Songs from the 1940s

This page lists the top songs of the 1940s 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.

With a war on in Europe and the Pacific, and a musician's strike in the US, music was taking second place to other concerns. Radio made a few of the US "Big Bands", and the singers that fronted them popular all over the world. The top 40 acts of the 1940s were:

#1: Bing Crosby	#2: Glenn Miller	#3: Frank Sinatra	#4: Jimmy Dorsey	#5: Harry James
#6: Perry Como	#7: Sammy Kaye	#8: Dinah Shore	#9: Vaughn Monroe	#10: The Ink Spots
#11: The Andrews Sisters	#12: Kay Kyser	#13: Louis Jordan	#14: Freddy Martin	#15: Orlando Silva
#16: Benny Goodman	#17: Dick Haymes	#18: Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra	#19: Tommy Dorsey	#20: Duke Ellington
#21: Francisco Alves	#22: Nat King Cole	#23: Guy Lombardo	#24: Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters	#25: Woody Herman
#26: Johnny Mercer	#27: Nelson Goncalves	#28: The Mills Brothers	#29: Frankie Laine	#30: Artie Shaw
#31: Peggy Lee	#32: Gene Autry	#33: Gilberto Alves	#34: Joe Loss Orchestra	#35: Billie Holiday
#36: Jo Stafford	#37: Carlos Galhardo	#38: Hank Williams	#39: Sonny Boy Williamson	#40: Russ Morgan

#	Artist	Song Title	Year	Chart Entries
1	Bing Crosby	White Christmas	1942	US Billboard 1 - Dec 1946 (6 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Oct 1942 (47 weeks), US BB 1 of 1942, US 1 for 11 weeks - Oct 1942, Australia 1 for 5 months - Jun 1943, Oscar in 1942 (film 'Holiday Inn'), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974 (1942), RYM 1 of 1942, POP 1 of 1942, DMDB 1 (1942), nuTsie 1 of 1940s, DZE 1 of 1942, Music Imprint 1 of 1940s, Europe 2 of the 1940s (1942), RIAA 2, Scrobulate 2 of christmas, UK 5 - Dec 1977 (20 weeks), AFI 5, Norway 6 - Dec 1959 (2 weeks), Brazil 54 of 1943, Switzerland 56 - Dec 2007 (2 weeks), US Radio 165 of 1961 (peak 20 1 week), Acclaimed 306 (1942), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Feb 1978), Global 1 (50 M sold) - 1942, BBC Rich Song 2 (songwriter royalties $39.6M)
2	Glenn Miller	In the Mood	1940	US Billboard 1 - Oct 1939 (30 weeks), Australia 1 for 5 months - Jan 1942, Europe 1 of the 1940s (1940), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1983 (1939), nuTsie 1 of 1930s, US BB 2 of 1940, POP 2 of 1940, RYM 4 of 1939, Scrobulate 4 of swing, Music Imprint 4 of 1940s, Your Hit Parade 7 of 1940, RIAA 11, Brazil 12 of 1941, Holland 15 - Aug 1972 (7 weeks), Belgium 18 - Sep 1972 (2 weeks), DMDB 67 (1939), Acclaimed 477 (1939), Song of 1938, Party 45 of 1999
3	Bing Crosby	Swinging On a Star	1944	US Billboard 1 - May 1944 (28 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jun 1944 (20 weeks), US 1 for 9 weeks - Aug 1944, Australia 1 for 1 month - Apr 1945, Oscar in 1944 (film 'Going My Way'), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 (1944), DZE 1 of 1944, US BB 3 of 1944, POP 3 of 1944, Your Hit Parade 5 of 1944, nuTsie 6 of 1940s, Europe 14 of the 1940s (1944), AFI 37, RYM 44 of 1944, Brazil 64 of 1945, Acclaimed 1619 (1944)
4	Vaughn Monroe	Riders in the Sky	1949	US Billboard 1 - Apr 1949 (22 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1949 (20 weeks), US BB 1 of 1949, US 1 for 11 weeks - May 1949, Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Nov 1949, POP 1 of 1949, DZE 1 of 1949, DDD 6 of 1949, Your Hit Parade 12 of 1949, Brazil 12 of 1950, nuTsie 15 of 1940s, Music Imprint 20 of 1940s, Europe 33 of the 1940s (1949), RIAA 297, Acclaimed 1303 (1949)
5	Dinah Shore	Buttons & Bows	1948	US Billboard 1 - Sep 1948 (25 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Oct 1948 (23 weeks), US 1 for 10 weeks - Nov 1948, Australia 1 for 12 weeks - Jan 1949, DZE 1 of 1948, US BB 3 of 1948, POP 3 of 1948, Your Hit Parade 5 of 1948, Brazil 27 of 1949, DDD 50 of 1948, nuTsie 57 of 1940s, Europe 91 of the 1940s (1948), RYM 102 of 1948
6	The Andrews Sisters	Rum & Coca-Cola	1945	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1945 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1945 (16 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Feb 1945, Australia 1 for 2 months - Feb 1946, DZE 1 of 1945, US BB 2 of 1945, POP 2 of 1945, Your Hit Parade 3 of 1945, RYM 3 of 1944, Europe 6 of the 1940s (1944), Brazil 19 of 1945, nuTsie 51 of 1940s
7	The Mills Brothers	Paper Doll	1943	US Billboard 1 - 1943 (36 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1943 (30 weeks), US 1 for 12 weeks - Nov 1943, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1943), DZE 2 of 1943, US BB 3 of 1943, Europe 3 of the 1940s (1943), POP 4 of 1943, nuTsie 10 of 1940s, Your Hit Parade 12 of 1943, Music Imprint 17 of 1940s, RYM 42 of 1942, Brazil 58 of 1944, RIAA 272, Acclaimed 1486 (1943), Global 7 (10 M sold) - 1943
8	Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters	Don't Fence Me In	1944	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1944 (21 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1944 (18 weeks), US 1 for 8 weeks - Dec 1944, Australia 1 for 3 months - Sep 1945, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1944), DZE 3 of 1944, US BB 4 of 1944, Europe 5 of the 1940s (1944), POP 9 of 1944, nuTsie 18 of 1940s, Your Hit Parade 22 of 1945, Brazil 55 of 1945, Acclaimed 1699 (1943), Song of 1944
9	Les Brown & Doris Day	Sentimental Journey	1945	US Billboard 1 - Mar 1945 (28 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1945 (23 weeks), US BB 1 of 1945, US 1 for 9 weeks - May 1945, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1945), POP 1 of 1945, DZE 3 of 1945, nuTsie 12 of 1940s, Music Imprint 13 of 1940s, Your Hit Parade 23 of 1945, Europe 37 of the 1940s (1945), Brazil 44 of 1945, RYM 69 of 1945, RIAA 77, Acclaimed 818 (1944), Song of 1944
10	Nat King Cole	Nature Boy	1948	US Billboard 1 - Apr 1948 (18 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1948 (15 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - May 1948, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1948), Your Hit Parade 2 of 1948, DDD 4 of 1948, DZE 4 of 1948, US BB 9 of 1948, RYM 9 of 1948, Brazil 13 of 1948, POP 17 of 1948, nuTsie 21 of 1940s, Europe 90 of the 1940s (1948), Acclaimed 1793 (1947)
11	Al Dexter & his Troopers	Pistol Packin' Mama	1943	US Billboard 1 - 1943 (34 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1943 (17 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Oct 1943, US Country 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1944, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 (1943), DZE 3 of 1943, US BB 15 of 1943, POP 15 of 1943, Your Hit Parade 16 of 1943, nuTsie 44 of 1940s, Brazil 84 of 1944, Europe 86 of the 1940s (1943), Acclaimed 1658 (1943)
12	Art Mooney	I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover	1948	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1948 (18 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1948 (16 weeks), US BB 1 of 1948, US 1 for 3 weeks - Feb 1948, Australia 1 for 1 month - Nov 1948, POP 1 of 1948, Brazil 7 of 1949, DZE 8 of 1948, Your Hit Parade 22 of 1948
13	Gene Autry	Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer	1949	US Billboard 1 - Dec 1949 (6 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Dec 1949 (13 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Jan 1949, Radio Luxembourg sheet music 1 for 6 weeks - Nov 1950, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1985 (1949), US CashBox 3 - Jan 1950 (7 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Nov 1969), RYM 4 of 1949, Music Imprint 9 of 1940s, nuTsie 11 of 1940s, DMDB 22 (1949), DDD 29 of 1949, RIAA 31, Acclaimed 1051 (1949), Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1949
14	Glenn Miller	Chattanooga Choo Choo	1941	US Billboard 1 - 1941 (25 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Sep 1941 (23 weeks), US 1 for 9 weeks - Nov 1941, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996 (1941), RYM 2 of 1941, Oscar in 1941 (film 'Sun Valley Serenade') (Nominated), DDD 4 of 1941, US BB 9 of 1941, nuTsie 9 of 1940s, Your Hit Parade 11 of 1941, Brazil 13 of 1942, POP 16 of 1941, Europe 54 of the 1940s (1941), Song of 1941
15	Frankie Laine	Mule Train	1949	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1949 (13 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1949 (13 weeks), US 1 for 6 weeks - Nov 1949, Your Hit Parade 1 of 1949, US CashBox 2 - Jan 1950 (8 weeks), Oscar in 1950 (film 'Singing Guns') (Nominated), DZE 5 of 1949, US BB 7 of 1949, DDD 7 of 1949, POP 12 of 1949, RYM 38 of 1949, Europe 51 of the 1940s (1949), Italy 73 of 1955, nuTsie 96 of 1940s
16	Pee Wee Hunt	Twelfth Street Rag	1948	US Billboard 1 - Jun 1948 (32 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1948 (27 weeks), US 1 for 8 weeks - Aug 1948, Peel list 1 of 1948, DZE 3 of 1948, US BB 4 of 1948, POP 7 of 1948, Your Hit Parade 18 of 1948, RYM 20 of 1948, Brazil 37 of 1948
17	Bing Crosby	I'll be seeing you	1944	US Billboard 1 - Apr 1944 (24 weeks), US 1940s 1 - May 1944 (19 weeks), US 1 for 4 weeks - Jul 1944, Australia 1 for 1 month - Aug 1945, Your Hit Parade 7 of 1944, nuTsie 13 of 1940s, US BB 15 of 1944, Europe 15 of the 1940s (1944), POP 15 of 1944, RYM 43 of 1944, Brazil 83 of 1944
18	Artie Shaw	Frenesi	1940	US Billboard 1 - 1940 (30 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1940 (23 weeks), US 1 for 13 weeks - Dec 1940, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 (1940), Your Hit Parade 3 of 1940, US BB 6 of 1940, POP 6 of 1940, DDD 7 of 1940, Brazil 10 of 1946, nuTsie 24 of 1940s, Scrobulate 48 of swing, Europe 71 of the 1940s (1940), Song of 1940
19	Perry Como	Prisoner of Love	1946	US Billboard 1 - Mar 1946 (21 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Mar 1946 (19 weeks), US 1 for 3 weeks - May 1946, Australia 1 for 2 months - Feb 1947, Your Hit Parade 6 of 1946, DZE 9 of 1946, US BB 10 of 1946, POP 17 of 1946, nuTsie 67 of 1940s, Brazil 71 of 1946, Europe 93 of the 1940s (1946)
20	Dick Haymes	You'll Never Know	1943	US Billboard 1 - 1943 (18 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1943 (16 weeks), US 1 for 4 weeks - Jul 1943, Oscar in 1943 (film 'Hello, Frisco, Hello'), Your Hit Parade 4 of 1943, DZE 4 of 1943, US BB 16 of 1943, POP 17 of 1943, Brazil 18 of 1944, nuTsie 45 of 1940s, Europe 60 of the 1940s (1943)
21	Frank Sinatra	Five Minutes More	1946	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1946 (22 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1946 (18 weeks), US 1 for 2 weeks - Sep 1946, Australia 1 for 1 month - May 1947, DZE 8 of 1946, POP 10 of 1946, Europe 11 of the 1940s (1946), US BB 15 of 1946, Brazil 32 of 1946, RYM 43 of 1946
22	Peggy Lee	Manana (Is Soon Enough For Me)	1948	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1948 (21 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1948 (21 weeks), US 1 for 9 weeks - Mar 1948, DZE 2 of 1948, Your Hit Parade 7 of 1948, US BB 8 of 1948, POP 8 of 1948, Brazil 11 of 1948, DDD 37 of 1947, nuTsie 39 of 1940s, Europe 89 of the 1940s (1948), RYM 139 of 1948
23	Harry James	I've Heard That Song Before	1943	US Billboard 1 - 1943 (25 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Dec 1942 (33 weeks), US 1 for 13 weeks - Mar 1943, DZE 1 of 1943, Oscar in 1942 (film 'Youth on Parade') (Nominated), US BB 7 of 1943, POP 7 of 1943, Your Hit Parade 8 of 1943, RYM 29 of 1943, Brazil 52 of 1943, nuTsie 54 of 1940s
24	Perry Como	Till The End of Time	1945	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1945 (19 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1945 (17 weeks), US 1 for 9 weeks - Sep 1945, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1945), DZE 2 of 1945, US BB 12 of 1945, Your Hit Parade 16 of 1945, POP 23 of 1945, nuTsie 25 of 1940s, Europe 30 of the 1940s (1945), RYM 85 of 1945, Brazil 87 of 1946
25	Evelyn Knight	A Little Bird Told Me	1949	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1948 (21 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1948 (20 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Jan 1949, Australia 1 for 2 weeks - Dec 1949, DZE 4 of 1949, DDD 7 of 1948, US BB 8 of 1949, Brazil 54 of 1949, Europe 72 of the 1940s (1949)
26	Sammy Kaye	Daddy	1941	US Billboard 1 - 1941 (18 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jun 1941 (15 weeks), US 1 for 8 weeks - Jun 1941, Australia 1 for 1 month - Jun 1942, Your Hit Parade 9 of 1941, US BB 16 of 1941, POP 17 of 1941, DDD 31 of 1941, nuTsie 72 of 1940s, Brazil 82 of 1942
27	Frankie Laine	That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)	1949	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1949 (22 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Sep 1949 (19 weeks), US 1 for 8 weeks - Oct 1949, US BB 2 of 1949, DZE 2 of 1949, POP 10 of 1949, US CashBox 13 - Jan 1950 (6 weeks), Your Hit Parade 16 of 1949, DDD 23 of 1949, Brazil 24 of 1950, nuTsie 31 of 1940s, Europe 40 of the 1940s (1949), RYM 57 of 1949
28	Harry James	I Had the Craziest Dream	1943	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1942 (22 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Dec 1942 (34 weeks), US 1 for 2 weeks - Feb 1943, Australia 1 for 1 month - Dec 1943, US BB 18 of 1943, POP 21 of 1943, Your Hit Parade 22 of 1943, Europe 53 of the 1940s (1943)
29	Glenn Miller	(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo	1942	US Billboard 1 - 1942 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1942 (18 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Sep 1942, Oscar in 1942 (film 'Orchestra Wives') (Nominated), DZE 3 of 1942, US BB 10 of 1942, POP 10 of 1942, Your Hit Parade 17 of 1942, nuTsie 33 of 1940s, RYM 41 of 1942, Europe 44 of the 1940s (1942), Brazil 64 of 1943
30	Perry Como	Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)	1947	US Billboard 1 - May 1947 (13 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jun 1947 (12 weeks), US 1 for 3 weeks - Jun 1947, Australia 1 for 1 month - May 1948, Your Hit Parade 5 of 1947, DZE 7 of 1947, US BB 13 of 1947, POP 21 of 1947, Brazil 80 of 1948
31	Les Brown	My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time	1945	US Billboard 1 - Mar 1945 (16 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Mar 1945 (12 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Apr 1945, Australia 1 for 1 month - Jan 1946, Your Hit Parade 5 of 1945, DZE 5 of 1945, US BB 7 of 1945, POP 13 of 1945, RYM 70 of 1945
32	Vic Damone	You're Breakin' My Heart	1949	US Billboard 1 - Jun 1949 (26 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jun 1949 (25 weeks), US 1 for 4 weeks - Sep 1949, Australia 1 for 3 weeks - May 1950, DZE 7 of 1949, US BB 9 of 1949, POP 11 of 1949, Brazil 26 of 1950, US CashBox 29 - Jan 1950 (2 weeks)
33	Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra	I'll Never Smile Again	1940	US Billboard 1 - 1940 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1940 (15 weeks), US 1 for 12 weeks - Jul 1940, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982 (1940), DDD 3 of 1940, US BB 8 of 1940, POP 8 of 1940, Europe 17 of the 1940s (1940), Brazil 39 of 1941
34	Glenn Miller	Moonlight Cocktail	1942	US Billboard 1 - 1942 (19 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Feb 1942 (15 weeks), US 1 for 10 weeks - Feb 1942, DZE 2 of 1942, US BB 6 of 1942, POP 6 of 1942, RYM 18 of 1942, Your Hit Parade 23 of 1942, nuTsie 27 of 1940s, Brazil 50 of 1942, Europe 55 of the 1940s (1942)
35	Kay Kyser	The Woody Woodpecker Song	1948	US Billboard 1 - Jun 1948 (15 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jun 1948 (14 weeks), US 1 for 6 weeks - Jul 1948, Oscar in 1948 (film 'Wet Blanket Policy') (Nominated), DZE 6 of 1948, US BB 13 of 1948, POP 21 of 1948, Europe 76 of the 1940s (1948), Brazil 80 of 1949, RYM 95 of 1948
36	Francis Craig	Near You	1947	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1947 (25 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Sep 1947 (21 weeks), US 1 for 12 weeks - Sep 1947, DZE 1 of 1947, US BB 6 of 1947, POP 14 of 1947, Your Hit Parade 16 of 1947, Brazil 24 of 1947, DDD 24 of 1947, Europe 85 of the 1940s (1947), RIAA 355
37	Edith Piaf	La Vie En Rose	1949	Italy 1 of 1948, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1950), Scrobulate 3 of french, US CashBox 5 - Sep 1950 (19 weeks), Brazil 9 of 1949, France (Historical) 14 of the 1940s (1946), US Billboard 23 - Oct 1950 (3 weeks), RYM 48 of 1950, Acclaimed 625 (1945)
38	Artie Shaw	Stardust	1941	US BB 1 of 1941, Your Hit Parade 1 of 1941, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1988 (1940), DDD 1 of 1940, POP 1 of 1941, US Billboard 2 - 1941 (11 weeks), nuTsie 5 of 1940s, US 1940s 6 - Jan 1941 (3 weeks), RYM 30 of 1940
39	Jimmy Dorsey	Tangerine	1942	US Billboard 1 - 1942 (16 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1942 (15 weeks), US 1 for 6 weeks - May 1942, Your Hit Parade 3 of 1942, US BB 4 of 1942, POP 4 of 1942, DZE 5 of 1942, Brazil 9 of 1943, nuTsie 56 of 1940s, Europe 82 of the 1940s (1942)
40	Bing Crosby	Now Is the Hour (Maori Farewell Song)	1948	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1948 (23 weeks), Australia 1 for 1 month - Oct 1948, US 1940s 2 - Jan 1948 (22 weeks), US BB 11 of 1948, POP 19 of 1948, Your Hit Parade 23 of 1948, Europe 23 of the 1940s (1948), Brazil 84 of 1948
41	The Ink Spots	To Each His Own	1946	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1946 (14 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Sep 1946 (11 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Sep 1946, Australia 1 for 1 month - Apr 1947, US BB 8 of 1946, Your Hit Parade 11 of 1946, POP 24 of 1946, Europe 92 of the 1940s (1946)
42	Freddy Martin	Symphony	1946	US Billboard 1 - Dec 1945 (17 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Dec 1945 (15 weeks), US 1 for 2 weeks - Jan 1945, Australia 1 for 2 months - Oct 1946, US BB 9 of 1946, POP 15 of 1946, Your Hit Parade 17 of 1946, Brazil 53 of 1946
43	Johnny Mercer	On the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe	1945	US Billboard 1 - Jul 1945 (19 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1945 (16 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Jul 1945, Your Hit Parade 1 of 1945, US BB 4 of 1945, DZE 4 of 1945, POP 11 of 1945, Brazil 58 of 1945, RYM 89 of 1945, nuTsie 90 of 1940s
44	Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters	Pistol Packin' Mama	1943	US Country 1 for 4 weeks - Jan 1944, Australia 1 for 1 month - Oct 1944, US Billboard 2 - 1943 (11 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Nov 1943 (9 weeks), Peel list 4 of 1943, RYM 6 of 1943, Acclaimed 1924 (1944)
45	Vaughn Monroe	Ballerina	1947	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1947 (22 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1947 (21 weeks), US 1 for 10 weeks - Dec 1947, DZE 3 of 1947, US BB 7 of 1947, POP 7 of 1947, Brazil 14 of 1947, Your Hit Parade 17 of 1947, DDD 46 of 1947, Europe 56 of the 1940s (1947), nuTsie 93 of 1940s
46	Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra	There Are Such Things	1943	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1942 (26 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1942 (40 weeks), US 1 for 5 weeks - Jan 1943, DZE 6 of 1943, US BB 12 of 1943, Europe 20 of the 1940s (1943), POP 22 of 1943, Your Hit Parade 24 of 1942, Brazil 61 of 1943
47	Glenn Miller	That Old Black Magic	1943	US Billboard 1 - 1943 (19 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Mar 1943 (14 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - May 1943, Oscar in 1943 (film 'Star Spangled Rhythm') (Nominated), US BB 8 of 1943, POP 8 of 1943, RYM 11 of 1943, Your Hit Parade 14 of 1943, Brazil 77 of 1943
48	Bing Crosby	Only Forever	1940	US Billboard 1 - 1940 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Sep 1940 (16 weeks), US 1 for 9 weeks - Oct 1940, Oscar in 1940 (film 'Rhythm on the River') (Nominated), US BB 15 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 15 of 1940, POP 15 of 1940, Europe 24 of the 1940s (1940), DDD 69 of 1940, RYM 87 of 1940
49	The Andrews Sisters	Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy	1941	Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 (1941), RYM 1 of 1941, Music Imprint 2 of 1940s, Oscar in 1941 (film 'Buck Privates') (Nominated), DDD 3 of 1941, POP 4 of 1941, US Billboard 6 - 1941 (8 weeks), RIAA 6, nuTsie 8 of 1940s, Your Hit Parade 12 of 1941, Acclaimed 978 (1941)
50	Harry James	Sleepy Lagoon	1942	US Billboard 1 - 1942 (21 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1942 (18 weeks), US 1 for 4 weeks - Jun 1942, DZE 7 of 1942, US BB 12 of 1942, POP 12 of 1942, Your Hit Parade 13 of 1942, Europe 45 of the 1940s (1941), nuTsie 68 of 1940s, Brazil 79 of 1944
51	Cliff Edwards (Ukelele Ike)	When You Wish Upon a Star	1940	Your Hit Parade 1 of 1940, Oscar in 1940 (film 'Pinocchio'), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 (1940), AFI 7, DDD 9 of 1940, US Billboard 10 - 1940 (6 weeks), Music Imprint 11 of 1940s, RYM 20 of 1940, RIAA 55, nuTsie 80 of 1940s, Acclaimed 1090 (1940)
52	Perry Como	Some Enchanted Evening	1949	US Billboard 1 - Apr 1949 (26 weeks), US 1940s 1 - May 1949 (21 weeks), US 1 for 5 weeks - Jul 1949, US BB 6 of 1949, Your Hit Parade 6 of 1949, POP 6 of 1949, DZE 6 of 1949, Europe 36 of the 1940s (1949), Brazil 44 of 1950, nuTsie 88 of 1940s, NY Daily Love list 94
53	Bing Crosby	Sunday, Monday or Always	1943	US Billboard 1 - 1943 (19 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1943 (18 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Sep 1943, DZE 5 of 1943, Your Hit Parade 9 of 1943, Europe 13 of the 1940s (1943), US BB 14 of 1943, POP 14 of 1943, RYM 28 of 1943
54	Jerry Murad's Harmonicats	Peg o' My Heart	1947	US Billboard 1 - Apr 1947 (26 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1947 (21 weeks), US 1 for 4 weeks - Jun 1947, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1947), DZE 4 of 1947, Brazil 11 of 1947, POP 17 of 1947, DDD 26 of 1947, nuTsie 42 of 1940s, RYM 55 of 1947
55	Tex Williams & The Western Caravan	Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)	1947	US Billboard 1 - Jul 1947 (17 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1947 (12 weeks), US 1 for 6 weeks - Aug 1947, US Country 1 for 15 weeks - Jul 1947, DZE 5 of 1947, DDD 10 of 1947, US BB 17 of 1947, POP 19 of 1947, Brazil 20 of 1949, nuTsie 78 of 1940s
56	Glenn Miller	A String of Pearls	1942	US Billboard 1 - 1942 (21 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1942 (18 weeks), US 1 for 2 weeks - Feb 1942, US BB 2 of 1941, DDD 8 of 1941, RYM 13 of 1941, POP 13 of 1941, Your Hit Parade 20 of 1942, nuTsie 37 of 1940s, Brazil 44 of 1942
57	Billie Holiday	God Bless the Child	1941	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1976 (1941), DDD 1 of 1941, US BB 3 of 1941, POP 3 of 1941, nuTsie 3 of 1940s, RYM 5 of 1941, Your Hit Parade 17 of 1941, US Billboard 25 - 1941 (1 week), RIAA 58, Scrobulate 89 of jazz, Acclaimed 341 (1941), WXPN 814, Song of 1941
58	Freddy Martin	To Each His Own	1946	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1946 (17 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1946 (12 weeks), US 1 for 2 weeks - Aug 1946, Australia 1 for 1 month - Apr 1947, POP 24 of 1946, Brazil 74 of 1947
59	Dinah Shore	I'll Walk Alone	1944	US Billboard 1 - Aug 1944 (25 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1944 (20 weeks), US 1 for 4 weeks - Oct 1944, Oscar in 1944 (film 'Follow the Boys') (Nominated), US BB 13 of 1944, POP 13 of 1944, Brazil 57 of 1945, Europe 84 of the 1940s (1944), nuTsie 92 of 1940s
60	The Ink Spots	You're Breakin' My Heart	1949	UK Sheet Music 1 for 2 weeks - Jan 1950, Radio Luxembourg sheet music 1 for 2 weeks - Jan 1950, US Billboard 9 - Aug 1949 (14 weeks), US 1940s 9 - Sep 1949 (9 weeks), RYM 19 of 1949, US CashBox 29 - Jan 1950 (2 weeks), DDD 94 of 1949
61	Al Trace	You Call Everybody Darlin'	1948	US Billboard 1 - Sep 1948 (24 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jun 1948 (21 weeks), US 1 for 2 weeks - Aug 1948, DZE 7 of 1948, Your Hit Parade 13 of 1948, US BB 14 of 1948, POP 23 of 1948, Brazil 68 of 1948, nuTsie 98 of 1940s
62	Vaughn Monroe	Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!	1946	US Billboard 1 - Dec 1945 (14 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Dec 1945 (15 weeks), US 1 for 5 weeks - Jan 1946, US BB 4 of 1946, POP 4 of 1946, DZE 7 of 1946, Europe 48 of the 1940s (1946), Brazil 61 of 1946, nuTsie 73 of 1940s
63	Spike Jones	All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth	1948	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1948 (8 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1948 (9 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Jan 1949, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 (1948), US BB 10 of 1948, POP 10 of 1948, Norway 20 - Dec 2007 (1 week)
64	Margaret Whiting	A Tree in the Meadow	1948	US Billboard 1 - Jul 1948 (23 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1948 (23 weeks), US 1 for 2 weeks - Oct 1948, DZE 9 of 1948, US BB 15 of 1948, Your Hit Parade 21 of 1948, POP 25 of 1948, nuTsie 70 of 1940s, Brazil 79 of 1949
65	The Ink Spots	The Gypsy	1946	US Billboard 1 - May 1946 (23 weeks), US 1940s 1 - May 1946 (18 weeks), US 1 for 10 weeks - May 1946, DZE 1 of 1946, US BB 7 of 1946, POP 9 of 1946, Your Hit Parade 20 of 1946, Brazil 30 of 1946, nuTsie 38 of 1940s
66	Duke Ellington	Take The 'A' Train	1941	Grammy Hall of Fame in 1976 (1941), DDD 2 of 1941, RYM 3 of 1941, nuTsie 4 of 1940s, US BB 6 of 1941, POP 6 of 1941, Music Imprint 6 of 1940s, US Billboard 11 - 1941 (7 weeks), Your Hit Parade 16 of 1941, RIAA 17, Scrobulate 20 of swing, Acclaimed 394 (1941)
67	Jimmy Dorsey	Bosame Mucho (Kiss Me Much)	1944	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1944 (23 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1944 (16 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Mar 1944, Your Hit Parade 4 of 1944, US BB 10 of 1944, Brazil 10 of 1944, POP 10 of 1944, Europe 67 of the 1940s (1943)
68	Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots	Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall	1944	US Billboard 1 - Nov 1944 (17 weeks), Australia 1 for 1 month - Apr 1946, US 1940s 5 - Dec 1944 (5 weeks), US BB 18 of 1944, POP 21 of 1944, RYM 24 of 1944, Brazil 56 of 1945, nuTsie 85 of 1940s
69	Johnny Mercer	Personality	1946	US Billboard 1 - Jan 1946 (15 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1946 (16 weeks), US BB 1 of 1946, US 1 for 1 week - Mar 1946, POP 2 of 1946, Your Hit Parade 7 of 1946, RYM 78 of 1945, Brazil 79 of 1946
70	Kay Kyser	On a Slow Boat to China	1948	Australia 1 for 6 weeks - May 1949, US Billboard 2 - Oct 1948 (20 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Oct 1948 (17 weeks), Your Hit Parade 14 of 1948, Brazil 58 of 1949, Europe 69 of the 1940s (1948)
71	Harry James	It's Been a Long, Long Time	1945	US Billboard 1 - Oct 1945 (17 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Oct 1945 (14 weeks), US 1 for 3 weeks - Nov 1945, Your Hit Parade 9 of 1945, DZE 9 of 1945, POP 17 of 1945, Brazil 47 of 1946, Europe 47 of the 1940s (1945)
72	Jimmy Dorsey	Green Eyes	1941	US Billboard 1 - 1941 (24 weeks), US 1940s 1 - May 1941 (21 weeks), US 1 for 4 weeks - Aug 1941, US BB 12 of 1941, POP 12 of 1941, DDD 13 of 1941, Brazil 22 of 1941, Europe 62 of the 1940s (1941)
73	Benny Goodman	Taking A Chance On Love	1943	US Billboard 1 - 1943 (14 weeks), US 1940s 1 - May 1943 (11 weeks), US 1 for 3 weeks - Jun 1943, DZE 9 of 1943, Your Hit Parade 24 of 1943, Europe 40 of the 1930s (1937), Brazil 44 of 1943
74	Kay Kyser	Jingle, Jangle, Jingle	1942	US Billboard 1 - 1942 (13 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1942 (13 weeks), US 1 for 8 weeks - Jul 1942, DZE 4 of 1942, US BB 13 of 1942, POP 21 of 1942, Europe 66 of the 1940s (1942), Brazil 69 of 1943
75	Glenn Miller	Elmer's Tune	1941	US Billboard 1 - 1941 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1941 (15 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Dec 1941, Your Hit Parade 5 of 1941, DDD 33 of 1941, Brazil 53 of 1942, Europe 59 of the 1940s (1941), RYM 91 of 1941
76	Jimmy Dorsey	Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)	1941	US Billboard 1 - 1941 (17 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Mar 1941 (14 weeks), US 1 for 10 weeks - Mar 1941, Brazil 16 of 1941, US BB 18 of 1941, POP 21 of 1941, nuTsie 41 of 1940s, Europe 75 of the 1940s (1941)
77	Ted Weems	Heartaches	1947	US Billboard 1 - Mar 1947 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Mar 1947 (16 weeks), US 1 for 12 weeks - Mar 1947, DZE 2 of 1947, Your Hit Parade 10 of 1947, US BB 11 of 1947, POP 20 of 1947, nuTsie 26 of 1930s, Brazil 29 of 1947
78	Count Basie	Open The Door, Richard!	1947	US Billboard 1 - Feb 1947 (7 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Feb 1947 (4 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Feb 1947, Your Hit Parade 1 of 1947, DDD 5 of 1947, US BB 14 of 1947, POP 23 of 1947, Brazil 83 of 1947
79	Bing Crosby	Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra	1944	US BB 1 of 1944, Australia 1 for 1 month - Dec 1945, POP 1 of 1944, US Billboard 4 - Oct 1944 (12 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Oct 1944 (9 weeks), RYM 50 of 1944
80	Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely	Slippin' Around	1949	US Billboard 1 - Sep 1949 (23 weeks), US Country 1 for 9 weeks - Oct 1949, US 1940s 2 - Sep 1949 (21 weeks), US CashBox 4 - Jan 1950 (9 weeks), DZE 8 of 1949, US BB 12 of 1949, Your Hit Parade 14 of 1949, POP 25 of 1949, DDD 39 of 1949, Europe 99 of the 1940s (1949)

Comment on the contents of the 'Songs from the 1940s' page
Subject:	Email to Reply To (optional):

Previous Comments (newest first)

31 May 2013

you dont own me

Some time during the 1940 era my aunt Edith Schultz sent lyrics to a song to a publisher and it was set to music. I am trying to find info about this song. It was probably between 1945-1948. she called her song "you dont own me" any info you have would be very helpful.

thank You Nora conatser

28 May 2013

song with lyrics of "midnight and you"

puh-leeze help---i have heard a song that has that inimitable sound of the l940's that has the lyrics of "midnight and you" repeated throughout and i cannot find the title or all the lyrics. +can you help me locate both with the name of the recording artist? +i heard it in my slumber-y, sleepy state one evening on NPR radio as a filler between programs about ayear ago and its loveliness has haunted me since! +please help!

25 May 2013

Looking for a song.

Lyrics are "Cross ties on a railroad"...that's all I can remember.

20 May 2013

popular female singer

I think her first name was Jan. She had some bad publicity at the time concerning pot or drugs. She faded after that but she was quite popular for a while and had a very nice voice.

We can find three artists named Jan that were active around that time, Jan Garber, Jan Peerce and Jan Savitt. Unfortunately all three are men.

3 May 2013

LOOKING FOR A SONG

LYRICS ARE " NOW THAT I'VE ALMOST FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU - THERE GOES THAT SONGAGAIN" - BANDLEADER LEIGHTON NOBLE SANG IT IN OLSEN & JOHNSON'S MOVIE 'CRAZY HOUSE' - BUT SOMEONE ELSE HAD A MILD RECORD HIT OF THE SONG.

18 Apr 2013

record buying guide / your hit parade / sheet music sales

who knows where i coud find these charts from 1940 and 1941? i mean the weekly charts of any of them or all of them ...

anyway, its great work done here!

The sources of all the charts are listed in the "Song Charts" page. Some of them don't have weekly entries available.

31 Mar 2013

Just wondered if any one knows the song with these words till you came along my life was empty as could be now its flowing over with the love you brought to me. +My mum used to sing this song to me when I was a little girl

26 Mar 2013

i love white christams!!! a lot of christmas songs were made in the 1940s

15 Mar 2013

a song from the past

"you never seem to want my romancing, the only time you hold me is when we'redancing" the name of the song is "i don't know why i love you like i do" from the 1940's...great song.

HOPE I GOT IT RIGHT.

10 Mar 2013

Anyone know who sang this song? It goes Keep your eyes on Spring, Run whenChurch Bells ring, It5 could happen to you

The song "It Could Happen to You" was a hit in 1944 for both Jo Stafford and Bing Crosby

26 Feb 2013

+ A song from the past ...

A song that was sung to me on my first date +with words, "my favourite song is the song that they play when we're dancing".. any one any ideas what the song is ?

25 Feb 2013

cool

cool but can u give a little more info on the songs

17 Jan 2013

Lost song

I remember seeing a black and white movie and they were all going out for the evening. The song was "tonight I'm on a special mission, just an intermission with the dawn, I'm gonna let let let my hair right down, the way its never been done before".

Anyone any ideas please?

11 Jan 2013

Lyrics

Not a song of the 40s but one that has evaded me for years. Can anyone help me? I recall "Do you remember that day in September when you and I played we were married" From Childhood Days?

9 Dec 2012

Take Me In Your Arms

The song was written by Paul Mann & Kim Gannon and Helen Forrest singing with the Harry James band recorded it in 1942.

Jo Stafford had a hit of it later.

Song: Make Love To Me.

1 Nov 2012

Looking for a song

40s Song, Nice to know you care, Nice to know your not pretending, nice to find you there when the lonely day is ending,

6 Feb 2012

Dance band tune "Home"

Looking for sheet music to a 1940-ish tune titled "Home". Only recording I've seen is by "Teddy Powell and his 1950 Orchestra".

We don't have sheet music on this site, just charts.

Teddy Powell & his Orchestra had four Billboard hits in the 1940s (1941 to 1942), maybe you should be looking a bit later?

29 Sep 2011

The incredible forties.

How can the 40's be beaten? surely the greatest decade in history, the war, the names, Churchill FDR, Hitler, Mussolini,Ike, Dunkirk, the blitz, Stalingrad, cities dominated by air raid shelters, sand bags, sirens,searchlights,barrage balloons, and so much more, a class of its own. The greatest decade with the greatest generation.

Eric Firth.

20 Apr 2011

Take me in your arms

In 1946 I sang with a band in the Adironcacks znd this song was popular --Ican't recall all the words - can anyone help me?

It starts "Take me in your arms before you take your love away"

The song "Take me in your arms" was a minor hit for both Paul Whiteman and Ruth Etting in 1932 and later for Doris Day in 1952. It was also recorded by Ray Conniff and Vic Damone. However no-one ever had a major hit with it.

5 May 2010

Full orchestra scores for the above 60 tunes.+

The Symphony of the Hills, located in Kerrville TX is planning a pops concertand would like to feature major 1940 instrumental artists with full orchestra background. We were thinking of inviting top University of North Texas Universities Jazz Band to act as performing soloist.

Where can we get full orchesta scores for the tunes listed above?

That's a really good question, we have no idea. This site lists the songs we don't have the sheet music (or the mp3s or photos...)

We would suggest that searching for specific songs might help, for example you could perhaps try searching for "In the Mood sheet music"