Hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is a good example of this.
Take The A Train The song was written by Billy Strayton as new signature song for Duke Ellington and His Orchestra after Ellington found he could no longer use the song that had been his signature, "Sepia Panorama" due to issues with licensing. The song would stay Duke Ellington's as very few others would record the song
Taking A Chance On Love With music by Vernon Duke and Lyrics by John Latouche and Ted Fetter the song was a part of the all black musical Cabin In The Sky. In 1943 the song would come back when recorded by Benny Goodman with vocals by Helen Forrest. In this version it would top the charts at number one.
Tangerine The song was published in 1941 and written by Victor Schertzinger with lyrics by Johnny Mercer but it was introduced in the 1942 film The Fleets In, which starred Dorothy Lamour and William Holden. Jimmy Dorsey's version of the song would be the one to make it the charts and it would peak at number one.
Tea For Two Tea for Two was another memorable hit from the musical No No Nannette. It is a simple song and easy to remember and whistle. Recorded several times, by many different artists. The name of the song was used as a title for the 1950 movie musical which was a reworking of the original Broadway show and starred Doris Day. The song has been recorded by Tommy Dorsey, Liberace, and was used many times on the popular Television show The Lawrence Welk Show.
Tell Me, Little Gypsy - Art Hickman Originally sung by Art Hickman, 'Gypsy' was written by the immortal Irving Berlin. Berlin's first hit was Alexander's Rag Time Band. Mr. Berlin would go on to write music for more than half of the 20th century. Two of his most popular are Blue Skies and White Christmas. His influence is still felt today.
That's All Right (Mama) His bigger hits started in in 1956, but the cool kids were down with the King of Rock N Roll in 1954.
BTW - it is pronounced "PRESS-lee" NOT "PREZZ-lee"
The Anniversary Song The song is actually called "Waves of the Danube" and was written by Iosif Ivanovici in 1880. In 1946 Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin published the song as their own, adding lyrics in English, and this is the song that would become a hit. The song is often confused with the Anniversary Waltz, but it is a completely different piece.
The Basin Street Blues This song was originally written and published in 1926, but made its hit when Louis Armstrong made his recording in 1929. The song is actually about the Red Light District in The French Quarter of New Orleans.
The Best Things in Life Are Free. This song is from the 1927 musical Good News, book by Laurence Schwab and B.G. DeSylva, lyrics by DeSylva and Lew Brown, and music by Ray Henderson. The story surrounds a college football player who needs to pass an exam in order to play in the big game that weekend. He gets a tutor to help study and during their study time this song is song.
This is another song that would make it's a way across the rest of the 20th century. Being recorded by June Allyson Joe Stafford, Frank Sinatra and Barbara Striesand. There would be a film named after the song in 1956, based on the lives of the writers.
The Chordettes -Signature Song
An up-beat, vocally unique song that was a perfect 'getting in the mood' oldies show classic came back huge in 2012's Kia Optima Superbowl commercial, with just a touch of Motley Crew tossed in.
The Continental The song was written by Con Conrad with lyrics by Herb Magidson, and was introduced by Ginger Rogers in the 1934 film, The Gay Divorcee, Co-starring Fred Astaire."The Continental" was the first song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song . The would also be used in an episode of I Love Lucy.
The Glory of Love The song was originally recorded by Benny Goodman and written by Billy Hill. In 1951 the song would be recorded by The Five Keys and would be on the charts at the number one on four different weeks of that year. The song would be recorded by artists as diverse as Dean Martin and Bette Midler. Miss Midler would record the song for her 1988 film entitled Beaches which co-starred Barbara Hershey.
The Glory Of Love Billy Hill wrote this song and Benny Goodman recorded it in 1936. But in 1951 it was recorded as an R&B number by the five keys and spent four no consecutive weeks at the number one spot on Billboard's charts. Though over a million copies were sold the original 1951 pressing of the record are very rare.
The Gold Diggers Song (We're In The Money) The Lion Sleeps Tonight This song actually has two other titles Wimoweh and Mbube. The song was written in the 1920s by Solomon Linda of the Zulu tribe in Africa and first recorded there. The song would make its way across the Atlantic to become a hit in 1939. In the 1961 the song would become a number one hit when recorded by the Tokens and is still played on radio stations today. Walt Disney Studios would use the Lion Sleeps Tonight in it's animated classic The Lion King.
The Lullaby of Broadway The music for this song was written by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, the song made it's first appearance in the film, Gold Diggers of 1935. That same year it was also used as background music in a scene from the Bette Davis movie Special Agent. It would eventually win the 1936 Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song would grow in popularity and would have film named after it in 1951 starring Doris Day. It would be used in a Merrie Melody cartoon and would become a pivotal song in the plot of the Broadway version of 42nd St. sung by Jerry Orbach, Lumiaire of the film Beauty and The Beast.
The Man I Love This song was originally written for the musical Lady Be Good, by George and Ira Gershwin and entitled The Girl I love. The song was cut from the show. It would be later rewritten as The Man I Love and then cut from the 1927 anti war musical Strike Up The Band. Florenz Ziegfeld would also try to use it in his show Rosalie and for a third time the song would be cut. It became popular as an independent song and would be recorded often. The song was used most recently in an episode of Agatha Christie's Marple called At Bertram's Hotel.
The Sidewalks of New York "The Sidewalks of New York" is a song about life in New York City during the 1890s. It was created by lyricist James W. Blake and vaudeville actor and composer Charles B. Lawlor in 1894. The song is also known by the title East Side West Side. The song became a popular recording in 1928 but would go on to be recorded by Mel Torme, Duke Ellington and The Grateful Dead.
The Trolley Song Contrary to the way modern songs become hits, many of the hits of the 1920s, 30, and 40s, came from two major sources first, The Broadway Stage, and second The Movie Musical. And nobody made movie musicals like MGM studios. In 1944 a musical would be released starring Judy Garland and directed by Vincent Minnelli. The movie? Meet Me In St. Louis.
Meet Me In St Louis told the story of the Smith family, over a one year period. The movie starts in the summer and ends in the spring, with the opening of the St Louis World's Fair. In the summer section one of the daughters Esther, played by Judy Garland, and a group of her friend are going to the fair grounds to see what preparations are being done. And they are going by trolley. Garland sings a song that told the story of a young woman who meets the love her life on a trolley. This would become one of the biggest hits of Garland's career only out done by Over The Rainbow.
Another significant point about Meet in St Louis is that one other song would become popular and take on a life of its own being recorded over and over again by many artists. The song is, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." Another point from the personal life of Garland is this was where she met Vincent Minnelli, the two would marry and would produce Liza Minnelli. Meet Me In St Louis is considered by many movie scholars as one of the greatest films of all time.
The Way You Look Tonight The music for this popular song was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. It was first introduced in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film Swing Time, but sung in the film by Miss Rogers. This song would have a long and happy ride across the decades, being recorded by many and used in various ways. The song would hit the charts at #13 in 1961 when sung by The Lettermen. And would also be used in a Kodak Commercial and included on an album that included all the popular songs Kodak would use for advertising. When Dorothy Fields heard the melody for the first time she reported that she "went out and cried." It has been recently recorded by Olivia Newton-John, Phil Collins, Harry Connick, Jr., Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé,
The Whiffenpoof Song The Whiffenpoof song is actually the closing song of the Yale College's Whiffenpoofs, an acappella music group. The song was written in 1909 and became popular in the twenties when it was recorded by Rudy Vallee. But would make another hit when Crosby recorded it in 1947. The song did not stop in its popularity there, but would continue to be used in movies and television shows.
The William Tell Overture Gioachino Rossini Premiered the William Tell Overture in1829. It is an overture as it was the opening for his opera William Tell, the last of Rossini's 39 operas. The overture has many different musical parts, the part that is most familiar to modern listeners would be the section used for the radio and TV show theme for The Lone Ranger. It was rewritten by Franz Liszt for piano and continued over the years to be performed both as serious music and parody.
The Woody Woodpecker Song Woody Woodpecker was a popular cartoon character that survived from the forties in to the 1960's. His famous laugh was used as a musical opening to his movie shorts and TV cartoon introductions. Eventually the laugh would become a song not only recorded by Kay kyser but also Danny kaye
There'll Be Blue Birds Over The White Cliffs of Dover This song was written by Walter kent and Nat Burton in 1941. The song was written during the period of WW II when the Nazi's and Allies were fighting over Dover during The Battle of Britain, and looked forward to the time when there would be peace again. The song was written and first performed before The United States entered the war.
There's No Business Like Show Business Ethel Merman introduced this song in Annie get Your Gun in 1945. Written by Irving Berlin the song would become the unofficial anthem of aspiring stage stars everywhere. There's No Business Like Show Business could well be considered Merman's signature song, though, some would argue that Everything's Coming Up Roses could also vie for that title. The song would also become the title of a movie musical whose cast included Ethel Merman, Dan Daly, Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, and Marylyn Monroe
They Can't Take That Away From Me Fred Astaire The song is another standard first performed by Fred Astaire. Written by George and Ira Gershwin the song would make's it's appearance in the musical Shall We Dance. But go on to recorded many times by such stars as Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart and Harry Connick Jr. They Can't Take That Away From Me was also used in Kenneth Branagh's 2000 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Loves Labors Lost.
They Say It's Wonderful I've got the Sun in the Morning Doin What's Come Naturally Annie Get Your Gun was first performed in 1946. The book for the show was written by Dorothy and Herbert Fields and the music by Mr. Irving Berlin. The show was written for and starred Ethel Merman. Rodgers and Hammerstein would be the producers of this Musical whose music would stay part of American culture.
Annie get your gun told a fictional version of the life of Annie Oakley who was a female sharp shooter for Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The musical centered on her romance with another star of the show Frank Butler. The show would run on Broadway for 1147 performances. The show would be revived several times with such stars as Mary Martin. Olympic athlete Kathy Rigby, and more than once with Ethel Merman. The movie would be attempted to be made with Judy Garland, but sadly her personal issues did not allow her to complete the project although she had already recorded the soundtrack. Garland was replaced with Betty Hutton.
The three songs above were part of the Irving Berlin score and remain American standards. The one not mentioned on the list for the top songs 0f 1946, but still became part of America's Theater history if not the anthem for all performers is There's No Business Like Show Business.
Third Man Theme Written by Anton Karas in 1949 for the film, The Third Man. This instrumental piece topped the Bill Board Charts for eleven weeks. It's popularity is partially attributed to the use of the zither, an instrument rarely used in music at that time.
This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie wrote "This Land Is Your Land" in 1940 as a critical response to Irving Berlin's God Bless America. Guthrie had some communist ideologies and the song was originally titled "God Bless America For Me". He rewrote the lyrics more than once and the song became an American Folksong. This Land Is Your Land was not officially published until 1945 and then only in a small mimeographed booklet. In less than 20 years the song would be used in American school music programs. In 2002 the song was chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
Three Little Fishies Three little Fishies is best described as a novelty song, like Shaving Cream or They'r Coming To Take Me Away. Only Three Little Fishies was is on the verge of cute and sweet and fun. Sung by Kay Kyser, with words and music by Saxie Dowell. The song would become a number one hit in 1939. But it would live on as children in the 1930s would sing this song to their children into the 1960s.
My Heart Belongs to Daddy Written by Cole Porter for the musical Leave It To Me, this song would introduce the world to Miss Mary Martin. In the musical Miss Martin played the mistress of a newspaper publisher and the 'Daddy" she is referring to is her lover. The song is also done a strip tease, though, risqué, still tame by today's standards. Gene Kelly would also make one of his early appearances in the show. Miss Martin would go on to become one of the queens of Broadway, sharing the crown with the great Ethel Merman.
Miss Martin originated the role of Nellie Forbush in Rodger's and Hammerstein's South Pacific in which she starred alongside Enzio Pinza. This would be the first time a Broadway star and an Opera Star would share the spotlight together. She went on to again work with the musical team when she originated the Role of Maria in The Sound Of Music. She also starred in a musical version of Peter Pan which still appears on Broadway from time to time. Miss Martin is the mother of Larry Hagman the Co-star of I Dream of Jeannie and Dallas. Mary Martin would title her autobiography My Heart Belongs.
Three Little Words With music by Harry Ruby and the lyrics by Bert Kalmar, the song would be used again and again and would eventually be the name of the a movie based on the lives of the song writing team that created the song. In the middle of the 1970s the Advertising Council used a fully orchestrated version of the song in a series of Public Service Announcements about seat belt safety; the slogan for these commercials was "Seat belts: a nice way to say 'I Love You'."
Three O'Clock In The Morning Recorded by Whiteman is 1922 it lasted 8 weeks at #1 on the charts, and became Whiteman's early signature song. The song was also referenced in F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.
Tip Toe Through The Tulips Written by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Joe Burke (music), the song was recorded by Nick Lucas in May of 1929. Lucas introduced the song in the 1929 talkie Gold Diggers of Broadway. The song would stay at number one for 10 weeks on the charts. In 1969 Tiny Tim would bring this song back to charts with his recording. The song became popular again after Tiny Tim performed it on Rowan and Martins Laugh In.
Toot Toot Tootsie Jolson would sing this song in the 1927 film The Jazz Singer. This film was the first feature length movie to have talking sequences. The song has been recorded by such artists as Brenda Lee and The Supremes. In 1991 it was recorded by Brent Spiner TV's Data on Star Trek The Next Generation.
Tumbling Tumbleweed The song was composed by Bob Nolan and is probably one of the most popular "cowboy" songs ever written. The interesting point of this song is that it was composed by Nolan while working as a caddy in Los Angeles. The was originally titled "Tumbling Tumble Leaves but the song was reworked and re-named. The song would gain even more success when it was song by Gene Autry in his movie of the same name.
Two Sleepy People This song was originally published in 1938 with music by Hoagy Carmichael and Lyrics by Frank Loesser. Carmichael himself would record the song along with such artists as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Seth McFarlane would also record the song. The song is the story of two people who are so much in love they do not want to go to sleep. On a humorous note, the song would be recorded by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton as their characters of Archie and Edith Bunker.
Unforgettable Inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2000, was written in 1951 by Irving Gordo. The publishing company wasn't happy with the original title which was Incomparable, and asked the composer lyricist to make the change to Unforgettable and a music legend is made.
The song was originally recorded by Nat King Cole and remained one his most popular songs. Nat King Cole would record the song more than once most notably in 1961. In 1991 Elvis Presley's music director came up with the idea of splicing the 1961 recording with a recording made by Nat's Daughter Natalie Cole and the song had another surge of popularity winning three Grammy awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.
Walkin My Baby Back Home This song was originally written in 1930 by Roy Turk, lyrics, with music by Fred E. Ahlert and charted in 1931 at #8. Nat King Cole made a hit out of the song in 1951, 52 Johnny Ray also had a hit with the song. In 1953, the song would become the title of a film starring Donald Oconnor.
That's Amore This song would always be associated with Dean Martin and is his signature song. The song was written in 1952 by Harry Warren and Jack Brooks, and became Dean Martins Hit in 1953. The first public performance of the song was part of the soundtrack tor the Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin comedy film, The Caddy. It was nominated for an Academy Award for 1953 bur lost to Doris Days Secret Love. The song would have a resurgence in popularity when used in film Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicholas Care.
When the Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin Along "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" is a 1926 popular song written by songwriter Harry M. Woods. The song was an instant hit for, Al Jolson, reached #1 on the Billboard charts with his version of the song although other performers recorded it the same year. The song would go on to be recorded by Doris Day and Dean Martin. The song would appear as childrens song issued by The Peter Pan Record label.
Bye Bye Blackbird Bye, Bye, Blackbird" is a song that was published in 1926 by the composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is a popular standard and has been recorded by many artists including John Coltrane, Bing Crosby, Joe Cocker and most recently in 2012 by Paul Mccartney. Liza Minelli used the song in her 1972 television concert entitled Liza With A Z (See video). In an Episode of The Partridge Family the song was sung by Ray Bolger, who played Shirley Jones Father.
When The Saints Go Marching In If Jazz and New Orleans had a theme song When The Saints Go Marching In would be it. The origin of the song is unknown, but it began as a hymn and usually used as part of funeral profession. While the casket was being taken to the cemetery the song would be played as a dirge or as a slow march. On the return from the cemetery the song would go upbeat and would signify Jesus Christ's Triumph over death. The New Orleans Football Team The Saints is named after this song.
When You Wish Upon A Star Pinocchio was Disney's second full length animated movie. Using the formula that he used in Snow White Disney would add music to his story telling. When You Wish Upon a Star was written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington and sung by Cliff Edwards, the voice of Jiminy Cricket in the film. The song was not part of the story but was song over the credits at the beginning of the film. The film would have two more songs that would be remembered, Give A Little Whistle and An Actor Life For Me. When You Wish Upon A Star, however, would go on to be added to the list of The One Hundred Greatest Songs In Film History by The American Film Institute. The song would take its place at number seven. The Walt Disney Studios would have three other songs on the list.
When The Swallows Come Back From Capistrano
This song was written by Leon Rene and was recorded in May of 1940. The recording reached #4 on the charts, but the same year Glenn Miller would record the song and his version would recording would reach number two that same year. The song is a longing of a lover for the return of his or her beloved. The song was written in a tribute to the annual return of the swallow to Capistrano.
Where or When Hal Kemp This song is also from the Broadway Musical Babes in Arms, Written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart. The song is a love song that has been recorded and rerecorded many times. The song may also be the first to have the experience of Déjà-Vu as it's centrals theme the song is song by a lover who believes he or she is experiencing again the time spent with his her beloved, even though it couldn't have happened. The music is haunting and the lyrics are beautiful. The song has been recorded by over 100 different artist. Some notable recordings are Julie Andrews, Judy Collins, The Beach Boys, Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin and George Michael.
Whispering - Paul Whiteman Whispering was recorded by Paul Whiteman and his orchestra and was written by John Schonberger and Vincent Rose. The song actually has lyrics but they were not used on the first recording. According to the Literature that was provided by Victor, the recording studio, the song used an instrument that sounded like a "boson's-pipe-slide-trombone-whistle."
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf This song was originally written for The Disney short, The Three Little Pigs. The song was written by Frank Churchill with additional lyrics by Ann Ronell. The song would become incredibly popular and would become a classic children's song. It would last long after 1933 and be recorded by many different artists including Barbra Streisand. Significantly this song would be the first song from a Disney film to appear on the charts, there would be many more to follow.
Willow Weep For Me The song was written by Ann Ronell. Willow Weep For ME would be considered a jazz standard but would be recoded again in 1964 by Chad and Jeremy and would make it into the top 40s that year.
Would You Like To Swing On A Star Too - Ra - Loo- Ra - Loo - Ra Going My Way is a 1944 movie starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. The story revolved around a young Priest played by Bing Crosby who comes, secretly, to the aid of an older priest who is about to lose his parish. The older Priest, Father Fitzgibbon, was played by Barry Fitzgerald." Would You Like To Swing On A Star", and "Too - Ra - Loo - Ra - Loo - Ra", were both part of this motion picture. The film was not a musical as much as a film that involved music.
Would You Like To Swing On A Star, became the key to getting money to save the parish. The song has an interesting history. Jimmy Van Heusen, a song writer who was working on the film was at Crosby's house for dinner one evening. One of the Crosby's sons complained of not wanting to go to the school the next day. Crosby looked at his son and said to him, "If you don't go to school, you might grow up to be a mule. Do you wanna do that?" The rebuke became the inspiration that would inspire An Academy Award Winning song.
Too - Ra - Loo - Ra - Loo –
Ra was actually written in 1914 by composer James Royce Shannon who lived from 1881 to 1946. The song was used in the film to sing the old priest Father Fitzgibbon, to sleep after he had been caught in a bad storm. Though the song was written in 1914 the composer would live to see his song become a popular hit in 1944.
Yes sir that's my baby Music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Gus Kahn, the song has a fascinating story about it's composition, which may or may not be true. The story is reprinted here from Wikipedia.
According to one source, the song was written when Donaldson & Kahn were visiting Eddie Cantor. Cantor's daughter Marjorie brought out one of her favorite toys, a walking mechanical pig. She wound it up and it started walking in rhythm while 2 notes kept coming from the little creature. Kahn was inspired and started working lyrics to these notes in rhythm with the pig, coming up with the title and opening line of the chorus in short order. The song been recorded in many different styles such as Jazz, Rock, Marimba and Country.
You Always Hurt The One You Love With words by Allan Roberts and music by Doris Fisher, the song would become a standard to be recorded again and again over the years. When The Mills Brothers recorded it in 1944 it would immediately become a top seller. The song would stay on the pop charts for twenty weeks peaking at number one.
It Had To Be You
It Had To Be You, was written by Isham Jones with lyrics by Gus Khan in 1924. It would take 15 years to be heard. The song was used in the 1939 film, The Roaring Twenties. IN 1944 When Helen Forrest Recorded the song as duet with Dick Haymes the song would hit Billboard Magazine's bestsellers list on 09/14/44 and remain on the chart for five weeks, peaking at number 4. The song would be used many times over the years. Of special interest is to note that it was sung by Dooley Wilson in the 1945 film, Casablanca.
Mairzy Doates The song has it's basis in an English Nursery Rhyme that was reworked in to the song by Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston in 1943. It took a year for the song to be published as no company wanted to publish a sill y song, which could be considered a bit surprising as, Would You Like To Swing On A Star, was doing well for Bing Crosby. Eventually the song would find a publisher and become a number one hit for The Merry Macs in March of 1944. This song was also popular with the soldiers in WWII where the lyrics were used as passwords.
You Are My Lucky Star Recorded by Louis Armstrong, the song would go on to be recorded in the film Broadway Melody of 1936. But the song would become an important part of MGM musicals when it was song by Debbie Reynolds in what some call the most important movie musical of all time, Singin In The Rain.
You Are My Sunshine There are many people credited to have written You Are My Sunshine, so it maybe that the truth of this popular standard may never be known. The writers that claim credit are Oliver Hood, Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell are also credited with writing the song. History tells us that Davis bought the rights to the song from Paul Rice and put his name on it. This practice was not uncommon during the early days of music publishing. The song would go on to become the State Song Of Louisiana
Fools Rush In With music written by Rube Bloom and Lyrics by Johnny Mercer this song would be recorded throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. Artists that recorded the song besides Glenn Miller include Frank Sinatra, Rick Nelson in 1963 where it would hit #12 on the charts. Elvis Presley made his recording in 1971 and in 2010 She and Him also recorded the standard.
You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby With music by Harry Warren and Lyrics by Johnny Mercer, You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby would be featured in Hard To Get and sung by Dick Powell. But it had been popular before the film's release as it was recorded by Bing Crosby and became a mega hit for the already famous crooner.
Thanks For The Memories Bob Hope wasn't exactly known for his singing voice, though he could carry a tune. This song is a bitter sweet comedy romp through a couples breaking up. However the song would become Hope's theme song which he closed almost all of his shows. Mr. Hope would become famous for his patriotism especially during war years as he would travel the world to perform for American troops bringing along many celebrities of the day, usually beautiful women like Raquel Welsh and Ann Margaret. The song would be done as a spoof on an Episode of The Golden Girls which guest starred Hope. Sophia, played by Estelle Getty, would change the words to "Thanks for the Medicare."
You Oughta Be In Pictures Written by Dana Seusse and Richard Heyman, the song would be first performed in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees who would also record the song. In the same year Looney Toons would use the title in a song starring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
On The Good Ship Lollipop First song by the child star for her 1934 film BRIGHT EYES, This songwould go on to become Miss Temple's trademark. Miss temple would go on to be featured and star in many films, but eventually leave show-business and pursue a successful career in The United Nations and The State Department. She is now retired.
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To This is one of the short list of songs Cole Porter would write for the screen. It was introduced by Janet Blair and Don Ameche in the film" Something To Shout about". Dinah Shore would make a huge hit of the song as well as Anne Shelton in the same year. Many artists would go on to record the song including TVs John Barrowman.
You'll Never Know The song was based on a poem that was written by a war bride named Dorothy Fern Norris. The poem was adapted to a song by Harry Warren, music and lyrics by Mack Gordon. The song had it's debut in a film called," Hello Frisco Hello" and sung by Alice Faye. Faye would never make a recording of the song and so the hit versions went to Frank Sinatra and Dick Haymes. Haymes version would stay at # 1 on the R&B charts for four weeks. The song also won the Academy Award For Best Song in 1943
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Written in 1940 By Duke Ellington it was originally titled, "Never No Lament," and was recorded as a big band instrumental. In 1942 Bob Russell added lyrics and a new title and a new song was born. Two Version of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" would be recorded in 1943 one by Ellington and the other by The Ink Spots. Both would reach the top of the R&B Charts. Ellington's version would reach #8 on the Pop Charts.
For Me and My Gal This is The Title song from the movie musical starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. For Kelly this would be his screen debut. The film was directed by Busby Berkley and opened in October of 1942. The film was partially written by Richard Sherman who, along with his brother Robert, would go on to be one of the most Prolific song writers at the Disney Studios, being responsible for the songs for Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. The song, For Me and my Gal was written by George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz. The score for the musical would be nominated for an Academy Award.
and Martha Raye. The song was a hit with everyone at the party and would quickly take its place in American Music history.
Young And Healthy Young At Heart -Signature Song (1950s)
Frank Sinatra is the only artist who could claim four different 'Signature Songs' - (1943), (1969, (1980) and (1954). For those keeping track, 50 Cent still has just one - (2003)
Your Cheatin Heart The song was written by Hank Williams and recorded by him in 1952. The song, however would not be released until after Hanks Death in 1953. The song is thought to be one of the great country music songs and would become a major hit when recorded by Joni James. This song was originally written by Gus Kahn and Harry Woods in 1927. It is now considered an American Standard but it did not begin to atttain that status until the 1953 Kay Starr recording.
(How Much is That) Doggie in the Window Bob Merrill and Ingrid Reuterskiold wrote this song in 1952, but it was the next year when Patti Page recorded the song tthat it would become a hit. The song would reach #1 and is noted as the first song that had a question in the title.
You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me You're The Top Originally song by Ethel Merman in the Porter musical Anything Goes. This recording was made by the composer, lyricist himself, Cole Porter. Mr. Porter was born in 1891 and is a legend of the Broadway stage. A musical film of his life was made in 2004 and titled De - Lovely (another song from Anything Goes). The movie starred Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd.
Compiled and edited from web sources; by Brian Lemin 2013
(Not exactly in alphabetical order, but near enough… sorry)
I guess there is some information on about 200 songs
(Dear Mr. Gable) You Made Me Love You The song was originally written by James Monaco with lyrics by Joseph McCarthy, and simply title You Made Me Love You. According to Hollywood legend this song was written or adapted for Judy Garland to sing to Clark Gable on the occasion of the stars birthday. It was so well received that the song made it into the film Broadway Melody of 1938. The legend is more than likely true as Louis B Mayer, the head of MGM, treated his contracted "stars" as family. He gave lavish parties on a regular basis. Many of these parties would be filmed and shown as extras before or after an MGM movie. The original song would be recorded over and over by artists such as Debbie Reynolds Al Jolson and Harry James Eddie Duchin.
Second Hand Rose This song was featured as the piece Brice used to audition for Florenz Ziegfeld in the Film Funny Girl. The piece would appear again on the charts at number 32 in 1965 on the Barbra Streisand album, My name is Barbra. The album would go to number two and would go platinum. Waller was the son of a lay preacher. His father wanted him to pursue a religious vocation, but his talent for music took him in another direction.
His professional career began at the age of 15, when he became the organist at the Lincoln Theater on 135th St. There is some evidence to suggest that Waller studies as pianist under Leopold Gadowski and composition with Carl Bohm at the Julliard School. Waller was best known for his popular songs, but while in Britain on his 1939 European tour he recorded his London Suite. This suite shows his aspirations to become a serious composer.
Fats Waller died too soon, in 1943, of too much alcohol and hard living. His legacy is the music he left behind.
The Sheik (Also known as the Sheik of Araby.) This piece of Music was inspired by the 1921 film The Sheik starring Rudolph Valentino.
Clyde Doerr was a friend of Paul Whiteman. Whiteman secured a contract for Doerr to record for Victor ecords. The first recording that Doerr made was The Sheik, and it was so successful that Whiteman severed all contact with Doerr out of resentment.
A Bushel And A Peck Guys and Dolls is a musical based on a story By Damon Runyon. It tells the tale of a young missionary girl who falls in love with a gambler in New York City. The musical made it's premiere on Broadway in 1950 and would run for 1200 performances. It also took the Tony Award for that year. A Bushel And A Peck is song by Miss Adelaide who is a singer at a local club, the song was part of her act.
A Kiss To Build A Dream On This song was composed by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby and Oscar Hammerstein II in 1935. In 1951 it was used in the film The Strip, in the film it was sung by practically the entire cast including Armstrong as well as by Mickey Rooney with William Demarest, by Sally Forrest, and by Kay Brown. But it would be recorded by Armstrong and the hit would go to Mr Armstrong.
A Tisket A Tasket The song is a reworked nursery rhyme that was originally published in the late 1800s. It was considered a rhyming game in the same way as Ring a Round the Rosie was done as children held hands an moved in a circular fashion. In 1938 Elle Fitzgerald updated the words of A Tisket A Tasket and turned in to one of the great Jazz Standards.
Aba Dabba Honeymoon Written and published by Arthur Fields and Walter Donovan in 1914, the first recording of the song was made by Collins and Harlin also in 1914. The song would come back in the 1950 movie "Two Weeks With Love". "Aba Dabba Honeymoon" would go to #3 on the Billboard chart in 1951. The song was again brought back on 1959 the film soundtrack that brought the Three Stooges back called "Have Rocket Will Travel". In the 1970s the Television Show Laverne and Shirley would use the song in the episode titled "The Shotz Talent Show."
Ac - cent - tchu - ate The Positive Written in 1944 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer the song is essentially a sermon set to music using the examples of old testament heroes like Noah and Jonah focusing on the positive of the things when life throws hard situations at us. C.S. Lewis wrote in one of his letters; "The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own', or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life-the life God is sending one day by day: what one calls one's 'real life' is a phantom of one's own imagination. "
-from a letter to Arthur Greeves, 20 December 1943
After You've Gone Was actually written in 1918 with by Turner Layton, with lyrics written by Henry Creamer and was originally recorded by Marion Harris in 1922. It would be recorded by Benny Goodman, Fats Waller and Phil Collins. It would be used by Ethel Merman in the TV show That Girl, when Merman describes to Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) how she was fired from her first night club job for singing to loud.
Ain't Misbehavin Fats Waller was a composer and song writer that left a large library of great music that will live on forever after his much too short a life. Waller would be the first to record the song but he also performed the song in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. The song would go on to be recorded by such different artists as Johnny Ray and Bill Haley and The Comets. The song would also be the Title of a musical revue in 1978 that showcased the jazz songs on the period.
Ain't She Sweet. Was written by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen, both of whom have places in the Song Writers Hall Of Fame. The song would continue to recorded across the 20th century by such artist as Pearl Bailey, Guy Lombardo and The Beatles.
A'int We Got Fun Was used as Eric Northman's ringtone in a 2010 episode of Trueblood. Also used as part of a pivotal point in F Scott Fitzgerald's novel the Great Gatsby.
Always "Always" was written by Irving Berlin in 1926. It was a wedding gift for bride Ellin McKay whom he married the same year. Not only was the song for her, he gave her the royalties too. This song would truly go on to be a pop standard and has been recorded by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and most recently by Sir Paul McCartney in 2012. Frank Sinatra sang the song during the celebration of Berlin's one hundredth birthday in 1988. Berlin would die the following year.
Always Always was originally written by Irving Berlin in 1925 as a gift for his wife. He also gave her the royalties. This song is a timeless romantic piece that celebrates a love that will never go away. This would be the second time the song would hit the charts since it was first written.
Amazing Grace This song may be as popular as it's source, which is the Bible. It's author was John Newton a Slave Trader who, one day, was caught in a terrible storm at sea, he prayed for God's Mercy. God answered Newton's Prayer. A year or so later Newton gave up the slave trade and began to study theology; he would eventually pastor a church. Newton with his friend William Cowper wrote the lyrics for Newton's sermon for January 1, 1773. However it was more than likely chanted and not actually sung. Music would be added and different tunes used. It was in 1835 that the song was married to the tune, New Britain, which is the version we know today. For TV comedy fans the lyrics can be sung exactly to the tune of the theme of Gilligan's Island. It is estimated that Amazing Grace is performed around 10 million times annually. William Wilberforce, who would be one of the main players in the freeing of the slaves in Britain, was a friend of Newton's and was influenced and encouraged by him.
April in Paris This song composed by Vernon Duke with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg for the 1932 for the Broadway musical, Walk A Little Faster. The musical itself would be forgotten but the song would move and be recorded by Glenn Miller Doris Day and Tommy Dorsey.
April Showers This was one of Al Jolson's trademark songs. And was written by Louis Silvers and BG De Silva for a musical called Bomba. The song was used in the The Bugs Bunny 1962 short Wet Hare.
Are You Lonesome Tonight Vaughn De Leath was also known as The Original Radio Girl actually recorded this song twice in 1927 on June 13 as a solo and again on September 21 as the vocalist for The Colonial Club Orchestra. The song would continue to be popular but rise to mega popularity when Elvis Presley recorded it in 1960. It would remain number one on the Billboard charts for 6 weeks.
Around Her Neck She Wore A Yellow Ribbon The yellow ribbon has been a sign of someone waiting for their loved one to come home since the time of the emperor Nero. She Wore A Yellow Ribbon is an example of this tradition. The version we are aware of today was written in 1907 as a marching song for the army. In1949, the song became the title of a film starring John Wayne. The lyrics were slightly altered for the film but the music stayed the same. The yellow ribbon would remain a symbol of homecoming throughout the years and in 1980 when the American captives were released from Iran the ribbon was put up all over the United States.
As Time Goes By As Time Goes By was written by Herman Hupfeld and performed as hit by Jacques Renard and his Orchestra as well as Rudy Vallee that year. The song was performed first in the Broadway musical Everybody's Welcome. This song would come in to it's full popularity in 1942 when it was song in the film Casablanca. This song would appear on AFI's 100 years 100 songs at #2.
Baby Face The music was written by Harry Akst, the lyrics by Benny Davis. It was recorded by numerous artrists over the years such as Little Richard and Paul MCCartney. The song was also song by Julie Andrews in the 1967 movie musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Baby It's Cold Outside It can be considered sad that some songs can get so attached to a holiday that we lose track of them the rest of the year. Among those songs is Winter Wonderland, Frosty The Snowman and Suzy Snowflake. None of these even mentions Christmas and yet the songs are relegated to this category. Baby It's Cold Outside is one of these. The words and music for the song were written by Frank Loesser and was first publically performed by the composer and his wife. In 1949, the film,Neptune's Daughter was released and the song was sung twice in the film. The song won Loesser an Academy Award for that year.
Baby It's Cold Outside is a conversation between a man and woman. The man is trying to convince the woman to stay at his house as it's too cold and the snow too deep for her to go home. The song got a twist when it was sung by Kurt and Blaine in the 2010 Christmas episode of Glee.
Be careful It's My Heart This song, written by Irving Berlin, was originally performed by Bing Crosby in the film Holiday Inn. The film told the story of a performer who gets fed up with life as a stage performer and buys a farm.. When he realizes farming is not for him, he turns the farm into an Inn only opened on Holidays so he could be off the rest of the year. This song was written for Valentine's Day. Three other songs would also come out of this motion picture The title song Holiday Inn also known as Happy Holidays, Easter Parade and arguably the most popular of all Christmas songs, White Christmas.
Be My Love Written in 1950 by Sammy Cahn (Lyrics) and Nicholas Brodzsky (music), this song would go to number one on the Billboard chart, and sell one million copies. The song was introduced by Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza in the 1950 movie The Toast of New Orleans.
Mario Lanza was a native of Philadelphia. He was born in 1921 and named Alfred Arnold Cocozza, the son of Italian Immigrants. Before his star began to blaze he and his child hood friends would go into restaurants in Philadelphia, Lanza would sing and the gang would get dinner for free.
Lanza was discovered by Luis B Mayer, the head of MGM studios, he was signed to seven year contract and changed his name. His mother's maiden name was Lanza.
Unfortunately Lanza would become difficult to work with. He would get into arguments with the studio, his directors and his co-stars. Hedda Hopper said of him that "his smile, which was as big as his voice, was matched with the habits of a tiger cub, impossible to housebreak". Mario Lanza would die in 1959 at the age of 38. He passed from a pulmonary ambulism. Author Eleonora Kimmel concludes that Lanza "blazed like a meteor whose light lasts a brief moment in time".
Beer Barrel Polka This song, also known as Roll Out The Barrel, was written in 1927 by a Czech muscian named Jaromir Vejvoda. As originally written it was played without lyrics. The song became popular with soldiers during World War II, but it's origins as well as lyrics and translations came much earlier. The song would be recorded by many artits and bands. The Wiggles made a recording of it for their album and video Sailing Around The World. If you grew up in Philadelphia you would be exposed to song fairly early as it was a staple for yearly Mummers Parade.
Over The Rainbow What can be said about Over The Rainbow that has not already been written. The song was created by Harold Arlen with lyrics by E.Y. Harburg for one of the most famous movies of the 20th Century, The Wizard of OZ. The song is song by the character of Dorothy Gale played by Judy Garland as she yearns for someplace there would not be any trouble. Before the film's release the song was threatened to be cut, but wiser heads prevailed. The song would have had quite a different history and impact if it had starred Shirley Temple as MGM would have preferred. Temples little girl sweetness and attitudes would probably not have the same impact as Garlands more mature voice.
The song would have very few recordings made by other artists before Barbra Striesand would use the song in her 1986 One Voice Concert that was performed on September the 6th at her Malibu home for 5000.00 dollars a ticket. Miss Streisand would pay homage to Garland before singing the song. Mr. Shue played by Mathew Morrison would sing the song in the first season finale of Glee.
God Bless America Written by Irving Berlin, legend has it that Kate Smith called Berlin and asked him to give her something new for her radio program. Mr Berlin searched through his back files and pulled out God Bless America. Kate Smith would perform the song to almost immediate popularity. The song would long be associated with Miss Smith and at the end of her life while she lived in Philadelphia she sang the song regularly at The Philadelphia Flyers home games. Philadelphia honored Miss Smith by erecting a statue of her outside The Flyers Home Stadium. Many people feel that this song would make a better national anthem that Star Spangled Banner.
Bill Murray and Ed Smalle That Old Gang of Mine The song is about the ending of childhood friendships as we move into adulthood. The song's original title was Wedding Bells are Breaking up That Old Gang of Mine, and has been recorded by such artists as Dean Martin and The Four Aces.
Birth of the Blues The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. It was Introduced by Paul Whiteman in 1926. The song would have a long history and would be a hit for Frank Sinatra. Bing Corsby would star in a movie inspired by the song title.
Blue Danube Was written by Johann Strauss II in 1865 and would be performed for the first time in 1866. The piece would make it's American debut in 1867. The piece would have words added by poet Joseph Wey and Strauss would later write additional music for the piece. The song was not immediately popular but in the end would be one of Strauss best compositions. The song would become popular again when it was used in the Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Blue Moon Written by Rogers and Hart, this one song that tends to make a regular comeback, originally recorded by Glenn Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra. The Marcels made it number on the Billboard charts in 1961. Gray was a saxophonist that fronted the orchestra. His named appeared on most of the recordings from 1934 on.
Blue Skies Blue Skies was written by Irving Berlin who plays an important role in the first half of the 20th century in American Pop Music. It would go across the century and into the 21sr century being recorded again and again by such artists as Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Debbie Boone and Rod Stewart.
The song was written by Berlin as an added song to the Rodger's and Hart Musical, Betsy. The song would live on, but the musical closed after 39 performances.
Blue Skies would go to be performed both on television movies and Broadway shows. The song had a movie named after it and joined other Berlin songs that has that honor such as White Christmas, Easter Parade and There's No Business Like Show Business. Most recently the song was brought back to life in a production number for the Broadway production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas.
Blue Velvet A Pop song from, 1951, Blue Velvet was written by Bernie Wayne and and Lee Morris. Song would be a hit for Tony Bennett, but would be a mega hit for Booby Vinton in the 1960s.
Blues in the Night Written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, Blues in the Night was written as the title song for a film by the same name. The song was written very quickly and was played at a dinner party hosted by Margaret Whiting whose guests included, Judy Garland Mickey Rooney Mel Torme Oklahoma
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince this song was the first to be directly related to World War II. The song told the story of a talented bugler that after he was drafted, could only play Reveille until his captain organizes a band for him to play with. The song would be a huge hit for the Andrew Sisters and would not be forgotten. It would make it back to the charts in 1973 as a hit for Bette Midler. It would top out at #8 on the top 100 chart and would go to #1 on the Billboard easy Listening chart.
Brother Can You Spare A Dime This song could be considered the theme song of the entire decade of the 1930's. The 30's was the era of the Great Depression where millions of Americans were out of work and some incredibly successful people found themselves in bread lines. The lyrics to this song and the very sad music reflect the desperation of the times. Written in 1931 by lyricist E. Y. "Yip" Harburg and composer Jay Gorney, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" was introduced in the 1932 musical New Americana. The song would go on to be recorded by such artists as Rudy Vallee and Bing Crosby. It would be continue to be recorded throughout the century. George Michael would record the song for his 1999 album Songs from the Last Century. The song was used in a poignant moment in the television comedy The Golden Girls.
Carolina in the Morning The song was written by Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn (lyrics) for the musical revue The Passing Show of 1922. I t was performed by William Frawley, Fred Mertz of I Love Lucy, who would later perform it along with Vivian Vance, Ethel Mertz, in an episode of the show. The song would be revived regularly as a standard into the 1950s. Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore would use the song in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. See The YouTube video above
Charleston Charleston is a song that was created to go specifically with the Charleston dance which was all the rage in the 1920s. It was originally performed by Paul Whiteman and popular on both sides of the Atlantic. One memorable movie that used the song was It's A Wonderful Life as Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed dance themselves into the school swimming pool.
See above video.
Chattanooga Choo Choo Chattanooga Choo Choo was written by Harry Warren, the music and Mack Gordon, lyrics and originally performed in the movie Sun Valley Serenade. The film starred Sonja Henie and Milton Berle. The Orchestra leader Glenn Miller also had a lead role in the film. The song was originally performed as a vocal number that went into a production number. It would be recorded as a single by Glenn Miller for RCA Victor and would remain 9 weeks on the Billboard charts at number one. The recording would be honored with the first Gold Record on February 10, 1942.
Cheek To Cheek Two Legends - One Song. Cheek to Cheek was written by Irving Berlin for Astaire's Top Hat (#7 below), which co-starred his most well known partner Ginger Rodgers.
Astaire was not as well known for singing capabilities so much as his incredible dancing ability. Debbie Reynolds tells of him spending hours and hours practicing with the choreographer Hermes Pan. Mr. Astaire was a consummate hard working professional who strived for perfection through hard work.
Come On A My House This song was written by Two Armenian Americans Ross Bagdasarian and his cousin William Saroyan in 1939. The song did not immediate success. When it was recorded by Rosemary Clooney in 1951 the song made it as a hit. The song, is inreality is a nod to the Armenian custom of having guests in the home and offering them various foods. Cloooney's rendering of the song makes the listener feel as if she is offering more than the candy she sings about
Cuban Love Song This song was the title for a 1931 film that told the story of a U.S. soldier who returns to Cuba to seek his illegitimate child. Directored by W.S. Van Dyke, and produced at MGM in 1931, the film starred Lawrence Tibbett, Lupe Velez, Jimmy Durante.
Daddy's Little Girl If there was a song that was used at almost every wedding in the 1950s 60s, 70s and 80s, this would be it. Not however during the ceremony. The song would be used for the father daughter dance at the reception to the tears of all the women married or single. The song's lyrics and music were written by Boby Burke and Horace Gerlach.
Dancing in the Dark The music for this song was by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Howard Dietz, and was originally performed by John Barker in the 1931 revue The Band Wagon. Besides Bing Crosby the song was recorded by Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet. The song was also used as a ballet sequence danced by Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse in the 1953 MGM film version of The Band Wagon.
Dear Hearts and Gentle People The Song was written in 1949 with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Bob Hilliard. The song was based on words written on a scrap of paper that was found on the body of Steven Foster when his body was discovered in a New York City Hotel in 1864. The words were simply" Dear friends and gentle hearts."
De-Lovely Another hit from the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, this song would reappear over and over again as the Musical is revived on a regular basis. The song is song by the hero of the musical Billy Crocket who is a stowaway on the ship where the musical takes place. Though song by the male lead in the show the song would go on to become more associated with Ethel merman as she would record it several times. In the video presented here the song is song by Torchwood's John Barrowman. The song would become the title of the movie musical biography of Cole Porter's life.
Don't Fence Me In The music for the song was written by Cole Porter. The lyrics were adapted from a text by a poet and engineer with the Department of Highways Robert (Bob) Fletcher in Helena, Montana in 1934. Porter bought Fletchers material for $250.00. The song was to be used in a movie musical to be produced by 20th Century Fox that ended up being shelved. 10 years later the song was resurrected for Roy Rodgers in the film, Hollywood Canteen. The first time America got introduced to the song was on Kate Smith's radio program. The song hit full stride later in 1944 when Bing Crosby and The Andrews would enter a recording studio, and having never heard the song before, recorded it in thirty minutes. This Version of the song would top the charts for eight weeks from 1944 into 1945.
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me The history of Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree is long and varied. It's origins begin in an eighteenth Century English folk song entitled Long Long Ago. Long Long Ago was then transformed into a song entitled Anywhere the Bluebird Goes. The song was written by Sam H. Stept with the lyrics by Lew Brown and Charles Tobias. At the outbreak of World War II the lyricists came back together to create the song we now know. Glenn Miller made the original recording but several artists would record the song. Though not the original vocalists, The Andrews Sisters would team with Glenn Miller and make the song their own.
Doris Day Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered This song has it's origins in the 1940 musical Pal Joey, music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, which launched the career of legendary dancer Gene Kelly. It would hit the charts, though ten years, later in 1950. Many artists would go on to record the song, including Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Cher.
Earth Angel -Signature Song
Written by the group's own Curtis Williams, it is considered by some to be the first song of the rock and roll era, possibly because it was releases in the last week of December, 1954.
Fighting about which song was the first of the rock era aside, we can safely say that they were the first 'one hit wonder' of the rock era.
was actually the "B' side of the single 'Hey Señorita.'
Easter Parade Written by Irving Berlin in 1933 for the musical As Thousands Cheer, Easter Parade would go on to be sung by Bing Crosby in the movie Holiday Inn which would introduce the song White Christmas and then would be sung by Fred Astaire and Judy Garland in a film named after the song. Easter Parade is a song celebrating the tradition of The Easter Parade which goes on all over America on Easter Sunday.
et Me Sing and I'm Happy This song is another written by Irving Berlin, as the new decade starts Berlin would have his hand in shaping American music and especially American popular songs. Let Me Sing and I'm Happy is sort of an ode for anyone who loves to sing. People that sing in Community Theater, in choirs and in the shower and this song was made for them. The song was recently resurrected for the stage musical Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Happy Days Are Here Again
The song was copyrighted in 1929 by Milton Ager (music) and Jack Yellen (lyrics). The song is best remembered as the campaign song for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It has often been referred to as the unofficial anthem for the Democratic Party. The song would be resurrected in the early 1960s by Barbra Streisand first as a single and then on her first album. Her take on the song would make it a ballad instead of the upbeat happy, hopeful song it was originally written as. Streisand would sing the song as a duet with Judy Garland. The song would be a medley of Garland's Get Happy in counterpoint to Streisand's Happy Days. The performance would be recreated for an episode of GLEE and song by Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel
Puttin on the Ritz
This song was another hit for Berlin and is most associated with Fred Astaire. The title refers to the idea of getting dressed up to go out to some place really nice or "swanky," as the slang was used at the time. The Ritz was and is a very upscale hotel. The song would continue to be used. In films it would be song by Clark Gable in the film Idiot's Delight. It would again be filmed in Mel Brookes' Young Frankenstein. Puttin on the Ritz would hit the charts again in 1983 as recorded by Taco. It would be peak at # 4
Get Happy
Get Happy was composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler, and was originally performed in the musical the Nine Fifteen Revue by Ruth Etting. The song is most associated with Judy Garland from the film Summer Stock co-starring Gene kelly. In 1939 Arlen would write the music for another Judy Garland standard, Somewhere over the Rainbow.
Embraceable You
Written by George abd Ira Gershwin for an operetta called East is West. It would be performed again by Ginger Rogers in the Broadway Musical Girl Crazy. The song would continue to be recorded by such artists as Frank Sinatra, Liberace, and Liza Minnelli. Liza's mother, Judy Garland, performed the song in the film version of Girl Crazy.
Ten Cents A Dance
Written by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart, the song was published in 1930 and was first performed by Ruth Ettings in the musical Simple Simon. The song is a lament song by a woman who makes her living by dancing with strange men for money.
On The Sunny Side of the Street
On The Sunny Side Of The Street was composed by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and introduced in the Broadway musical Lew Leslie's International Revue, starring Harry Richman and Gertrude Lawrence. The song would be recorded many times by such artiste as Willie Nelson, The Manhattan Transfer and Rod Stewart.
Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Gal) The song's title is usually known as Has Anybody Seen My Gal. And it's origins are not quite known. The song was originally out around 1914 and more than one person took credit for its composition. When the song became a hit in 1926 it's music and words were changed a bit by Ray Henderson ,(music) Sam M. Lewis and Joseph Widow Young (lyrics). This version of the song would be the one to endure.
Galway Bay Music for and about the Irish seems to have had grip on the U.S. in the 1940's. Galway Bay would be a song that would transcend the century and for Irish Catholics would almost become a hymn as it is still is used in Mass around St. Patrick's Day.
The song was written by Dr. Arthur Colahan in Leicester in 1947. Crosby revised some of the lyrics and the song became a huge hit with Irish Immigrants around the world.
Galway Bay is a real bay in Ireland and the song is a yearning to return to home.
Get Your Kicks on Route 66 The song, for the most part, is known by just part of it's title, Route 66. It was composed in 1946 by Bobby Troupe and recorded that same year by Nat King Cole. Troupe got his inspiration for the song while driving across country from Pennsylvania to California. He used Route 66 for most of the journey and lists all the places the road passes thru. The song has been recorded by such artists as different as Natalie Cole and Aerosmith.
Johnny Mercer
Walt Disney animation has brought to the world many songs. Love songs, fun songs and sad songs. The Disney Studios is also responsible for the song" Zip a Dee Do Dah". The music is by Allie Wrubel and the lyrics by Ray Gilbert. The movie was animated and live action and was called "Song of The South." Song of the South told the folk stories of Uncle Remus and was popular for it's time, unfortunately for modern movie enthusiasts the movie is locked in the Disney vaults and not available in this country. Uncle Remus was a slave and told his stories to his owners children in the film. It seems that telling his stories, in this way, has become politically incorrect. The film can be purchased in The United Kingdom.
Gimme a Little Kiss Will Ya Huh The song was written and composed by Maceo Pinkard. Pinkard was born in 1897 and was considered one of the greatest composers of the Harlem Renaissance. Not only was he a prolific song writer he also was an orchestra conductor and eventually founded his own music publishing frim Maceo Pinkard Music.
Glow Worm The original song was titled Das Gluhwurmchen and was part of Paul Linck's 1902 operetta Lysistrata, when translated into English the song became a standard and was titled Glow Worm. Johnny Mercer would expand the lyrics and this is the song that would become a hit for The Mills Brothers.
Goodnight Sweet Heart The song was written by the British song-writing team of Ray Noble,Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly,and performed by such artists as Rudy Vallée, Bing Crosby and Dean Martin, among others. The song appeared in two different films Stage Door Canteen and Holiday in Mexico.
Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight -Signature Song
Lead singer James "Pookie" Hudson was also the group leader, and this is probably the longest-lasting Doo-Wop/R&B /Pop crossover hit. A 'white' version by the Maguire Sisters charted higher at the time, but the Spaniels version is still the number one 'goodnight' song of all time.
Goody Goody This song was written by Matty Malneck, music and Johnny Mercer Lyrics. Originally recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, The song be used on The Muppet Show and be recorded by such artists as Frank Sinatra. In 2007 the song would be recorded by The BBC Orchestra for the film, The Water Horse: legend of the Deep.Judy Garland
Heart and Soul Heart and Soul is one song that almost every young pianist is quickly taught as a first piano duet. The song was published in 1938 with music by Hoagie Carmichael and lyrics by Frank Loesser. In 1952 The Four Aces recorded the song and it maxed out on the charts at #11.
Hello Young Lovers Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were approached to write a musical form the book Anna and the King of Siam. The book is based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens who was an English governess and school teacher In the Court of Siam in the 1860s. The book had already been made into a straight film in 1946 starring Rex Harrison as the king. The attorney for Gertrude Lawrence, one of the queens of Broadway, approached Rodgers and Hammerstein to write a musical from the novel for her client.
The team wasn't very comfortable at first. Their musicals, so far, were all based in America in country and rural settings. This show would have to be different and would need to reflect a whole new musical element. It would somehow have to sound oriental and feel American. Rodger's and Hammerstein succeeded in the challenge. The King and I ran for 3 years on Broadway for 1246 performances. Gertrude Lawrence would die during the run, and the main surprise about the musical is, though it starred and was created for Gertrude Lawrence, the show was completely taken over by Yul Brynner, who played the king. This would become his signature role and would be associated with him more than any other actor.
The song Hello Young Lovers, is song by Anna when she first meets the wives of the king. In the song she explains how she thinks of her husband who has died and how young people make her feel when she sees them.
Here Comes Peter Cottontail Having topped the charts in 1949 with the song Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, it is not surprising that Gene Autry would come back the following year with a song about a popular rabbit for Easter. The song was written by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins and would peak at #5 on the Billboard Charts. The song would later become the title for a 1971 Easter special which told the story of how a young Peter got the job as Easter Bunny.
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands He's Got The Whole World In His Hands is a Christian Spiritual whose origins are unknown. It was first published in 1927 in a paperback hymnal. It would be recorded by Artists such as Marion Anderson as well as Mahalia Jackson. In 1958 the song woild hit the number one spot on the list of songs most played by jockeys. This version of the song was recorded by English singer Laurie London with the Geoff Love Orchestra
I've Got You Under My Skin Written by Cole Porter the song was first performed for the MGM musical Born To Dance. It was nominated for Best Song for The Academy Awards. This song would go on to be a signature song for Frank Sinatra and a number ten hit for The Four Seasons in 1966.
It Ain't Necessarily So This popular song is operatic in its origin as it was written by George and Ira Gershwin for their opera Porgy and Bess. In the Opera the song is sung by the villain of the piece whose name is Sportin Life. In the song he is arguing about parts of the Bible. It is curious to note that this song would be a hit the same year as He's Got The Whole World In His hands. The song is sung by black performers and written for a black character, but it has also been recorded by white performers such as Cher, The Moody Blues, and Brian Wilson.
Hold me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me Written by Harry Noble in 1952 the song is considered to be an early hit of the pop rock era. When Karen Chandler recorded the song it would make it to #7 on the charts, and would be the only charted song for her career.
Honey Suckle Rose The song was originally composed in 1928 by Fats Waller, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. Waller would finally record the song in 1934 and this recording would be inducted in to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song would be recorded by Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong and be featured in an MGM Musical.
How Are Things In Glocca Morra Finian's Rainbow is a Broadway musical that tells the story of an Irish man and his daughter who travel Ireland from America in order to bury a pot of gold that had been stolen from a leprechaun. Finian wants to bury the gold next to Fort Knox to make it grow. The leprechaun follows Finian to get his gold back and the story explodes. How Are Things In Glocca Morra is a song Finian's daughter Sharon sings about her longing for her Irish home.
How Deep Is The Ocean How Deep Is The Ocean is a love song by Irving Berlin. This is one of the few Berlin songs that was introduced directly by radio and not part of a Broadway show. The song is a series of questions that describes love by comparison. "The first line sets the tone for the song, "How much do I love you, I'll tell you no lie, how deep is the Ocean, how high is the sky?" The song would be recorded by such great 20th century artists as Frank Sinatra, Julie Andrews and Eric Clapton. Recently the song was added to the Broadway show Irving Berlins White Christmas. So the song made it to Broadway seventy years later.
I Believe Written by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, and Al Staltzman In 1953 the song was actually commissioned by Jane Froman for her television show. Froman was concerned about the goings on in the US and asked for a song that could renew faith in troubled times. Frankie Lane would make a big hit with the song and his version of the song holds the record for staying on the charts longest, 18 weeks, in the UK.
I believe would go on to be recorded over and over again by many artists. The song became a signature song for the Lettermen and would go on to achieve almost the status of a hymn.
In the pre-rock and roll era, often called the Pop Standards era, or the 'Great American Songbook', there was an emphasis on the songwriters and the individual songs themselves.
For that reason we can't give these songs or even artists a ranking - often the same songs were made hits by multiple people in the same year - , for example, was a top 20 hit for 3 artists - Eddie Fisher, Eddie Calvert and Ray Anthony in 1954. We have included Signature Songs - the songs that are probably best known by the indiviual singers, when appropriate.
In keeping the Pop Culture Madness standard of highlighting songs and performances that have outlasted others of their era, here are the most known songs of 1954.
I can't Give You Anything But Love Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics) This song origins are actually a bit obscured. There is some evidence to suggest that Fats Waller wrote the music and sold it to Mchugh. But whatever it's beginning, the song would be recorded again and again by such artists as Judy Garland and Doris Day.
I Could Write A Book The Musical Pal Joey was where this song made it's debut written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. It was first sung by Gene Kelly who would go on to become one of the biggest stars in MGMs Galaxy. Pal Joey concerned the love affair between an amoral nightclub performer and the wife of a rich man. It was cynical, which was different for a Broadway show at the time. Critic would not agree about its merits, but it would be revived several times over the years. A film was made of the show which starred Frank Sinatra.
I Cried for You A popular song that would be recorded by many artists including: Count Bassie, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra.
I Don't Want To Walk Without You With music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Frank Loesser and was first performed by Betty Jane Rhodes in the film Sweater Girl released by paramount Pictures. Irving Berlin would say of all the songs he had heard this song was the one he wished he had written. When recorded by Harry James and his orchestra it would hit number one and would again appear on the charts at number 36 when recorded by Barry Manilow in early 1980.
It's a Great Day For The Irish The Irish love thier muisci especially on St. Patrick's Day. This song was written by one of the music directors for MGM Studios, Rodger Edens. The song, written especially for Judy Garland, to show off her strong vocal talents was added to the score of the George m Cohan Musical Little Nellie Kelly. The song was sung during a recreation of New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade. Garland would sing this song in many of her concerts, and for many Irish Americans this song is considered an Anthem for the St. Patrick Holiday.
I Dream Of Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair The song was written by composer Stephen Foster. Foster composed this piece during a time that he was separated from his wife, whose name was Jenny, for an extended period of time. It is considered today as one of Foster's finest compositions. However when the song was introduced in 1854 it received little attention.
I Got Rhythm This song would span the decades. Written by The Gershwin brothers, the song was originally sung by the great Ethel Merman in the show Girl Crazy. It would be used in An American in Paris starring Gene Kelly and made it to # 3 on the charts in 1967 when sung by The Happenings. Barbra Streisand and Brian Wilson also recorded the song and Merman would record a disco version in the 1970s.
I Love You For Sentimental Reasons The song was written in 1945 by William Best. Deek Watson is credited as also being part of the creation of the song, although there is some dispute about this. The song has been recorded and rerecorded throughout the century into the next. Dean Martin, Linda Ronstadt and Kathy Lee Gifford would all record this American Standard.
On The Atchison Topeka and The Santa Fe The Harvey Girls is a film that dramatized the life of the women that went west to be waitresses for the Harvey House Restaurants which were expanding by being placed strategically across the United States at Railroad stations to serve hungry travelers going west in the 1800s. The film starred Judy Garland as well her co-star from The Wizard of Oz Ray Bolger. Angela Lansbury, at the time a part of MGMs Galaxy of Stars, also had a featured role in the film. On The Atchison Topeka and The Santa Fe was a production number sung when the ladies arrive at their new home in the west.
I Only Have Eyes For You Composed by Harry Warren with lyrics by Al Dubin, the song written in 1934 for the film Dames where it was sung Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. The song would continue to be recorded throughout the century by such artists as Frank Sinatra the Temptations and in 1959 by The Flamingos. This recording would make it to #11 on Bill Boards Top !00. The song was used in such movies as American Graffiti, The Right Stuff and Warner Brothers Merrie Melody Cartoons.
42nd Street 42nd St. is the title and the title song of a 1933 movie musical Starring Ruby Keeler. The song would go on to be popular the movie would end up as two major Broadway productions and many songs from the show would be come standard.
You're The Top The song comes from the 1934 musical Anything Goes whose score was written by the great Cole Porter and told the story of a ships stowaway that falls in love with an heiress on the ship. The song was hit at the time especially when song by it's original performer Ethel Merman. This would be the first time Miss Merman would be on the charts but her popularity on Broadway would make her a star not soon to be forgotten.
You're The Top would be used in many other shows and be recorded by many arties such as Barbara Streisand and John Barrowman The show would be revived many times and continues to be performed in the 21st century. Recently the song was song by Rachel Berry's two dads in GLEE.
I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Ice Cream These days the song is remembered more for it's title than any other reason. The song was written by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and Robert A. K. King. The title, at least, has been used in TV shows as different as The Two Fat Ladies and Barney.
I Wanna Be Loved By You Written by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby, with lyrics by Bert Kalmar, for the 1928 musical "Good Boy". The song became a hit when recorded by Helen Kane who would go on to be known as the Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl. Miss Kane would be the inspiration for the cartoon character Betty Boop. The song has remained a standard and may best be remembered as sung by Marilyn Munroe in the movie Some Like It Hot
I Want To Be Happy The song was written for the 1925 musical No No Nannette and is one of the most remembered pieces from the show. It was recorded first by Carl Fenton but hit the charts with the Vincent Lopez recording. The song would go onto be recorded by orchestra leader great Benny Goodman and crooner, Bing Crosby.
I Won't Dance This song was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein and Otto Harbach for a 1934 musical called Three Sisters which opened in London and flopped. When it was decided to film the Broadway show Roberta the song was re-worked by Kern and Harbach and included in the movie.
I Get a Kick Out of You This is another hit out of Cole Porter's Anything Goes. The musical legends of both Porter and Merman would grow out of this musical as they both become stars on musical sky. One thing that should be mentioned here is that there is a line from the song that would be cut and reinstated over the years as the harmfulness of drugs was discovered and being true to a creator's original work was argued out. The Line is "I get no kick from cocaine, even if I took one little sniff it would bore me incredibly too. But I get a kick out of you."
If I Had A Talking Picture of You If I Had a Talking Picture of You was by Lew Brown, B.g. Desylva, Ray Henderson. This song was probably inspired by the introduction of talking movies in the 1929. It would later be song as a period song for Peter Davidson's title character of Campion in the BBC series.
If I Knew You Were Coming I'd Have Baked A Cake Written by Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill and Clem Watts the song was published in 1950 and recorded in January of that year by Eileen Barton. The song became such a big hit that it's record producer, National Records, could not handle the demand and turned to the larger record company, Mercury Records, to help with distribution. The song would be recorded by many other artist, a few times as a duet. Bing Crosby and Bob Hope would record the song in this was as well as Ethel Merman and Ray Bulger.
If You knew Susie "If You Knew Susie"written by Buddy DeSylva and Joseph Meyer. The song written in 1925 was Cantor's best known hit from the 1920's. It stayed as the United Sates Number One song for 5 weeks.
I'll be With You In Apple Blossom Time The song was written by Albert Von Tizler and Neville Freeson, it was copyrighted in 1920 and recorded a number of times before it hit #5 on the charts when recorded by The Andrews Sisters. It would go on to be recorded by such artists as Wayne Newton and Barry Manilow It hit the charts at 31on the US charts when recorded by Tab Hunter and #41 that same year on the UK charts when recorded by Rosemary June.
I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time - Charles Harrison Like many songs from this era, 'Apple Blossom Time' originally came out in 1920, but made a comeback in the 1940's during WW 2. The song, sung by The Andrew Sisters, had meaning for many who were waiting for the return of out troops. Other songs in this category are I'll Be Seeing You, and I'll be Home for Christmas.
I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise Written by George and Ira Gershwin and premiered in the musical The George White Scandals. Described by a critic in 1922 as"The most perfect piece of jazz ever written." The song was also used in the 1951 MGM musical "An American in Paris."
I'm An Old Cowhand This is considered a comic song and was written by Johnny Mercer for the film Rhythm on the Range which starred Bing Crosby. Crosby would also sing the song in the movie. Crosby recorded the song with Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra and it would become a hit for 1936. It has been sung Roy Rodgers and Frank Sinatra. In an Episode of I Love Lucy the song would be sung by Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball as their characters of Ethel Mertz and Lucy Ricardo.
I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter With music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Joe Young, this song would become part of what is known as The Great American Song Book. The book itself doesn't exist but it's meaning is clear. If a song has lasted past a certain amount of years and is retained in peoples memory then it is part of the book. Many songs from different periods of American Music still come up today some of them in commercial jingles others as part of a movie score. These song haunt our collective memory and I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter is included in these songs. The Song itself was recorded several times throughout the 20th century by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Barry Manilow.
I'm Just Wild About Harry Written by Eubie Blake, (music) and Noble Sissle, (lyrics) ,for the all black musical Shuffle Along. This was the first all black musical that was also completely written and composed by blacks. The song was also used in Harry Truman's 1948 campaign song.
Whiteman started his career in Denver playing the Viola in The Denver Symphony Orchestra in 1907. By 1914 he had moved to San Francisco. During World War I he led a 40 piece Navy band, playing marches by day and show tunes at night.
In 1918, Whiteman organized a dance band in San Francisco. Not long after he moved to New Jersey and finally settled in New York in 1920. He soon became the best known American band leader especially with his recordings of Whispering and Japanese Sandman.
For his first extended concert tour in the United States he commissioned George Gershwin to write Rhapsody in Blue.
During 1928 to 1952 Paul Whiteman's Orchestra was featured on many network radio shows. They also took part in several films starting in 1930 with King of Jazz. The orchestra provided music for six Broadway shows and produced more than 600 phonograph records. Later Whiteman would work as music director for ABC. He died in 1967.
Whiteman's musical memorabilia including his large library of more than 3000 arrangements was bequeathed to Williams College in Williamstown MA. The memorabilia and sheet music now form The Whiteman Collection.
I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clove The Irish have a way of creating music, especially Irish Americans. I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover was written by Mort Dixon with music by Harry M. Woods and originally hit the charts in 1927, but as a good song can't be kept down, this song too made a reemergence in 1948. This is another song that would be and still is associated with The St. Patrick's Day Celebration. Also The Philadelphia's Mummers Day Parade has also featured this song played by their famous String Bands.
I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover Written by Harry Woods and Mort Dixon the song has a long history of being remade. It was used in more than one of Warner Brothers Merrie Melody cartoons. The song is a staple for St. Patrick's Day and was even parodied in 1973, the title changed to I'm Looking over My dead Dog Rover. The song has been adapted as an anthem for Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union and The Son's of Ben, the team supporters, sing it at every home game. In 2012 the song was recorded again by Willie Nelson.
I'm Sittin on Top Of The World I'm Sitting On Top Of The World was written by Ray Henderson, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. It was a 1925 hit for Al Jolson but went on to be recorded by many others including: Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Brenda Lee and Willie Nelson.
Indian Love Call Jeannette McDonald and Nelson Eddie Some would question that this song should be included in a list of the most popular songs or in songs most remembered, but the song was hugely popular in it's time and would go on to be a song used in comedy shows and sketches. The song has it's origins in a 1924 musical oreretta called Rose-Marie. The music was Written by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II, The show would go on to have four film versions made.
The Most popular of these versions would be the one made by Jeannette McDonald and Nelson Eddie. McDonald and Eddy would become one of Americas favorite couples and along with Gable and Lombard, Tracy and Hepburn and Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.
Inka Dinka Doo Inka Dinka Doo was written by Ben Ryan, with music composed by James Francis "Jimmy" Durante. The song debuted in the 1934 movie Palooka. Durante's song would become a hit for him but it also would become his signature song. He would begin and end his radio program it. One of the truly interesting facts about the song is one of the other top songs of the year, You're The Top, would mention Durante's name in the lyrics.
It Was Just One Of Those Things Written by Cole Porter for the musical Jubilee, this song would take on a life of it's own as it was recorded over the years by several artists. Twice by Doris Day for two of her films Lullaby of Broadway and Young At Heart. Frank Sinatra recorded it as well as Bing Crosby and Lena Horne. It was used in JD Sallinger's novel as the narrator say of the song even the "stinking band" in the hotel lounge "couldn't ruin it entirely." A line from the song, "good bye farewell amen," was used as the title for the last episode of the hit series MASH. John Barrowman of TV's Torchwood has recorded the song for the twenty-first century.
It's Been A Long Long Time The music for this song was written by Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Kahn. The song would become a major hit as its theme was a lover welcoming their partner home after the war. The song could be sung from either a male or female perspective, so, though the first recording that reached # 1 on the charts was By Harry James with Vocals by Kitty Kallen, a second recording by Les Paul with Vocals by Bing Crosby would work it's way up the charts replacing the Harry James version.
Les Brown and Doris Day
It's Magic The song was written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. It was recorded as part of Doris Day's first Film called "Romance On The High Seas." The song was published in 1947 but did not hit the charts until 1948.
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm Ray Noble Written by Irving Berlin and first introduced in the film On The Avenue with Dick Powell and Alice Faye, two major film stars of the time, the song would go on to be interpreted by different artists in different ways. First, the song was recorded as a love song, but then also recorded as Christmas song. The same thing would happen to songs like Baby It's Cold Outside and Winter Wonderland. Not necessarily a specific Christmas song but somehow associated with the holiday. Jackie Gleason would record the song as well as Bing Crosby and Bette Midler. The song would come to life when it was used as the Finale for the Broadway Musical Irving Berlin's White Christmas. Harbor Lights Frances Langford The song was originally written and performed in Polish by Hugh Williams (pseudonym for Will Grosz) with lyrics by Henryk Szpilman and translated by Jimmy Kennedy. The song was finally officially published in 1950 13 years after its initial recording. Notable artists who recorded the song would include, Bing Crosby Elvis Presley and The Platters.
The Lady is a Tramp Sophie Tucker This song was originally written for the Broadway Show Babes in Arms by Rodgers and Hart. The Broadway show was about a group of young people rebelling against certain forms of etiquette, but when the show was turned into a film starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney the story revolved around a group of kids trying to break into show business. This would be one of the musicals where the kids get together and do a show in a barn. This was a theme for more than a few film musical of the time. Though recorded most notably by Frank Sinatra, the song would come again into the film arena when sung as a duet by the characters of Puck and Mercedes in GLEE.
I've Got The World on a String The song was written in 1932 and composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics written by Ted Koehler. The song was introduced by Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby and would continue to be recorded throughout the decade by many popular songsters including Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow and Michael Buble.
I've Got The World On A String The song was written by Harold Arlen and ted Koehler in 1932 for The Cotton Club Parade. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Cab Calloway the song would make it to the Billboard charts in 1953 when recorded by Sinatra. The song would top at # 14 on the charts.
Jambalaya Jambalaya is a Cajon dish that consists of rice sausage chicken and or shrimp with hot spices. One of the most popular of Cajon foods Jambalaya even has a mix that you can easily make at home.
The song was written and released by Hank Williams and would stay # 1 on the Country Music Charts, but the song wouldn't stay in the country music category and would be recorded by other artists most notably The Carpenters who would record the song on their Now and Then Album. This version would reach number 12 in the UK.
Jeepers Creepers The song made its first appearance in the 1938 film Going Places which starred Dick Powell Anita Louise and a future President of the United States Ronald Reagan. The song was actually sung to a horse by his trainer. The trainer was played by Louis Armstrong. The term Jeepers Creepers was actually slang for Jesus Christ and the term predated the movie and the song. In 2001 a film entitled Jeepers Creeper would appear as a horror movie. Jeepers Creepers would be heard right before the monster would appear.
Lady Be Good Lady be Good was the title song of a Broadway show that debuted in 1924. The song was written by Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson, and the Gershwin brothers. The song was sung in the show by Walter Catlett, but the shows stars were Fred and Adele Astaire. Fred would later to go on to become a movie legend. Eventually the song would be recorded by Astaire as well as the likes of Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald.
Lady Of Spain This song was written in 1931 by Robert Hargreaves, Tolchard Evans, Stanley J. Damerell, and Henry Tilsley. It would continue to be recorded and gain in popularit over the next decade and more. Artist like Bing Cosby, Eddie Fisher. The song was a sort of signature song for Lawrence Welk's Accordionist Myron Floren.
Lavender Blue Originally a 17th century English nursery rhyme. In the 20th century it crossed the sea and began to hit the charts in 1949. Though Dinah Shore made a hit of the song, it would be Burl Ives who would win an Academy Award for his performance of the song in the 1949 Disney film, So Dear To My Heart
Lazy River This song was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Sidney Arodin and published in 1930. The song began making it's mark in 1931 when it was recorded by Louis Armstrong. The song would be recorded over and over by such artists as The Mills Brothers and Harry Connick Jr. The song was sung as a duet by Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett in an episode of The Lucy Show.
Little Brown Jug 1869 would mark the public publishing of this song that would remain part of American culture. The song is a drinking song and though it waned popularity for a while it regained its stature during the era of the 1920's and prohibition. Glenn Miller and his orchestra would produce a swing version of the tune and it would become a standard of the Big Band Era.
Look For The Silver Lining Written by Jerome kern the song was originally written for the musical Zip, Goes A Million. It was then reused in another musical called Sally where it picked up popularity. The song was also rewritten to be I Ain't Got Nobody
The song though popular on it's own in the 1920s. It would later become more popular still when paired as a melody with I'm Just a Gigolo. This combination was performed by such artists as Cab Calloway, Louis Prima, and David Lee Roth.
Love For sale This was written in 1930 for the Broadway musical The New Yorkers. although it became popular it was considered scandalous at the time as it was sung by a prostitute describing her profession. The song was banned by radio stations at the time, but it would go on to be recorded many times in subsequent years.
Lucky Lindy Lucky Lindy was written in honor of Charles Lindbergh's historic flight between New York and Paris in a single seat single engine plane called The Spirit of St Louis on May 21 thru the 22, 1927. He was 25 years old and would have careers as an aviator, author, explorer and social activist.
Mack The Knife Composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for the musical The Three Penny Opera. The show was originally performed in Germany, but the song made it to The United States. When the show itself made its appearance in U.S. it had a very short run in 1933, only to be resurrected in 1956 where it played off Broadway for over six years.
Mack The Knife would hit the charts on both the United Sates and The United Kingdom when Bobby Darin Recorded it in 1959. Others to record the song would be Louis Armstrong and Jerry Orbach, best known as Lt Lenny Briscoe in TVs long running Law and Order.
Make Believe Music by Jerome Kern and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the Broadway Musical Showboat. The Musical was one of the first musicals to actually use the songs to. This technique will be perfected when Oscar Hammerstein teams with Richard Rodger's for OKLAHOMA move the story forward. the musical was extremely controversial as it dealt with interracial marriage and it was also the first racially integrated musical. Previously whites and black performers did not perform on the same stage together. The musical was filmed twice one in 1936 and again by MGM in 1951.
Makin Whoopie First popularized by Eddie Cantor in the 1928 musical Whoopee!. Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn( lyrics) for the song as well as for the entire musical. The song would go on to be recorded by Frank Sinatra, and as a duet by Danny Thomas and Doris Day. The song is about sexual intimacy both its good and its bad sides.
Mambo Italiano Although not one of Rosemary's biggest hits, it is her longest lasting, according to the PCM request line.
Three Coins In The Fountain
Frank Sinatra peaked at number four with 3 Coins, but Al and Company were the only ones to hit the number one spot.
The talented boys from Chester (near Philadelphia) PA scored an even bigger hit in 1955 with .
Manhattan Manhattan was written by the song writing team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and would endure as one of their most popular songs. The song was originally written for the Garrick Gaieties Revue in 1925 and was song by Sterling Halloway who would later become the original voice of Walt Disney's Winnie the Pooh.
Manhattan would long endure and be recorded by such artist as Mickey Rooney, Rod Stewart, and Bette Midler. It was recently recorded by John Barrowman Doctor Who's and Torchwood's Captain Jack Harkness.
Marie This song was written by the great Irving Berlin in 1929. It would go on to be recorded by such artists as The Mills Brothers and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra. One reason this recording is particularly memorable is because it is the first time Rudy Vallee would make his mark on the charts. Vallee would go on to make quite an impression on American culture as many would enjoy his songs as well as his personal style. One of the big crazes he started was the full length raccoon coat.
McNamara's Band Written in 1945 by O'Connor and Stamford this song would go up into the top ten for Bing Crosby in 1956. The song was the story of a small Irish band led of course by McNamara. The song was based on an actual Irish band of the same name. It is another standard that Irish Americans have adapted as their own, especially on St.Patrick's Day.
Me and my Shadow The song was originally written by Al Jolson, Billy Rose, and Dave Dreyer. The truth may be that Jolson contributed very little to the song. The song is a standard that was still being played on the radio as late as the 1960s. Artists that recorded the song include Michael Ball and Antonio Banderas, Perry Como, Lou Rawls and Mandy Patimkin.
Mimi Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. Would later become popular again in the 1932 film "Love Me Tonight" and sung by Maurice Chevalier.
Richard Rodgers would later achieve major successes with Oscar Hammerstein. ( See Make Believe).
Minnie the Moocher This song would be song recorded and rerecorded by Cab Calloway. The song would be known for it's skat lyrics which would have Callaway sing a phrase and then the audience would repeat the phrase. Calloway would make the phrases more and more complicated until the audience could no longer follow him. Max Fleisher would animate the song using Betty Boop as its main character.
The song would be used in many TV shows such as That Girl and Family Guy. In movies the song would be used in The Blues Brothers, Calloway would sing the song himself in the film. Cab Calloway would have a long and successful career. He would even star with Pearl Bailey in an all black version of Jerry Herman's Hello Dolly
Mona Lisa The Mona Lisa is probably the most famous of Da Vinci's work. The painting resides at The Louvre Museum in Paris and many prints, postcards, and posters have been made of this classic work of art. There is much speculation as to who the model for the painting was, but no one knows for sure, and the enigmatic smile she wears has been perplexing people since the paining was completed. The song compares a woman to the famous portrait. The song was composed by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the motion picture Captain Carey U.S.A. It took the Academy Award for best song in 1950.
Moonlight and Roses Moonlight and Roses originally had no title at all but was simply known as op. 83 #2 when it was first written by 1888 by Edwin Lemare. Lemare did not attach any words to the song either. It was in 1921 that American Songwriters Ben Black and Neil Moret added words to the music without permission. Lamare, who was still alive threatened legal action in 1925 and received a share of the royalties. Lamaer originally received 3 shillings in 1892 for his composition in 1925 he finally received good money for his work.
Mule Train This song was written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath, Doc Tommy Scott and Fred Glickman. The song is a Wild West song that relates the idea of a cowboy carrying male and packages across the west to waiting customers. Though Frankie Laine introduced the song it would be recorded by many other artists. When Burl Ives recorded the song he would add the sound affects of snapping whips and yells.
Music Music Music This Million seller record was first recorded by London Records in 1949 by Teresa Brewer. The song was written by Stephen Weiss and Bernie Baum. Petula Clark would record the song that same year and that version would be popular in Australia.
The song would be recorded again in the 1970s by Melanie, but she would rename it The Nickel Song.
My Buddy Music by Walter Donaldson and Lyrics by Gus Kahn, the song was published in 1922. The cover for the sheet music featured a picture of Al Jolson. The song has been recorded by many artists including, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Streisand and Barry White.
My Mammy Music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Joe Young, this song was one of Al Jolson's most popular recordings and one that he would be remembered for, as he would film it three times. First in 1927s The Jazz Singer, second in 1928s, The Singing Fool and third in 1939 in a film entitled The Rose of Washington Square.
Curiously it was not Jolson who originally introduced the song. It was William Frawley of TVs I love Lucy who first sang it in a Vaudeville style act. Jolson heard the song and made it his own.
My Man My Man (and Funny Girl) are regaining popularity now by Lea Michele as the Character of Rachel Berry in Glee uses Barbara Streisand and Funny Girl as her inspiration for star success.
Nice Work If You Can Get It The song was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the movie musical A Damsel in Distress. In the movie the song was sung by Fred Astaire, who would turn it into a hit. The song became a part of the Gershwin musical Crazy For You and eventually would have a Broadway show of its own named after it.
Whistle While You Work Whistle While You Work was written for Walt Disney's first full length cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by Frank Churchill, music and Larry Morey, lyrics. The movie was a huge risk for Disney as a full length animated film had never been attempted before. The song is an upbeat encouragement sung by Snow White as she cleans up the Dwarfs Cottage with the help of the good forest animals. The movie would go on to win Disney a special Academy Award made with one large oscar statue and seven smaller ones. The award was presented to Mr. Disney by child actress Shirley Temple.
Night and Day This song was written by Cole Porter and performed in the musical The Gay Divorcee. Fred Astaire recorded the song and it made it to the # 1 spot. He would again perform the song in the film version of the show. This song is considered to be one of Cole Porter's finest songs. This song was so connected to Cole Porter that the biopic made in the 1940's about the composer was titled Night and Day. The song would go on to be recorded by celebrities as diverse as Frank Sinatra and Ringo Starr. The song would be recorded and song again in a second biography film of Cole Porter called Devovely. This time the song was sung by John Barrowman, TVs Captain Jack Harkness, and Keven Kline
Night and Day Written by Cole Porter for a 1932 musical called the Gay Divorce, the song was first performed by Fred Astaire, and would be performed by him again in the 1934 film version of the show. One of Porters claims is that it was the Islamic call to worship that inspired the song, but there are other stories as well. Night and Day would become the title of Cole Porter's first motion picture Biography.
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen This song is actually a spiritual or a worship song. Though originally sung and on the charts by Maion Anderson, the best known version is probably the one recorded by Louis Armstrong. The song has been used many times both in TV and Films the interesting point here is it has been used mostly in comedies and children's entertainment.
Oh Happy Day This is not the Oh Happy Day that many church goers are familiar with. This song written by and performed by Don Howard was originally first performed at a high school dance; the young adults loved it and asked for it to be performed for a total of 13 times. The song was then recorded at a local recording studio the song became an immediate local hit. From there the song was released at the national level and it made it up to number #4 on the Billboard chart. Time magazine would say of the song the "Mystery Hit" and went on to say that the song was the "rarest kind of hit, unplanned and unplugged."
I Get A Kick Out Of You This song could be considered one of the first songs that spoke out against drug use as one of its lyrics is "I get no kick form cocaine, I know that if I took even one little sniff, it would be bore me incredibly too, but I get a kick out of you." The song was written for the 1934 musical and originally sung by Ethel Merman and was one of three songs that would become hits for the time the other two being You're The Top and the title song, "Anything Goes."
Oh My Papa The song was originally written for a German musical called Der Schwarze, and was called Oh Mein Papa. The song would become popular in the UK when recorded as an instrumental. When the song came to America and the lyrics translated, the song would shoot up to # 1 on the charts
Ol' Man River This song had been around for a year before it became popular in 1928. It was part of the Musical Show Boat which debuted in 1927 and had many firsts including being the first Broadway Show to allow white and black people onstage together. One of the most important things about this 1928 recording is that it put Bing Crosby on the charts for the first time. Crosby would go on to become a recording, movie and TV star. Ol' Man River was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein.
On A Slow Boat To China On A slow Boat To China was written by Frank Loesser, published in 1947. It would first be recorded by Kay Kyser but go on to be recorded by many artists including Rosemary Clooney and Bette Midler.
Paper Doll The song was written by Johnny S Black in 1915, but was not published until 1930. It took another 12 years until the song would become a hit. Unfortunately for Mr. Black he would die 6 years before his song became the hit he had dreamed of.
Parade of the Wooden Soldiers The song was originally composed in 1897 by German composer Leon Jessell. In 1905 Jessell arranged the piece for Orchestra and had it re-published. In 1922 lyrics were written for the piece by Ballard Macdonald. Recorded by Paul Whiteman in 1923 it would soon become more of a Christmas song as time went by. The song has been used in a Betty Boop Cartoon and as a Disney short (see YouTube link) It has been recorded at least ten times by The Boston Pops. Harry Connick Jr. recorded it with the lyrics for his Christmas album and the piece is used annually by the Rockettes for their Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
Pennies from Heaven Was the creation of, Arthur Johnston, music and Johnny Burke, lyrics and sung by Bing Crosby in a film that bore the same title. Frank Sinatra would record the song as well as Dean Martin. Most recently it was used in the otherwise silent 2011 film The Artist.
Pennsylvania 6 - 5000 PE 6 - 5000 is supposedly the oldest continuous phone number in New York City and is owned by The Hotel Pennsylvania. The story goes that many Big Bands played at The Hotel Pennsylvania and this is where the inspiration for the song came from. Written Jerry Gray and Carl Sigman the song would be #5 on The Bill Board Charts when recorded by Glenn Miller
Down Argentine Way
With music by Harry Warren Lyrics by Mack Gordon this song was part of the movie musical by the same name. Produced by 20th Centry Fox, the film starred Don Ameche and Betty Grable. The song, however would be performed by Carmen Miranda and this would be the first time American audiences would see the Cuban singer. Miss Miranda would become well known for wearing large hats that looked like they were made out of fruit, such as pineapples.
People Will Say We're In Love Oh What A Beautiful Morning These three songs which became popular in 1943 are all from the same source, Rodger's and Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA. OKLAHOMA would become a major part of American Musical Theater history. It was the first musical collaborated on by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, both song writers had a history of hits with other partners but none would compare to the work they would do together.
OKLAHOMA was based on a play called Green Grow The Lilacs which told the story of a romance between a farm girl and a cowboy. Rodger's and Hammerstein adapted the play to a musical and developed a new technique for musical comedy. First they started the show with a slow number "Oh What A Beautiful Morning." When the curtain opened all you saw was an old woman churning and the Male lead would come strolling up the Aisle of the theater singing the song. Up to this time musicals started the show with a large production number. Almost all of the songs in the show would move the story along." People Will Say We're In Love" is actually a conversation between the two main characters. The title song OKLAHOMA is a rousing full cast song that appears at the end of the show. It is not surprising that this is the song that Oklahoma, the state, would choose to make their official state song. Hugh Jackman would play the lead of Curly in a 1998 revival of the show.
Play A Simple Melody This song was written by Irving Berlin and used in the Motion Picture, There's No Business Like Show Business. The song is actually two songs, one is a simple old fashioned melody and the second a more complex jazz song. At first the songs are sung separately and then over top of one another. Gary Crosby is Bing's son.
Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition This song was written in direct response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. There were many stories that surround the writing of the lyrics. The music was written by Frank Loesser. One of the stories is as follows: An officer in charge of an ammunition line on the USS New Orleans during the attack on Pearl Harbor said that, "I heard a voice behind me saying, 'Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.' I turned and saw Chaplain Forgy walking toward me, along the line of men. He was patting them on the back and making that remark to cheer and keep them going. I know it helped me a lot, too." (Wikipedia)
Rags To Riches Rags to Riches was written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and reached #1 on the Billboard Charts. The song was stay popular and in 1976 Elvis Presley sang the song unrehearsed at the his concert in Pittsburgh. The song became a regular piece of comedy when the first line of the song was sung by Shirley Finney's boyfriend Carmine Raggusa on Laverne and Shirley.
Rock The Joint Before Bill Haley was Bill Haley and the Comets, he was Bill Haley and the Saddlemen and in 1952 he and his group would record Rock The Joint. The song had previously been recorded by Jimmie Preston and this would version would not make the Billboard charts. It still was part of the beginning of Bill Haley.
Rum and Coca Cola The Andrew Sisters Written as a calypso, it was composed by Lord Invader and Lionel Belasco. It, however was not copyrighted, by the composers in The United Sates, The copyright was done by an entertainer and future co-star of the Dick Van Dyke Show, Morey Amsterdam. When the Andrews Sisters made their recording, the single spent ten weeks on top of The Billboard Charts.
Harry James
Secret Love -Signature Song
won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and was from the film . Jane was either a friend or Lover for Wild Bill Hickok in the old west.
When Doris went into showbiz, she changed her name from 'Doris Kappelhoff' to 'Doris Day.'
Sentimental Journey Written by Les Brown and Ben Homer with lyrics by Arthur Greene, the song, with vocals by Doris Day, would hit #1, and stay 23 weeks on the charts. The song would be released at the end of WWII in Europe and would become one of the popular songs associated with soldiers coming home from the war. There I've Said It Again Vaughn Monroe
This was written by Redd Evans and David Mann. It's original popularity would start in 1945, but it was also a song that would signify the end of an era of music. Bobby Vinton would record the song is 1963 and it would hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and would remain there for four weeks. It would be toppled by The Beatles with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" according to some music historians this musical event would end the "innocent rock era" and begin the modern rock era.
1946
September Song This 1938 popular song was written by Kurt Weill, music and Maxwell Anderson, lyrics for the show Knickerbocker Holiday. The show would have a successful run but the song would out live the show. September Song would be recorded by such artists as Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole. Opera and Broadway star Enzio Pinza would also make a recording of this song shortly before his death. The song would go on to be used in the 1950 film September Affair.
Shake Rattle and Roll This is considered the first 'top ten' rock and roll hit, and was released a few months after the moderately successful , which did signifiacntly better when re-released in 1955.
Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream) -Signature Song
Considered by many to be the first 'rock' song, this Canadian Quartet was backed by Dave Carroll's Orchestra. Dave and the boys also occasionally backed Vic Damome and Rusty Draper.
Shortnin Bread The origins of this song are vague. Although considered a traditional plantation song the first published record of the lyrics was 1900 by a white poet named James Whitcomb Riley. The song would then be revised and republished again 1915 by E. C. Perrow. This is more the song that we know of today
Here a recipe for Shortening Bread retrieved from the website Suite 101. 2 cups all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ½ cup butter milk, A quarter cup plus two tables spoons butter 1 cup molasses and 1 egg slightly beaten. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease and flower a cast iron skillet. In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and set it aside. . In another small dish dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk. Set that aside also. . In a heavy saucepan, stir the butter and molasses and bring it to a boil. Stir it constantly. Add the molasses mixture to the flour, Stir in and then add the buttermilk and soda and then the beaten egg. Pour the whole mixture into the skillet and place in the oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes
Show Me The Way To Go Home The piece is a folk song that was made famous by James Campbell and Reginald Connelly, a British song writing team who wrote the lyrics after a rail road trip where they had had a few drinks. The song soon traveled across the Atlantic and became a hit in 1926. The song has been used in movies and TV and theater, as example in Tennessee Williams Cat on A Hot Tin Roof. And was used recently in an episode of The Family Guy.
Shuffle Off To Buffalo These four songs originated in the film 42nd Street. The movie musical was made by Warner Brothers Studios and starred Ruby Keeler. The musical also starred Ginger Rodgers and Dick Powell, who would go on to star in The Thin Man movie series. This movie was a mile stone for the film industry. It was the first film choreographed by Busby Berkley. Berkley would move onto to MGM where he would be a major contributor to the films starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.
42nd Street told the story of an unknown that goes to her first audition and is hired but then ends up as the star when the lead hurts herself. The movie would be popular for years, but in 1980 the movie would go to Broadway starring Jerry Orbach and Tammy Grimes. 42nd Street would the Tony Award for best musical in 1981. A major revival would be launched in 2001.
Side by Side "Side by Side" is a popular song from 1927 with lyrics by Gus Kahn and music by Harry M. Woods. It is still considered a standard though not as well know today as in the 20th century. The song has been recorded by many artists including Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello for Hudson Hawk, Hayley Mills and Paul Anka, but is probably best known in a 1953 recording by Kay Starr.
Singin in the Rain Not many songs have as varied a history as Singin in the Rain. It's up tempo music with lyrics full of hope would continue to be remembered throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. The song was turned into a film in 1952 starring Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly. The film is considered by many as one of the best movies ever made.
The song was originally written by Arthur Freed lyrics and music by Nacio Herb Brown, and published in 1929. There are suggestions that song was written and performed as early as 1927. Cliff Edwards would perform the song in the 1929 film musical The Hollywood Revue of 1929. This performance would be the opening of the film That's Entertainment a retrospective of MGM musicals. The song would again be used in the film Speak Easily starring Jimmy Durante and again by Judy Garland in the film Little Nellie Kellie.
The song was used in the second season of GLEE as a mash up with Umbrella. The song was song by Mathew Morrison and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Singin in the Rain Singin in the Rain has a legacy that began with one of the very first talking motion picture. It was sung in an MGM musical with a man playing a Banjo with a line of chorus girls. Judy Garland and others would sing it in other motion pictures or record it. But in 1952 Singin in the Rain became a movie musical and was given the royal treatment. The Film would star Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'connor. This film would be considered one of the best ever made and Gene Kelly dancing in the rain while singing the title song would be considered one of films greatest moments.
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes This song was written by composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical Roberta. It was performed in the show by Tamara Drasin. In 1935 the song would be performed by Irene Dunne for the film adaptation of the Broadway hit. The film co-starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The song would continue to be performed throughout the 20th century by such artists as Nat King Cole, Jody Garland and Eartha Kitt (TVs Catwoman). The song would reach number three on the R&B Charts in 1959 when recorded by The Platters
Soliloquy is a song sung by the male lead, Billy Bigelow. Billy is a carnival barker for a Carousel who meets Julie Jordan a mill worker. They marry, although it is not the best of matches. Billy is a bit of a scoundrel and drinks a bit too much. He's not the most reliable of men either. Julie is the exact opposite. They begin their life together and Julie gets pregnant. Soliloquy is Billy's reaction to Julie's pregnancy. The song first tells of his excitement about having a boy, a fact he is not sure of, it then goes into what would happen if he had a�girl. He asks, "what would he do with her?" And what would he do with her? By the end of the song Billy vows to do whatever he has to raise the girl well. Billy and Julie do indeed have a girl, but he is not around to raise her.
The interesting thing about Soliloquy is that was written as a cover song. There was a lengthy scene change in the play, the song was written to cover this time and was sung in front of a closed curtain. In the film the song is sung while Billy wonders around the Maine Coastline.
You'll Never Walk Alone one of the most beautiful of Rodger's and Hammerstein's compositions, it can really only be compared to Climb Every Mountain which the team would write about 15 years later for The Sound Of Music. The songs are really both about standing with faith in times of great trouble. You'll Never walk Alone is written as a song of comfort for Julie after Billy is killed while attempting a robbery. Her cousin Letty sings this to tell her she will never be alone. The song is used quite often as a hymn in almost all denominations of Christianity.
It Might as Well Be Spring Rodger's and Hammerstein's hit OKLAHOMA did not go unnoticed by Hollywood. They tempted the team to go to California to write a score for a musical. The film was called State Fair. The story told of the Frake family's yearly trip to the Iowa State Fair. Each of the members is preoccupied with their own hopes of finding something special at that year's fair. The mother wants to win the prize for the best mince meat. This is helped by her husband secretly adding a large amount of brandy to the final product. Mrs. Frake then comes along and adds even more. Abel Frake, the dad, wants to win the prize for the best pig. The son Wayne wants to get even if with a barker who he feels cheated him at the previous years fair. And Margie has a decision to make. She has to decide if she will marry the boy who she isn't sure she loves.. She wants more than what he is. Her feelings are expressed in the song "It Might as Well be Spring."
Some Enchanted Evening South Pacific is one of Rodger's and Hammerstein's greatest shows. It remains both an entertaining show and a social commentary. The show won several Tony Awards in it's premier year of 1949. It is based on parts of James Michener's Tales Of The South Pacific that was published in 1947.
The book is a a number of short stories that take place during WW II in The South Pacific. The show centers on two couples. Nellie Furbush, a nurse who falls in love with a French planter, Emile Debeque, on the island where she has been stationed. She finds out that he had been married before to an island native and has mixed race children. The second couple that consists of Lt. Cable and a Tonkinese Girls whose name is Liat, he also has to overcome his prejudice. Both couples survive their issues but Lt Cable is killed when he and Debeque go to another island to spy on the Japanese.
There were many songs that would become known from South Pacific, I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair, Happy Talk and others. Some Enchanted Evening would shine and still does as a beautiful love song that describes a man's feelings when first meeting the woman of his dreams.
One interesting fact about South Pacific is that Rodger's and Hammerstein's lives were threatened by The Ku Klux Klan during the Broadway run of the show. There is a song in the show titled "You Have To Be Carefully Taught." The song's message is that you must be taught prejudiced; it is not born in you. The Klan did not like the message and threatened the lives of the composer and lyricist if the song was not removed from theshow. The song was not removed and nothing ever came from the threat.
Somebody Else Is Taking My Place Ross Morgan is listed as one of the writers of this song, but it's real significance is it's putting Miss Peggy Lee on the charts. With Benny Goodman's Orchestra and Miss Lee's vocals the song would stay on the charts at number one for three weeks during 1942. In 1948 when the song was released it became a top thirty song all over again.
The Fuher's Face Spike Jones released his song in an early part of 1942 and it became very popular that same year the Walt Disney Studio released a cartoon by the same name that has a version of the song and starred Donald Duck. The cartoon was war propaganda for the selling of war bonds and won The Academy Award for best animated short that year.
Someone to Watch Over Me Someone To Watch Over Me, was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the musical Oh Kay, which still is done, on occasion, by community theatre groups. The song would be introduced by Gertrude Lawrence, who would remain a top Broadway name for many years. She would eventually go on to play the lead of Anna Leonowens in Rodger's and Hammerstein the King and I. The King and I was written specifically for her and at her request. The ineresting thing about the show is Gertrude Lawrence would fade and he C0-Saty Yul Brynner would begin to rise. The King and I would be his most remembered roll.
The song would grow in popularity and be regularly rerecorded by such singers as Rosemary Clooney, Linda Ronstadt, Sting, Brian Wilson and as late as 2011 by Susan Boyle. The song was performed 3 times on American Idol. It was used as an instrumental in the second season of GLEE and Lady Gaga would perform the song on the today show. Proving this song is timeless. The video provided is Julie Andrews singing the song in the movie STAR which was the life of Gertrude Lawrence.
Sonny Boy The song was written by Ray Henderson, Bud De Sylva, and Lew Brown, and sung by Al Jolson in 1928's The Singing Fool. The song would hit number one and stay there for 12 weeks. The recording Jolson made would make the million copies sold mark. Sonny Boy would become a hit for Eddie Fisher in the 1950s and would be used and referred to often in television show Queer As Folk.
Sophisticated Lady Was originally composed as an instrumental in 1932 by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills, Words were added by Mitchell Paris and Ellington liked them, but they didn't go with his original conception of the song. Still the following year the song would become a hit. Linda Ronstadt and the band Chicago would also record the song.
St. Louis Blues Composed by W. C. Handy in 1914. the song was inspired by a melody that Handy Heard while out of work in St. Louis. It also took some inspiration from a woman who inspired him to write "ma man's got a heart like a rock cast into the sea." The song has been recorded by many artists from The Original Dixie Land Band to Chuck Berry, Stevie Wonder and David Sanborn. At his death in 1958 WC Handy was receiving 25,000 dollars in royalty annually.
Stardust Stardust was originally an instrumental written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1927. Two years later lyricist Mitchell Paris would write lyrics for the song based on ideas that both he and Carmichael had discussed. The song would go on to be recorded by Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Ringo Starr and as recently as 2009 by Michael Buble.
Stardust This song is again hitting the charts after its initial recording in 1926, by it's composer Hoagy Carmichael. In 1956 on a disc jockey survey of their favorite records of all time Stardust would come out as number one.
God Bless The Child This song was written by the original performer Billie Holiday along with Arthur Herzog Jr, in 1939, it took until1941 for the song to get recorded but in 1976 this version of the song would be honored with the Grammy Hall Of Fame Award.
The back story of the song is particularly interesting. Billie Holliday tells the tale in her autobiography Lady Sings The Blues, Holiday and her mother are having an argument over money at some point Holiday says "God bless the child that's got his own." This became the starting point for a song. God Bless the Child would go on to be recorded throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, by such artists as Lou Rawls, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross and in the 21st century Moby.
Stormy Weather This song was written in 1933 by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. Ethel Waters first sang it at The Cotton Club night club in Harlem in 1933, and then recorded it later that year. Stormy Weather would become even more popular when recorded by Lena Horne in 1942. She would record the song again for a film that used the song as its title.
Straighten Up and Fly Right This song was written by Nat King Cole and Irving Mills in 1943. The song would become a hit in 1944, and the most popular the song the group produced. The single would peak at number nine on the pop charts. The song be recorded by such artist as The Andrews Sisters, Linda Ronstadt and Lyle Lovett.
If I Loved You Soliloquy You'll Never Work Alone Carousel was Rodgers and Hammerstein's second collaboration after OKLAHOMA. The trick here was to find an idea for a musical that would have the same or a larger impact than OKLAHOMA, and they found it. The Musical is based on a play by Ferenc Molnar',Liliom". Molnar's play is set in Budapest the biggest change that the musical team made was to move the play from it's original setting to the coastline of Maine. The rest of the story is basically the same except that Rodger's and Hammerstein made the ending a bit more hopeful.
If I Loved You
is a conversation between a man and woman in this case Billy and Julie. Both are describing what they would do if they loved the other person, and denying the feeling they obviously have for each other. The song tells a lot about each of the character of the individual and helps establish much of the story.
Stranger in Paradise Originally the song was part of the musical Kismet. Written by Robert Wright and George Forrest, but is based on music composed by Alexander Borodin, titled "Gliding Dance of the Maidens," from the Polovtsian Dances.
Vic Damone and Anne Blythe sang the song in the film version of the show, but the hit would be song by Tony Bennett even though the song was recorded by several other artists.
Swanee - Al Jolson Al Jolson was known as "The World's Greatest Entertainer" - the highest paid and most well-known actor/singer/comedian of the 1920s and 30s. Swannee was originally song by Al but was written by George Gershwin. Gershwin would go on to write many other popular songs that would come out of his Broadway successes with his brother Ira, most notably Porgy and Bess and Strike up the Band.
When My Baby Smiles At Me - Ted Lewis
A bandleader, Ted was probably best know for his catchphrase: "Is EVERYBODY Happy?"
Although originally recorded in 1920, the song became the title of a movie musical, in 1948 starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey. Dailey would win an academy award for his starring role in the film.
Sweet Georgia Brown Sweet Georgia Brown is both a jazz and pop tune standard it was originally written in 1925 by Maceo (music) and Ben Bernie (lyrics). Ben Bernie would be the first to record it along with his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra on March 19th. The song would stay at #1 for five weeks. The song would go on to be recorded by Ray Charles, Nancy Sinatra and Roberta Flack. Dixie Carter did a hysterical version in an episode of Designing Women. But the song is most widely known as the theme song for basketball's Harlem Globetrotters. See Video above.
Sweet Sue Just You This song as originally recorded in 1928 was played sweetly. With music by Victor Young and lyrics by Will J Harris, the song would become more popular in the mid 1930s when the song would be played in more of a swing style. The song was recorded many times by artists like Bing Crosby. It was used to prove Lucy Ricardo's inability to sing in the I Love Lucy episode Breaking The Lease.
T'Aint Nobody's Business If I Do
Written and Performed by Fats Waller.
The 1970's musical Ain't Misbehavin, was named after a Fats Waller song. Ain't Nobody's Business If I do was performed by Nell Carter in the show. Carter would later star in the 1980s situation comedy Gimme a Break.
Take My Hand Precious Lord The music for this song was adapted from a song written in the 1800s called Maitland by George N. Allen. The Lyrics are by Tommy Dorsey and were in response to the death of his wife while giving a birth to a child, the child would ultimately die as well. The song would be embraced by Christians and would be recorded by many artists such as Anne Murray and Elvis Presley. The song would follow a tradition in Christian Music which started as far back as Martin Luther. The originator of the Reformation would take popular music of the day and give the tune Christian lyrics. The Hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is a good example of this.
Take The A Train The song was written by Billy Strayton as new signature song for Duke Ellington and His Orchestra after Ellington found he could no longer use the song that had been his signature, "Sepia Panorama" due to issues with licensing. The song would stay Duke Ellington's as very few others would record the song
Taking A Chance On Love With music by Vernon Duke and Lyrics by John Latouche and Ted Fetter the song was a part of the all black musical Cabin In The Sky. In 1943 the song would come back when recorded by Benny Goodman with vocals by Helen Forrest. In this version it would top the charts at number one.
Tangerine The song was published in 1941 and written by Victor Schertzinger with lyrics by Johnny Mercer but it was introduced in the 1942 film The Fleets In, which starred Dorothy Lamour and William Holden. Jimmy Dorsey's version of the song would be the one to make it the charts and it would peak at number one.
Tea For Two Tea for Two was another memorable hit from the musical No No Nannette. It is a simple song and easy to remember and whistle. Recorded several times, by many different artists. The name of the song was used as a title for the 1950 movie musical which was a reworking of the original Broadway show and starred Doris Day. The song has been recorded by Tommy Dorsey, Liberace, and was used many times on the popular Television show The Lawrence Welk Show.
Tell Me, Little Gypsy - Art Hickman Originally sung by Art Hickman, 'Gypsy' was written by the immortal Irving Berlin. Berlin's first hit was Alexander's Rag Time Band. Mr. Berlin would go on to write music for more than half of the 20th century. Two of his most popular are Blue Skies and White Christmas. His influence is still felt today.
That's All Right (Mama) His bigger hits started in in 1956, but the cool kids were down with the King of Rock N Roll in 1954.
BTW - it is pronounced "PRESS-lee" NOT "PREZZ-lee"
The Anniversary Song The song is actually called "Waves of the Danube" and was written by Iosif Ivanovici in 1880. In 1946 Al Jolson and Saul Chaplin published the song as their own, adding lyrics in English, and this is the song that would become a hit. The song is often confused with the Anniversary Waltz, but it is a completely different piece.
The Basin Street Blues This song was originally written and published in 1926, but made its hit when Louis Armstrong made his recording in 1929. The song is actually about the Red Light District in The French Quarter of New Orleans.
The Best Things in Life Are Free. This song is from the 1927 musical Good News, book by Laurence Schwab and B.G. DeSylva, lyrics by DeSylva and Lew Brown, and music by Ray Henderson. The story surrounds a college football player who needs to pass an exam in order to play in the big game that weekend. He gets a tutor to help study and during their study time this song is song.
This is another song that would make it's a way across the rest of the 20th century. Being recorded by June Allyson Joe Stafford, Frank Sinatra and Barbara Striesand. There would be a film named after the song in 1956, based on the lives of the writers.
The Chordettes -Signature Song
An up-beat, vocally unique song that was a perfect 'getting in the mood' oldies show classic came back huge in 2012's Kia Optima Superbowl commercial, with just a touch of Motley Crew tossed in.
The Continental The song was written by Con Conrad with lyrics by Herb Magidson, and was introduced by Ginger Rogers in the 1934 film, The Gay Divorcee, Co-starring Fred Astaire."The Continental" was the first song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song . The would also be used in an episode of I Love Lucy.
The Glory of Love The song was originally recorded by Benny Goodman and written by Billy Hill. In 1951 the song would be recorded by The Five Keys and would be on the charts at the number one on four different weeks of that year. The song would be recorded by artists as diverse as Dean Martin and Bette Midler. Miss Midler would record the song for her 1988 film entitled Beaches which co-starred Barbara Hershey.
The Glory Of Love Billy Hill wrote this song and Benny Goodman recorded it in 1936. But in 1951 it was recorded as an R&B number by the five keys and spent four no consecutive weeks at the number one spot on Billboard's charts. Though over a million copies were sold the original 1951 pressing of the record are very rare.
The Gold Diggers Song (We're In The Money) The Lion Sleeps Tonight This song actually has two other titles Wimoweh and Mbube. The song was written in the 1920s by Solomon Linda of the Zulu tribe in Africa and first recorded there. The song would make its way across the Atlantic to become a hit in 1939. In the 1961 the song would become a number one hit when recorded by the Tokens and is still played on radio stations today. Walt Disney Studios would use the Lion Sleeps Tonight in it's animated classic The Lion King.
The Lullaby of Broadway The music for this song was written by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, the song made it's first appearance in the film, Gold Diggers of 1935. That same year it was also used as background music in a scene from the Bette Davis movie Special Agent. It would eventually win the 1936 Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song would grow in popularity and would have film named after it in 1951 starring Doris Day. It would be used in a Merrie Melody cartoon and would become a pivotal song in the plot of the Broadway version of 42nd St. sung by Jerry Orbach, Lumiaire of the film Beauty and The Beast.
The Man I Love This song was originally written for the musical Lady Be Good, by George and Ira Gershwin and entitled The Girl I love. The song was cut from the show. It would be later rewritten as The Man I Love and then cut from the 1927 anti war musical Strike Up The Band. Florenz Ziegfeld would also try to use it in his show Rosalie and for a third time the song would be cut. It became popular as an independent song and would be recorded often. The song was used most recently in an episode of Agatha Christie's Marple called At Bertram's Hotel.
The Sidewalks of New York "The Sidewalks of New York" is a song about life in New York City during the 1890s. It was created by lyricist James W. Blake and vaudeville actor and composer Charles B. Lawlor in 1894. The song is also known by the title East Side West Side. The song became a popular recording in 1928 but would go on to be recorded by Mel Torme, Duke Ellington and The Grateful Dead.
The Trolley Song Contrary to the way modern songs become hits, many of the hits of the 1920s, 30, and 40s, came from two major sources first, The Broadway Stage, and second The Movie Musical. And nobody made movie musicals like MGM studios. In 1944 a musical would be released starring Judy Garland and directed by Vincent Minnelli. The movie? Meet Me In St. Louis.
Meet Me In St Louis told the story of the Smith family, over a one year period. The movie starts in the summer and ends in the spring, with the opening of the St Louis World's Fair. In the summer section one of the daughters Esther, played by Judy Garland, and a group of her friend are going to the fair grounds to see what preparations are being done. And they are going by trolley. Garland sings a song that told the story of a young woman who meets the love her life on a trolley. This would become one of the biggest hits of Garland's career only out done by Over The Rainbow.
Another significant point about Meet in St Louis is that one other song would become popular and take on a life of its own being recorded over and over again by many artists. The song is, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." Another point from the personal life of Garland is this was where she met Vincent Minnelli, the two would marry and would produce Liza Minnelli. Meet Me In St Louis is considered by many movie scholars as one of the greatest films of all time.
The Way You Look Tonight The music for this popular song was written by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. It was first introduced in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film Swing Time, but sung in the film by Miss Rogers. This song would have a long and happy ride across the decades, being recorded by many and used in various ways. The song would hit the charts at #13 in 1961 when sung by The Lettermen. And would also be used in a Kodak Commercial and included on an album that included all the popular songs Kodak would use for advertising. When Dorothy Fields heard the melody for the first time she reported that she "went out and cried." It has been recently recorded by Olivia Newton-John, Phil Collins, Harry Connick, Jr., Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé,
The Whiffenpoof Song The Whiffenpoof song is actually the closing song of the Yale College's Whiffenpoofs, an acappella music group. The song was written in 1909 and became popular in the twenties when it was recorded by Rudy Vallee. But would make another hit when Crosby recorded it in 1947. The song did not stop in its popularity there, but would continue to be used in movies and television shows.
The William Tell Overture Gioachino Rossini Premiered the William Tell Overture in1829. It is an overture as it was the opening for his opera William Tell, the last of Rossini's 39 operas. The overture has many different musical parts, the part that is most familiar to modern listeners would be the section used for the radio and TV show theme for The Lone Ranger. It was rewritten by Franz Liszt for piano and continued over the years to be performed both as serious music and parody.
The Woody Woodpecker Song Woody Woodpecker was a popular cartoon character that survived from the forties in to the 1960's. His famous laugh was used as a musical opening to his movie shorts and TV cartoon introductions. Eventually the laugh would become a song not only recorded by Kay kyser but also Danny kaye
There'll Be Blue Birds Over The White Cliffs of Dover This song was written by Walter kent and Nat Burton in 1941. The song was written during the period of WW II when the Nazi's and Allies were fighting over Dover during The Battle of Britain, and looked forward to the time when there would be peace again. The song was written and first performed before The United States entered the war.
There's No Business Like Show Business Ethel Merman introduced this song in Annie get Your Gun in 1945. Written by Irving Berlin the song would become the unofficial anthem of aspiring stage stars everywhere. There's No Business Like Show Business could well be considered Merman's signature song, though, some would argue that Everything's Coming Up Roses could also vie for that title. The song would also become the title of a movie musical whose cast included Ethel Merman, Dan Daly, Donald O'Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, and Marylyn Monroe
They Can't Take That Away From Me Fred Astaire The song is another standard first performed by Fred Astaire. Written by George and Ira Gershwin the song would make's it's appearance in the musical Shall We Dance. But go on to recorded many times by such stars as Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart and Harry Connick Jr. They Can't Take That Away From Me was also used in Kenneth Branagh's 2000 film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Loves Labors Lost.
They Say It's Wonderful I've got the Sun in the Morning Doin What's Come Naturally Annie Get Your Gun was first performed in 1946. The book for the show was written by Dorothy and Herbert Fields and the music by Mr. Irving Berlin. The show was written for and starred Ethel Merman. Rodgers and Hammerstein would be the producers of this Musical whose music would stay part of American culture.
Annie get your gun told a fictional version of the life of Annie Oakley who was a female sharp shooter for Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The musical centered on her romance with another star of the show Frank Butler. The show would run on Broadway for 1147 performances. The show would be revived several times with such stars as Mary Martin. Olympic athlete Kathy Rigby, and more than once with Ethel Merman. The movie would be attempted to be made with Judy Garland, but sadly her personal issues did not allow her to complete the project although she had already recorded the soundtrack. Garland was replaced with Betty Hutton.
The three songs above were part of the Irving Berlin score and remain American standards. The one not mentioned on the list for the top songs 0f 1946, but still became part of America's Theater history if not the anthem for all performers is There's No Business Like Show Business.
Third Man Theme Written by Anton Karas in 1949 for the film, The Third Man. This instrumental piece topped the Bill Board Charts for eleven weeks. It's popularity is partially attributed to the use of the zither, an instrument rarely used in music at that time.
This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie wrote "This Land Is Your Land" in 1940 as a critical response to Irving Berlin's God Bless America. Guthrie had some communist ideologies and the song was originally titled "God Bless America For Me". He rewrote the lyrics more than once and the song became an American Folksong. This Land Is Your Land was not officially published until 1945 and then only in a small mimeographed booklet. In less than 20 years the song would be used in American school music programs. In 2002 the song was chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.
Three Little Fishies Three little Fishies is best described as a novelty song, like Shaving Cream or They'r Coming To Take Me Away. Only Three Little Fishies was is on the verge of cute and sweet and fun. Sung by Kay Kyser, with words and music by Saxie Dowell. The song would become a number one hit in 1939. But it would live on as children in the 1930s would sing this song to their children into the 1960s.
My Heart Belongs to Daddy Written by Cole Porter for the musical Leave It To Me, this song would introduce the world to Miss Mary Martin. In the musical Miss Martin played the mistress of a newspaper publisher and the 'Daddy" she is referring to is her lover. The song is also done a strip tease, though, risqué, still tame by today's standards. Gene Kelly would also make one of his early appearances in the show. Miss Martin would go on to become one of the queens of Broadway, sharing the crown with the great Ethel Merman.
Miss Martin originated the role of Nellie Forbush in Rodger's and Hammerstein's South Pacific in which she starred alongside Enzio Pinza. This would be the first time a Broadway star and an Opera Star would share the spotlight together. She went on to again work with the musical team when she originated the Role of Maria in The Sound Of Music. She also starred in a musical version of Peter Pan which still appears on Broadway from time to time. Miss Martin is the mother of Larry Hagman the Co-star of I Dream of Jeannie and Dallas. Mary Martin would title her autobiography My Heart Belongs.
Three Little Words With music by Harry Ruby and the lyrics by Bert Kalmar, the song would be used again and again and would eventually be the name of the a movie based on the lives of the song writing team that created the song. In the middle of the 1970s the Advertising Council used a fully orchestrated version of the song in a series of Public Service Announcements about seat belt safety; the slogan for these commercials was "Seat belts: a nice way to say 'I Love You'."
Three O'Clock In The Morning Recorded by Whiteman is 1922 it lasted 8 weeks at #1 on the charts, and became Whiteman's early signature song. The song was also referenced in F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.
Tip Toe Through The Tulips Written by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Joe Burke (music), the song was recorded by Nick Lucas in May of 1929. Lucas introduced the song in the 1929 talkie Gold Diggers of Broadway. The song would stay at number one for 10 weeks on the charts. In 1969 Tiny Tim would bring this song back to charts with his recording. The song became popular again after Tiny Tim performed it on Rowan and Martins Laugh In.
Toot Toot Tootsie Jolson would sing this song in the 1927 film The Jazz Singer. This film was the first feature length movie to have talking sequences. The song has been recorded by such artists as Brenda Lee and The Supremes. In 1991 it was recorded by Brent Spiner TV's Data on Star Trek The Next Generation.
Tumbling Tumbleweed The song was composed by Bob Nolan and is probably one of the most popular "cowboy" songs ever written. The interesting point of this song is that it was composed by Nolan while working as a caddy in Los Angeles. The was originally titled "Tumbling Tumble Leaves but the song was reworked and re-named. The song would gain even more success when it was song by Gene Autry in his movie of the same name.
Two Sleepy People This song was originally published in 1938 with music by Hoagy Carmichael and Lyrics by Frank Loesser. Carmichael himself would record the song along with such artists as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Seth McFarlane would also record the song. The song is the story of two people who are so much in love they do not want to go to sleep. On a humorous note, the song would be recorded by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton as their characters of Archie and Edith Bunker.
Unforgettable Inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2000, was written in 1951 by Irving Gordo. The publishing company wasn't happy with the original title which was Incomparable, and asked the composer lyricist to make the change to Unforgettable and a music legend is made.
The song was originally recorded by Nat King Cole and remained one his most popular songs. Nat King Cole would record the song more than once most notably in 1961. In 1991 Elvis Presley's music director came up with the idea of splicing the 1961 recording with a recording made by Nat's Daughter Natalie Cole and the song had another surge of popularity winning three Grammy awards: Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.
Walkin My Baby Back Home This song was originally written in 1930 by Roy Turk, lyrics, with music by Fred E. Ahlert and charted in 1931 at #8. Nat King Cole made a hit out of the song in 1951, 52 Johnny Ray also had a hit with the song. In 1953, the song would become the title of a film starring Donald Oconnor.
That's Amore This song would always be associated with Dean Martin and is his signature song. The song was written in 1952 by Harry Warren and Jack Brooks, and became Dean Martins Hit in 1953. The first public performance of the song was part of the soundtrack tor the Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin comedy film, The Caddy. It was nominated for an Academy Award for 1953 bur lost to Doris Days Secret Love. The song would have a resurgence in popularity when used in film Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicholas Care.
When the Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin Along "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" is a 1926 popular song written by songwriter Harry M. Woods. The song was an instant hit for, Al Jolson, reached #1 on the Billboard charts with his version of the song although other performers recorded it the same year. The song would go on to be recorded by Doris Day and Dean Martin. The song would appear as childrens song issued by The Peter Pan Record label.
Bye Bye Blackbird Bye, Bye, Blackbird" is a song that was published in 1926 by the composer Ray Henderson and lyricist Mort Dixon. It is a popular standard and has been recorded by many artists including John Coltrane, Bing Crosby, Joe Cocker and most recently in 2012 by Paul Mccartney. Liza Minelli used the song in her 1972 television concert entitled Liza With A Z (See video). In an Episode of The Partridge Family the song was sung by Ray Bolger, who played Shirley Jones Father.
When The Saints Go Marching In If Jazz and New Orleans had a theme song When The Saints Go Marching In would be it. The origin of the song is unknown, but it began as a hymn and usually used as part of funeral profession. While the casket was being taken to the cemetery the song would be played as a dirge or as a slow march. On the return from the cemetery the song would go upbeat and would signify Jesus Christ's Triumph over death. The New Orleans Football Team The Saints is named after this song.
When You Wish Upon A Star Pinocchio was Disney's second full length animated movie. Using the formula that he used in Snow White Disney would add music to his story telling. When You Wish Upon a Star was written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington and sung by Cliff Edwards, the voice of Jiminy Cricket in the film. The song was not part of the story but was song over the credits at the beginning of the film. The film would have two more songs that would be remembered, Give A Little Whistle and An Actor Life For Me. When You Wish Upon A Star, however, would go on to be added to the list of The One Hundred Greatest Songs In Film History by The American Film Institute. The song would take its place at number seven. The Walt Disney Studios would have three other songs on the list.
When The Swallows Come Back From Capistrano
This song was written by Leon Rene and was recorded in May of 1940. The recording reached #4 on the charts, but the same year Glenn Miller would record the song and his version would recording would reach number two that same year. The song is a longing of a lover for the return of his or her beloved. The song was written in a tribute to the annual return of the swallow to Capistrano.
Where or When Hal Kemp This song is also from the Broadway Musical Babes in Arms, Written by Richard Rodgers and Larry Hart. The song is a love song that has been recorded and rerecorded many times. The song may also be the first to have the experience of Déjà-Vu as it's centrals theme the song is song by a lover who believes he or she is experiencing again the time spent with his her beloved, even though it couldn't have happened. The music is haunting and the lyrics are beautiful. The song has been recorded by over 100 different artist. Some notable recordings are Julie Andrews, Judy Collins, The Beach Boys, Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin and George Michael.
Whispering - Paul Whiteman Whispering was recorded by Paul Whiteman and his orchestra and was written by John Schonberger and Vincent Rose. The song actually has lyrics but they were not used on the first recording. According to the Literature that was provided by Victor, the recording studio, the song used an instrument that sounded like a "boson's-pipe-slide-trombone-whistle."
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf This song was originally written for The Disney short, The Three Little Pigs. The song was written by Frank Churchill with additional lyrics by Ann Ronell. The song would become incredibly popular and would become a classic children's song. It would last long after 1933 and be recorded by many different artists including Barbra Streisand. Significantly this song would be the first song from a Disney film to appear on the charts, there would be many more to follow.
Willow Weep For Me The song was written by Ann Ronell. Willow Weep For ME would be considered a jazz standard but would be recoded again in 1964 by Chad and Jeremy and would make it into the top 40s that year.
Would You Like To Swing On A Star Too - Ra - Loo- Ra - Loo - Ra Going My Way is a 1944 movie starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. The story revolved around a young Priest played by Bing Crosby who comes, secretly, to the aid of an older priest who is about to lose his parish. The older Priest, Father Fitzgibbon, was played by Barry Fitzgerald." Would You Like To Swing On A Star", and "Too - Ra - Loo - Ra - Loo - Ra", were both part of this motion picture. The film was not a musical as much as a film that involved music.
Would You Like To Swing On A Star, became the key to getting money to save the parish. The song has an interesting history. Jimmy Van Heusen, a song writer who was working on the film was at Crosby's house for dinner one evening. One of the Crosby's sons complained of not wanting to go to the school the next day. Crosby looked at his son and said to him, "If you don't go to school, you might grow up to be a mule. Do you wanna do that?" The rebuke became the inspiration that would inspire An Academy Award Winning song.
Too - Ra - Loo - Ra - Loo –
Ra was actually written in 1914 by composer James Royce Shannon who lived from 1881 to 1946. The song was used in the film to sing the old priest Father Fitzgibbon, to sleep after he had been caught in a bad storm. Though the song was written in 1914 the composer would live to see his song become a popular hit in 1944.
Yes sir that's my baby Music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Gus Kahn, the song has a fascinating story about it's composition, which may or may not be true. The story is reprinted here from Wikipedia.
According to one source, the song was written when Donaldson & Kahn were visiting Eddie Cantor. Cantor's daughter Marjorie brought out one of her favorite toys, a walking mechanical pig. She wound it up and it started walking in rhythm while 2 notes kept coming from the little creature. Kahn was inspired and started working lyrics to these notes in rhythm with the pig, coming up with the title and opening line of the chorus in short order. The song been recorded in many different styles such as Jazz, Rock, Marimba and Country.
You Always Hurt The One You Love With words by Allan Roberts and music by Doris Fisher, the song would become a standard to be recorded again and again over the years. When The Mills Brothers recorded it in 1944 it would immediately become a top seller. The song would stay on the pop charts for twenty weeks peaking at number one.
It Had To Be You
It Had To Be You, was written by Isham Jones with lyrics by Gus Khan in 1924. It would take 15 years to be heard. The song was used in the 1939 film, The Roaring Twenties. IN 1944 When Helen Forrest Recorded the song as duet with Dick Haymes the song would hit Billboard Magazine's bestsellers list on 09/14/44 and remain on the chart for five weeks, peaking at number 4. The song would be used many times over the years. Of special interest is to note that it was sung by Dooley Wilson in the 1945 film, Casablanca.
Mairzy Doates The song has it's basis in an English Nursery Rhyme that was reworked in to the song by Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston in 1943. It took a year for the song to be published as no company wanted to publish a sill y song, which could be considered a bit surprising as, Would You Like To Swing On A Star, was doing well for Bing Crosby. Eventually the song would find a publisher and become a number one hit for The Merry Macs in March of 1944. This song was also popular with the soldiers in WWII where the lyrics were used as passwords.
You Are My Lucky Star Recorded by Louis Armstrong, the song would go on to be recorded in the film Broadway Melody of 1936. But the song would become an important part of MGM musicals when it was song by Debbie Reynolds in what some call the most important movie musical of all time, Singin In The Rain.
You Are My Sunshine There are many people credited to have written You Are My Sunshine, so it maybe that the truth of this popular standard may never be known. The writers that claim credit are Oliver Hood, Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell are also credited with writing the song. History tells us that Davis bought the rights to the song from Paul Rice and put his name on it. This practice was not uncommon during the early days of music publishing. The song would go on to become the State Song Of Louisiana
Fools Rush In With music written by Rube Bloom and Lyrics by Johnny Mercer this song would be recorded throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. Artists that recorded the song besides Glenn Miller include Frank Sinatra, Rick Nelson in 1963 where it would hit #12 on the charts. Elvis Presley made his recording in 1971 and in 2010 She and Him also recorded the standard.
You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby With music by Harry Warren and Lyrics by Johnny Mercer, You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby would be featured in Hard To Get and sung by Dick Powell. But it had been popular before the film's release as it was recorded by Bing Crosby and became a mega hit for the already famous crooner.
Thanks For The Memories Bob Hope wasn't exactly known for his singing voice, though he could carry a tune. This song is a bitter sweet comedy romp through a couples breaking up. However the song would become Hope's theme song which he closed almost all of his shows. Mr. Hope would become famous for his patriotism especially during war years as he would travel the world to perform for American troops bringing along many celebrities of the day, usually beautiful women like Raquel Welsh and Ann Margaret. The song would be done as a spoof on an Episode of The Golden Girls which guest starred Hope. Sophia, played by Estelle Getty, would change the words to "Thanks for the Medicare."
You Oughta Be In Pictures Written by Dana Seusse and Richard Heyman, the song would be first performed in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees who would also record the song. In the same year Looney Toons would use the title in a song starring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
On The Good Ship Lollipop First song by the child star for her 1934 film BRIGHT EYES, This songwould go on to become Miss Temple's trademark. Miss temple would go on to be featured and star in many films, but eventually leave show-business and pursue a successful career in The United Nations and The State Department. She is now retired.
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To This is one of the short list of songs Cole Porter would write for the screen. It was introduced by Janet Blair and Don Ameche in the film" Something To Shout about". Dinah Shore would make a huge hit of the song as well as Anne Shelton in the same year. Many artists would go on to record the song including TVs John Barrowman.
You'll Never Know The song was based on a poem that was written by a war bride named Dorothy Fern Norris. The poem was adapted to a song by Harry Warren, music and lyrics by Mack Gordon. The song had it's debut in a film called," Hello Frisco Hello" and sung by Alice Faye. Faye would never make a recording of the song and so the hit versions went to Frank Sinatra and Dick Haymes. Haymes version would stay at # 1 on the R&B charts for four weeks. The song also won the Academy Award For Best Song in 1943
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Written in 1940 By Duke Ellington it was originally titled, "Never No Lament," and was recorded as a big band instrumental. In 1942 Bob Russell added lyrics and a new title and a new song was born. Two Version of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" would be recorded in 1943 one by Ellington and the other by The Ink Spots. Both would reach the top of the R&B Charts. Ellington's version would reach #8 on the Pop Charts.
For Me and My Gal This is The Title song from the movie musical starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. For Kelly this would be his screen debut. The film was directed by Busby Berkley and opened in October of 1942. The film was partially written by Richard Sherman who, along with his brother Robert, would go on to be one of the most Prolific song writers at the Disney Studios, being responsible for the songs for Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. The song, For Me and my Gal was written by George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz. The score for the musical would be nominated for an Academy Award.
and Martha Raye. The song was a hit with everyone at the party and would quickly take its place in American Music history.
Young And Healthy Young At Heart -Signature Song (1950s)
Frank Sinatra is the only artist who could claim four different 'Signature Songs' - (1943), (1969, (1980) and (1954). For those keeping track, 50 Cent still has just one - (2003)
Your Cheatin Heart The song was written by Hank Williams and recorded by him in 1952. The song, however would not be released until after Hanks Death in 1953. The song is thought to be one of the great country music songs and would become a major hit when recorded by Joni James. This song was originally written by Gus Kahn and Harry Woods in 1927. It is now considered an American Standard but it did not begin to atttain that status until the 1953 Kay Starr recording.
(How Much is That) Doggie in the Window Bob Merrill and Ingrid Reuterskiold wrote this song in 1952, but it was the next year when Patti Page recorded the song tthat it would become a hit. The song would reach #1 and is noted as the first song that had a question in the title.
You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me You're The Top Originally song by Ethel Merman in the Porter musical Anything Goes. This recording was made by the composer, lyricist himself, Cole Porter. Mr. Porter was born in 1891 and is a legend of the Broadway stage. A musical film of his life was made in 2004 and titled De - Lovely (another song from Anything Goes). The movie starred Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd.