Songs from the 1920s

This page lists the top songs of the 1920s in the source charts. The way that the various charts are combined to reach this final list is described on the in the site generation page.

After the "Great War" there was an explosion of popular music, especially in the US. The chart data for this period is sparse, and mostly focused on the USA, this is actually fair since that was where most music revenue was being generated. The top 30 acts of the 1920s were:

#1: Paul Whiteman	#2: Al Jolson	#3: Ben Selvin	#4: Bessie Smith	#5: Marion Harris
#6: Louis Armstrong	#7: Gene Austin	#8: Isham Jones	#9: Ted Lewis & his Orchestra	#10: Fiddlin' John Carson
#11: Mamie Smith	#12: Eddie Cantor	#13: Clara Smith	#14: Frank Crumit	#15: Vernon Dalhart
#16: Jelly Roll Morton	#17: Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians	#18: Nora Bayes	#19: George Olsen	#20: Nat Shilkret
#21: Ben Bernie	#22: Papa Charlie Jackson	#23: Ruth Etting	#24: Cliff Edwards (Ukelele Ike)	#25: Alberta Hunter
#26: Lonnie Johnson	#27: Duke Ellington	#28: Blind Lemon Jefferson	#29: Jimmie Rodgers	#30: Ma Rainey

#	Artist	Song Title	Year	Chart Entries
1	Al Jolson	Swanee	1920	US Billboard 1 - May 1920 (18 weeks), US BB 1 of 1920, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1920), POP 1 of 1920, nuTsie 1 of 1920s, Library of Congress artifact (1920), Brazil 5 of 1921, Music Imprint 8 of 1910s, Europe 22 of the 1930s (1920), RIAA 124, Acclaimed 912 (1919), RYM 5 of 1920
2	Paul Whiteman	Whispering	1920	US Billboard 1 - Oct 1920 (20 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1920), Music Imprint 1 of 1920s, ASCAP song of 1920, US BB 3 of 1920, POP 3 of 1920, Brazil 12 of 1921, nuTsie 17 of 1920s, US CashBox 32 - Aug 1954 (4 weeks), RIAA 330, Acclaimed 1594 (1920), RYM 7 of 1920
3	George Gershwin	Rhapsody in Blue	1924	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974 (1927), ASCAP song of 1924, Library of Congress artifact (1924), US Billboard 3 - Oct 1924 (8 weeks), US BB 3 of 1924, POP 3 of 1924, nuTsie 3 of 1920s, Europe 10 of the 1930s (1924), Brazil 28 of 1928, Acclaimed 763 (1924)
4	Gene Austin	Bye Bye, Blackbird	1926	US Billboard 1 - Jul 1926 (12 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1926), ASCAP song of 1926, US BB 5 of 1926, Music Imprint 9 of 1920s, POP 16 of 1926, Brazil 18 of 1927, nuTsie 25 of 1920s, RIAA 189, Acclaimed 1339 (1926), RYM 22 of 1926
5	Ben Bernie	Sweet Georgia Brown	1925	US Billboard 1 - Jun 1925 (13 weeks), US BB 1 of 1925, POP 1 of 1925, ASCAP song of 1925, Music Imprint 7 of 1920s, Brazil 17 of 1926, nuTsie 35 of 1920s, RIAA 54, RYM 7 of 1925
6	Vernon Dalhart	The Prisoner's Song	1925	US Billboard 1 - Dec 1925 (12 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1925), US BB 4 of 1926, POP 4 of 1926, Brazil 7 of 1925, nuTsie 7 of 1920s, Music Imprint 8 of 1920s, DMDB 91 (1925), RIAA 345, Acclaimed 1048 (1925), RYM 9 of 1926, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1924
7	Eddie Cantor	Makin' Whoopee	1929	ASCAP song of 1929, US Billboard 2 - 1929 (10 weeks), US BB 2 of 1929, POP 2 of 1929, nuTsie 10 of 1920s, Music Imprint 14 of 1920s, Brazil 16 of 1929, RIAA 126, Acclaimed 1362 (1928), RYM 8 of 1928
8	Jimmie Rodgers	T For Texas (Blue Yodel No 1)	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1985 (1928), Library of Congress artifact (1927), US Billboard 2 - 1928 (11 weeks), nuTsie 5 of 1920s, US BB 11 of 1928, POP 11 of 1928, Music Imprint 12 of 1920s, Brazil 62 of 1928, RIAA 331, Acclaimed 600 (1928), RYM 4 of 1928
9	Hoagy Carmichael	Stardust	1927	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995 (1927), ASCAP song of 1927, Library of Congress artifact (1927), Music Imprint 10 of 1920s, Jazz Standard 12, nuTsie 31 of 1920s, RIAA 40, DMDB 43 (1929), Acclaimed 654 (1927), RYM 13 of 1928
10	Isham Jones	It Had to Be You	1924	US Billboard 1 - Jul 1924 (15 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 (1924), US BB 2 of 1924, POP 2 of 1924, Music Imprint 5 of 1920s, nuTsie 15 of 1920s, Brazil 20 of 1925, RIAA 81, RYM 4 of 1924
11	Al Jolson	California, Here I Come	1924	US Billboard 1 - May 1924 (12 weeks), US BB 1 of 1924, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1924), POP 1 of 1924, Brazil 24 of 1925, nuTsie 27 of 1920s, RYM 12 of 1924
12	Fanny Brice	My Man	1922	US Billboard 1 - Feb 1922 (9 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1922), Library of Congress artifact (1922), US BB 6 of 1922, POP 6 of 1922, Brazil 16 of 1922, nuTsie 38 of 1920s, Acclaimed 1866 (1922)
13	Bessie Smith	Down Hearted Blues	1923	US Billboard 1 - Jun 1923 (12 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006 (1923), Music Imprint 2 of 1920s, US BB 6 of 1923, POP 8 of 1923, nuTsie 19 of 1920s, Brazil 33 of 1925, RIAA 315, RYM 1 of 1923, one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500
14	Gene Austin	My Blue Heaven	1927	US Billboard 1 - 1927 (26 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978 (1928), US BB 2 of 1927, POP 3 of 1927, nuTsie 12 of 1920s, Brazil 15 of 1928, DMDB 53 (1927), RYM 13 of 1927
15	Fats Waller	Ain't Misbehavin'	1929	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1984 (1929), Library of Congress artifact (1929), nuTsie 4 of 1920s, Music Imprint 16 of 1920s, US Billboard 17 - 1929 (1 week), RIAA 41, Acclaimed 778 (1929), RYM 1 of 1929, Song of 1936
16	Frankie Trumbauer	Singin' the Blues	1927	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1977 (1927), Library of Congress artifact (1927), US BB 5 of 1927, POP 5 of 1927, US Billboard 9 - 1927 (6 weeks), nuTsie 49 of 1920s, Acclaimed 1917 (1927), RYM 49 of 1927
17	Bessie Smith	St Louis Blues	1925	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993 (1925), US Billboard 3 - Jun 1925 (6 weeks), Brazil 5 of 1926, POP 6 of 1925, nuTsie 8 of 1920s, Jazz Standard 20, Acclaimed 1036 (1925), Visconti song of 1925, RYM 1 of 1925
18	Paul Whiteman	Three O'Clock in The Morning	1922	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1922 (20 weeks), ASCAP song of 1922, US BB 2 of 1922, POP 4 of 1922, Brazil 11 of 1923, nuTsie 67 of 1920s, RYM 42 of 1922
19	Al Jolson	April Showers	1922	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1922 (17 weeks), US BB 1 of 1922, POP 1 of 1922, Brazil 9 of 1922, nuTsie 42 of 1920s, RYM 41 of 1922
20	Ethel Waters	Am I Blue?	1929	US Billboard 1 - 1929 (15 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 (1929), US BB 8 of 1929, POP 8 of 1929, Brazil 19 of 1930, nuTsie 41 of 1920s
21	Helen Kane	I Wanna Be Loved By You	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009 (1928), US Billboard 2 - 1928 (11 weeks), US BB 6 of 1928, POP 6 of 1928, Music Imprint 15 of 1920s, nuTsie 58 of 1920s, Brazil 80 of 1929, RIAA 128
22	Arthur Gibbs & his Gang	Charleston	1924	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1924 (7 weeks), Brazil 2 of 1925, Music Imprint 3 of 1920s, US BB 4 of 1924, POP 6 of 1924, RIAA 103, RYM 17 of 1924
23	Al Jolson	Toot Toot Tootsie (Goodbye)	1922	US Billboard 1 - Dec 1922 (10 weeks), Peel list 2 of 1922, US BB 3 of 1923, POP 3 of 1923, Brazil 18 of 1923, nuTsie 34 of 1920s, RYM 12 of 1922
24	Duke Ellington	Black & Tan Fantasy	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1981 (1928), Peel list 2 of 1927, US BB 8 of 1928, POP 8 of 1928, US Billboard 15 - 1928 (3 weeks), nuTsie 21 of 1920s, Acclaimed 1268 (1927), RYM 2 of 1927
25	Paul Robeson	Ol' Man River	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 2006 (1928), US BB 3 of 1928, POP 3 of 1928, US Billboard 7 - 1928 (4 weeks), nuTsie 9 of 1920s, AFI 24, Brazil 86 of 1929, Song of 1932
26	Al Jolson	Sonny Boy	1928	US Billboard 1 - 1928 (19 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 (1928), US BB 7 of 1928, POP 7 of 1928, nuTsie 13 of 1920s, Brazil 29 of 1929, RYM 19 of 1928
27	Isham Jones	Swingin' Down the Lane	1923	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1923 (15 weeks), ASCAP song of 1923, US BB 9 of 1923, Brazil 11 of 1924, POP 14 of 1923, nuTsie 81 of 1920s, RYM 68 of 1923
28	Jack Smith	Me & My Shadow	1927	US Billboard 1 - 1927 (14 weeks), US BB 4 of 1927, POP 4 of 1927, Music Imprint 11 of 1920s, Brazil 24 of 1927, nuTsie 80 of 1920s, RIAA 289
29	Louis Armstrong	West End Blues	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974 (1928), nuTsie 2 of 1920s, US Billboard 8 - 1928 (6 weeks), US BB 14 of 1928, POP 14 of 1928, Acclaimed 479 (1928), Jazz Standard 648, RYM 1 of 1928, one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500
30	Billy Jones	Yes! We Have No Bananas	1923	US Billboard 1 - Jul 1923 (13 weeks), Music Imprint 4 of 1920s, US BB 5 of 1923, POP 6 of 1923, Brazil 18 of 1924, nuTsie 32 of 1920s, RIAA 304
31	Marion Harris	I Ain't Got Nobody	1921	US BB 1 of 1921, POP 1 of 1921, US Billboard 3 - Jun 1921 (7 weeks), Brazil 18 of 1922, nuTsie 45 of 1920s, RYM 21 of 1921
32	Mamie Smith	Crazy Blues	1920	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994 (1920), Library of Congress artifact (1920), US Billboard 3 - Dec 1920 (11 weeks), nuTsie 11 of 1920s, Acclaimed 1496 (1920), RYM 1 of 1920
33	George Olsen	Always	1926	US Billboard 1 - Apr 1926 (10 weeks), US BB 2 of 1926, POP 2 of 1926, Brazil 22 of 1926, nuTsie 52 of 1920s
34	Paul Whiteman	Parade of the Wooden Soldiers	1923	US Billboard 1 - Apr 1923 (13 weeks), US BB 2 of 1923, POP 2 of 1923, Brazil 8 of 1924, nuTsie 91 of 1920s, RYM 40 of 1923
35	The Carter Family	Wildwood Flower	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1929), Library of Congress artifact (1928), US Billboard 3 - 1928 (10 weeks), nuTsie 48 of 1920s, Acclaimed 906 (1929), RYM 6 of 1928
36	Nora Bayes	Make Believe	1921	US Billboard 1 - Jun 1921 (10 weeks), ASCAP song of 1921, Brazil 7 of 1922, US BB 13 of 1921, POP 16 of 1921
37	Pinetop Smith	Pinetop's Boogie Woogie	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1983 (1928), POP 9 of 1928, US BB 15 of 1929, nuTsie 16 of 1920s, US Billboard 20 - 1929 (1 week), Jazz Standard 965, Acclaimed 1478 (1928), RYM 12 of 1928, one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500
38	Cliff Edwards (Ukelele Ike)	Singin' in the Rain	1929	US Billboard 1 - 1929 (12 weeks), US BB 3 of 1929, POP 3 of 1929, Brazil 8 of 1930, nuTsie 54 of 1920s
39	Al Jolson	When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along	1926	US Billboard 1 - Sep 1926 (8 weeks), US BB 1 of 1926, POP 3 of 1926, nuTsie 82 of 1920s, RYM 50 of 1926
40	Paul Whiteman	I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise	1922	US Billboard 1 - Dec 1922 (9 weeks), US BB 1 of 1923, POP 1 of 1923, RYM 23 of 1922
41	Jan Garber	Baby Face	1926	US Billboard 1 - Sep 1926 (12 weeks), US BB 3 of 1926, Brazil 4 of 1927, POP 5 of 1926, nuTsie 36 of 1920s
42	Van & Schenck	Ain't We Got Fun?	1921	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1921 (9 weeks), US BB 2 of 1921, POP 2 of 1921, Brazil 23 of 1922, nuTsie 79 of 1920s
43	Charley Patton	Pony Blues	1929	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1929), Library of Congress artifact (1929), nuTsie 51 of 1920s, Acclaimed 903 (1929), RYM 10 of 1929
44	Ted Lewis & his Orchestra	When My Baby Smiles At Me	1920	US Billboard 1 - May 1920 (18 weeks), US BB 2 of 1920, POP 2 of 1920, Brazil 13 of 1920, nuTsie 39 of 1920s
45	Bix Beiderbecke	In a Mist	1927	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1980 (1927), US BB 10 of 1927, POP 10 of 1927, US Billboard 20 - 1928 (1 week), nuTsie 28 of 1920s, Acclaimed 1477 (1927), RYM 7 of 1927
46	Marion Harris	Tea For Two	1925	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1925 (11 weeks), US BB 2 of 1925, POP 2 of 1925, Brazil 6 of 1925, RYM 30 of 1924
47	Gertrude Lawrence	Someone to Watch Over Me	1927	Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 (1927), US Billboard 2 - 1927 (11 weeks), US BB 3 of 1927, POP 7 of 1927, nuTsie 77 of 1920s
48	Al Jolson	My Mammy	1928	Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011 (1927), US Billboard 2 - 1928 (7 weeks), US BB 4 of 1930, nuTsie 18 of 1920s, Brazil 35 of 1922, RYM 61 of 1928
49	Blind Willie Johnson	Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground	1927	Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011 (1927), Library of Congress artifact (1927), Peel list 4 of 1927, Acclaimed 1799 (1927)
50	Sophie Tucker & Ted Lewis	Some of These Days	1927	US Billboard 1 - 1927 (12 weeks), US BB 12 of 1927, POP 12 of 1927, Brazil 20 of 1927, RIAA 314, Acclaimed 1559 (1911)
51	Nick Lucas	Tip Toe Thru' The Tulips With Me	1929	US Billboard 1 - 1929 (19 weeks), US BB 4 of 1929, Brazil 17 of 1930, POP 17 of 1929, nuTsie 55 of 1920s
52	Bertolt Brecht	Mack the Knife	1928	US BB 1 of 1928, POP 1 of 1928, ASCAP song of 1928
53	Louis Armstrong	When You're Smiling	1929	US BB 1 of 1929, POP 1 of 1929, US Billboard 15 - 1929 (2 weeks), RYM 35 of 1929, Song of 1932
54	Ben Selvin	Dardanella	1920	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1920 (24 weeks), US BB 5 of 1920, Brazil 5 of 1920, POP 8 of 1920, nuTsie 14 of 1920s, RYM 8 of 1920
55	Paul Whiteman	The Birth of the Blues	1926	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1926 (12 weeks), US BB 10 of 1926, POP 10 of 1926, Brazil 16 of 1927, nuTsie 72 of 1920s, RYM 87 of 1926
56	Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees	Honey	1929	US Billboard 1 - 1929 (15 weeks), US BB 7 of 1929, POP 7 of 1929, Brazil 43 of 1930, nuTsie 89 of 1920s
57	Al Jolson	I'm Sitting On Top of the World	1926	US Billboard 1 - Mar 1926 (11 weeks), US BB 8 of 1926, POP 8 of 1926, Europe 20 of the 1930s (1925), Brazil 25 of 1926
58	Fanny Brice	Second Hand Rose	1922	Library of Congress artifact (1922), POP 2 of 1922, US Billboard 3 - Feb 1922 (7 weeks), US BB 3 of 1921
59	Eddie Cantor	Margie	1921	US Billboard 1 - Feb 1921 (12 weeks), Brazil 7 of 1921, US BB 11 of 1921, POP 12 of 1921, nuTsie 90 of 1920s, RYM 55 of 1920
60	Ben Bernie	Ain't She Sweet?	1927	US Billboard 1 - 1927 (12 weeks), US BB 1 of 1927, POP 2 of 1927

Comment on the contents of the 'Songs from the 1920s' page
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Previous Comments (newest first)

6 Apr 2014

13 Dec 2013

Responding to 12 Dec 2013, I believe those lyrics are from the light opera "The Vagabond King", sung by the second lead.

"Never try to bind me. Never make me stay. +Take me as you find me; love then go away. +All the loves you leave behind you die and fade away. +Never mind, you will be mine today."

Can't remember the name of the character. +Leif Ericson played the title role in the Hollywood Bowl production in 1950 or 1951.

Thanks for the suggestion

23 Mar 2014

llatin songs 1920s

Besides &* tea for two* can you tell me of other famous latin songs in this era?

2 Feb 2014

Betty Co-ed

My mother sang this to me I would like to have the lyrics

We have no lyrics here, just listing of hits. The song "Betty Coed" was a hit for (in 1930) for Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees and Bob Haring & his Orchestra.

30 Jan 2014

Lost artist

There is a song from the 30's (tea for two) that the waring girls sang, Was that a one hit wonder? I tried to search them and I cannot find the girls anywhere on the internet!

The song "Tea for Two" was a hit for many people. Never heard of the Waring Sisters

13 Dec 2013

lover take me as you find me.....never try to bind me

6 Oct 2013

Old song

Is there any old song that includes the words (My wife she fights with me all day) Thanks Mike

28 Jun 2013

When we build our little home

Hello, can you please help me locate a song of the 1920/30's when we build our little home, also when my ship comes in.

Many thanks. N.P.Ciccone

Neither song was a hit

15 Jun 2013

I'm surprised George Gershwin is not on this list

From what I had heard from various sources I thought he was very popular during this time, didn't you say in an earlier post that you also used the sales figures of sheet music.

In this list we have the peformer not the author, that matches the way music charts worked from the 1950s onward. Gershwin wrote a lot of hits in this period but didn't perform them

11 Jun 2013

The year Honey was written

When was the song... From the 1920's HONEY written?

27 Apr 2013

river stay away from my door

The song "River Stay 'Way From My Door" was a hit for Frank Sinatra in 1960 (in the UK, Canada and the US) and for Paul Robeson in 1931

27 Feb 2013

A Place To Do It

A friend of mine shared an old song with me about "finding a place to do it." He believes it dates to 1920-1926 but I have no luck finding the artist. Has anyone here ever heard of it?

Thanks, Jeff

9 Feb 2013

song # 57 by Louis Armstrong

You say it is the Muscrat Ramble.. But I believe the correct word is The MUSCAT ramble..Check it out..

26 Jan 2013

Song of 1920's Poss early 30's

The song was called 'Daddy' The lyrics started off "Put your head on my shoulder daddy" It was a young boy singing to his daddy after his mothers death. I remember it as a child and it was on a 78" record.

24 Oct 2012

#31 Tea for Two

The title of this song is simply Tea for Two. It was re-arranged in the 1950s to a Cha Cha tempo and was titled as such, but the 1925 version and the original title of the song is just Tea for Two.

Your assertion looks correct. We have changed the titles of all versions to just "Tea for Two" to make sure that people will find them all together. While this means that the 1950s versions "should" be "Tea for Two (Cha Cha)" we think that this will make it easiest for most users.

Thanks for the suggested fix.

8 Oct 2012

when june comes and the roses bloom again+

The only song that is close to your lyrics is by Peggy Lee & Benny Goodman "When the Roses Bloom Again". I hope that helps.

21 Sep 2012

1920s songs

Would you please send me the words and music of these songs or tell me where I can purchase them. I need it for a skit I am putting on for charity.

thank you

We don't have lyrics or actual music files here (either for sale or for download). All we have are chart positions.

We would suggest iTunes or Amazon (but other good sources are available)

25 Jun 2012

song

looking for the words to a song my mum used to sing to us in the 1960s It start susie green was sweet16 and never had been kissed what she never had she new she never missed. i think it was called i want a boy

9 Apr 2012

lost song

i am looking for a song i have only herd my family sing pre 40s ? words when june comes and the roses bloom again when june comes youl be in my arms and then we'll soon forget we parted in september as arm in arm we stroll down lovers lane when june comes and the roses bloom again

9 Apr 2012

song

when june comes and the roses bloom again

8 Sep 2011

song identification?

I only remember part of the song: "How high's the water mama? 6 feet high and rising. How high's the water papa?" I've had this stuck in my head for years! Can you identify?

The song actually is "Five Feet High & Rising" which was written by Johnny Cash (apparently based on his childhood home in Arkansas which was flooded twice).

Cash had a minor hit with the song in 1959.

2 Sep 2011

Lost Song ... my Father used to sing

I am looking for a song that my father used to sing when I was a child in the 1950's. I believe the song may have been in the 1920's (or prior) or later to the 1940's.

The title, I do not know but the lyrics are along this line:

"I want to say hello, I want to see you smile, I want to hold you in my arms again ..... I want to do the little things we used to do before, Honey, I can't live without you anymore"

unfortunately, that is all that I can recollect

Please help me .... thank you

5 Apr 2011

missing Page yr1920.htm

Hi: I've tried to read yr1920.htm and can't find it.

Very good site -- Thanks.

We've checked the file "/music/yr1920.htm" and it looks OK to us.

5 Sep 2010

song

Who was the lady who sang "We'll meet again" in the early 1900s.

The most famous song with that title was written in 1939 (by Ross Parker & Hughie Charles) and was a hit for many including the Ink Spots, Guy Lombardo, Peggy Lee and (of course) Vera Lynn

We don't have any record of a hit from before 1939 with that title.