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Songs from the Year 1931

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This page lists the top songs of 1931 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.

Between 1920 and 1940 there are few available charts (at least that we can find). These results should be treated with some caution since, with few exceptions, they are based on fairly subjective charts and biased towards the USA.

The top ten song artists of 1931 were:

1:Bing Crosby3:Guy Lombardo5:Ted Lewis & his Orchestra7:Louis Armstrong9:Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians
2:Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra4:Wayne King6:Duke Ellington8:Ben Selvin10:Ruth Etting
# Artist Song Title Year Chart Entries
1 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Minnie the Moocher 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (17 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1931), US invalid BB 3 of 1931, POP 3 of 1931, Music Imprint 3 of 1930s, nuTsie 6 of 1930s, Brazil 32 of 1931, Australian Nostalgia 51 of 1930-1939, RIAA 82, Scrobulate 87 of swing, Acclaimed 649 (1931), Visconti song of 1931, RYM 1 of 1931
2 Ted Lewis & his Orchestra Just a Gigolo 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (8 weeks), US invalid BB 1 of 1931, POP 1 of 1931, Brazil 41 of 1931
3 Duke Ellington Mood Indigo 1931 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1975 (1931), US Billboard 3 - 1931 (10 weeks), US invalid BB 7 of 1931, POP 7 of 1931, nuTsie 11 of 1930s, Acclaimed 518 (1930), RYM 3 of 1931, Song of 1930
4 Bing Crosby Out of Nowhere 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (8 weeks), US invalid BB 13 of 1931, POP 13 of 1931, Europe 54 of the 1930s (1931), Brazil 57 of 1931
5 Wayne King Dream a Little Dream of Me 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (12 weeks), ASCAP song of 1930, US invalid BB 9 of 1931, POP 9 of 1931, RYM 14 of 1931
6 The Mills Brothers Tiger Rag 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (13 weeks), US invalid BB 10 of 1931, POP 10 of 1931, Brazil 50 of 1932, nuTsie 76 of 1930s
7 Isham Jones Stardust 1931 US Billboard 1 - Sep 1930 (20 weeks), US invalid BB 5 of 1931, POP 5 of 1931, Brazil 29 of 1932, RYM 47 of 1930
8 Guy Lombardo Goodnight Sweetheart 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (11 weeks), US invalid BB 4 of 1931, POP 4 of 1931, nuTsie 84 of 1930s, RYM 40 of 1931
9 Bing Crosby Just One More Chance 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (19 weeks), US invalid BB 15 of 1931, POP 15 of 1931, Europe 19 of the 1930s (1931)
10 Gus Arnheim & his Orchestra Sweet & Lovely 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (14 weeks), Australian Nostalgia 16 of 1930-1939, US invalid BB 20 of 1931, POP 20 of 1931
11 Bing Crosby At Your Command 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (9 weeks), US invalid BB 17 of 1931, POP 17 of 1931, Europe 48 of the 1930s (1931)
12 Wayne King Goodnight Sweetheart 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (15 weeks), POP 4 of 1931, Brazil 41 of 1932
13 Louis Armstrong Stardust 1931 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009 (1931), US Billboard 16 - 1931 (2 weeks), nuTsie 39 of 1930s, RYM 16 of 1931
14 Red Nichols I Got Rhythm 1931 US invalid BB 2 of 1931, POP 2 of 1931, US Billboard 5 - Dec 1930 (8 weeks)
15 Guy Lombardo (There Ought to Be A) Moonlight Savings Time 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (8 weeks), US invalid BB 14 of 1931, POP 14 of 1931
16 Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five & Dime store) 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (6 weeks), US invalid BB 16 of 1931, POP 16 of 1931
17 Guy Lombardo By the River St Marie 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (11 weeks), US invalid BB 18 of 1931, POP 18 of 1931
18 Kate Smith When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (8 weeks), US invalid BB 19 of 1931, POP 19 of 1931
19 Clyde McCoy & his Orchestra Sugar Blues 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (20 weeks), nuTsie 67 of 1930s, Brazil 78 of 1932
20 Duke Ellington Rockin' in Rhythm 1931 US invalid BB 11 of 1931, POP 11 of 1931, US Billboard 19 - 1931 (1 week), RYM 15 of 1931, Song of 1931
21 Bing Crosby Just a Gigolo 1931 Peel list 3 of 1931, US Billboard 12 - 1931 (2 weeks), nuTsie 65 of 1930s
22 The Boswell Sisters It's the Girl 1931 Library of Congress artifact added 2010 (1931), US Billboard 9 - 1931 (4 weeks)
23 Louis Armstrong Lazy River 1931 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2010 (1931), RYM 9 of 1931, Song of 1931
24 Ray Noble Lady of Spain 1931 US Billboard 5 - 1931 (15 weeks), US invalid BB 12 of 1931, POP 12 of 1931
25 Ben Selvin Smile Darn Ya Smile 1931 US invalid BB 8 of 1931, POP 8 of 1931, US Billboard 14 - 1931 (2 weeks)
26 Ethel Waters I Got Rhythm 1931 POP 2 of 1931, US Billboard 17 - 1931 (1 week)
27 Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians Dancing in the Dark 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (11 weeks), Brazil 18 of 1932
28 Bing Crosby Dancing in the Dark 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (6 weeks), Brazil 31 of 1932
29 Will Rogers Bacon, Beans and Limousines 1931 Library of Congress artifact added 2012 (1931)
30 Orquestra Colbaz Tico-Tico no Fuba 1931 Brazil 1 of 1931
31 Layton & Johnstone Oh Donna Clara 1931 Peel list 1 of 1931
32 Russ Columbo Goodnight Sweetheart 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks), Brazil 100 of 1932
33 Libby Holman Love for Sale 1931 US Billboard 5 - 1931 (8 weeks), Brazil 98 of 1931
34 Smith Ballew & his Orchestra Time On My Hands (You In My Arms) 1931 US Billboard 6 - 1931 (6 weeks), Brazil 99 of 1932
35 Louis Armstrong (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You 1931 US Billboard 13 - 1931 (3 weeks), Jazz Standard 568, RYM 6 of 1931
36 Jacques Renard & his Orchestra Cuban Love Song 1931 US Billboard 7 - 1931 (4 weeks), Brazil 67 of 1932
37 Alfredo Brito & his Siboney Orchestra Siboney 1931 Brazil 15 of 1932, US Billboard 17 - 1931 (2 weeks)
38 Paul Whiteman Cuban Love Song 1931 US Billboard 13 - 1931 (2 weeks), Brazil 90 of 1932
39 Leo Reisman Out of Nowhere 1931 US Billboard 6 - 1931 (4 weeks), Jazz Standard 68
40 Paul Whiteman When It's Sleepy Time Down South 1931 US Billboard 6 - 1931 (10 weeks), Jazz Standard 331
41 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees The Thrill is Gone 1931 US Billboard 10 - 1931 (3 weeks), Jazz Standard 760
42 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra St James Infirmary 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (8 weeks), RYM 43 of 1931
43 Guy Lombardo Sweet & Lovely 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (9 weeks)
44 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (7 weeks)
45 Wayne King I Don't Know Why (I Just Do) 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (6 weeks)
46 Guy Lombardo Now That You're Gone 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (8 weeks)
47 Bing Crosby I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five & Dime store) 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (6 weeks)
48 Hal Kemp (There Ought to Be A) Moonlight Savings Time 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (7 weeks)
49 Ted Lewis & his Orchestra An Ev'ning in Caroline 1931 US Billboard 2 - 1931 (7 weeks)
50 Peter Van Steeden & his Orchestra Home 1931 US Billboard 2 - Dec 1931 (9 weeks)
51 Ted Lewis & his Orchestra Somebody Loves You 1931 US Billboard 2 - Apr 1931 (9 weeks)
52 Al Bowlly Goodnight Sweetheart 1931 Peel list 2 of 1931
53 Francisco Alves & Mario Reis Se Voce Jurar 1931 Brazil 2 of 1931
54 Wayne King Wabash Moon 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (11 weeks), RYM 14 of 1931
55 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Kickin' the Gong Around 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (7 weeks), RYM 20 of 1931
56 Bessie Smith I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl 1931 Visconti song of 1931, RYM 8 of 1931, Song of 1931
57 Gene Autry & Jimmy Long That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine 1931 US Billboard 7 - 1935 (5 weeks), RYM 65 of 1931
58 Ruth Etting I'm Good for Nothing but Love 1931 US Billboard 7 - 1931 (6 weeks), RYM 85 of 1931
59 Bert Lown Orchestra I Wanna Sing About You 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (6 weeks)
60 Gene Austin Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks)
61 Ben Bernie Just a Gigolo 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks)
62 Bing Crosby I Surrender, Dear 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (10 weeks)
63 The Boswell Sisters I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five & Dime store) 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks)
64 Bing Crosby Many Happy Returns Of The Day 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (9 weeks)
65 Bing Crosby I Apologize 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks)
66 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees Life Is Just a Bowl Of Cherries 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks)
67 Bing Crosby I'm Through With Love 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (7 weeks)
68 Guy Lombardo Without That Gal! 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks)
69 Guy Lombardo Whistling in the Dark 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (9 weeks)
70 Bing Crosby & Boswell Sisters & The Mills Brothers Gems from George White's Scandals 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (11 weeks)
71 Ben Bernie To Whom it May Concern 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (5 weeks)
72 Bert Lown Orchestra Now You're in My Arms 1931 US Billboard 3 - 1931 (7 weeks)
73 Gastao Formenti De Papo Pro Ar 1931 Brazil 3 of 1931
74 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Tickeration 1931 US Billboard 8 - 1931 (4 weeks), RYM 23 of 1932
75 Skip James Devil Got My Woman 1931 Scrobulate 7 of blues, Guardian Folk/ World 10
76 Duke Ellington Blue Again 1931 US Billboard 12 - 1931 (2 weeks), RYM 48 of 1931
77 Duke Ellington Limehouse Blues 1931 US Billboard 13 - 1931 (3 weeks), RYM 5 of 1931
78 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Nobody's Sweetheart 1931 US Billboard 13 - 1931 (2 weeks), RYM 43 of 1931
79 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Six or Seven Times 1931 US Billboard 14 - 1931 (2 weeks), RYM 40 of 1933
80 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea 1931 US Billboard 15 - 1931 (3 weeks), RYM 20 of 1931
81 Louis Armstrong The Peanut Vendor 1931 US Billboard 15 - 1931 (2 weeks), RYM 33 of 1931
82 The Carter Family Lonesome Valley 1931 US Billboard 15 - 1931 (2 weeks), RYM 92 of 1935
83 Ruth Etting Goodnight Sweetheart 1931 US Billboard 17 - 1931 (2 weeks), RYM 84 of 1931
84 Duke Ellington Creole Rhapsody (Parts 1 & 2) 1931 US Billboard 18 - 1931 (2 weeks), RYM 17 of 1931
85 Mildred Bailey Georgia On My Mind 1931 US Billboard 19 - 1932 (1 week), Song of 1931
86 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees Would You Like to Take a Walk? 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (7 weeks)
87 Guy Lombardo Begging for Love 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (6 weeks)
88 Ruth Etting Guilty 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (7 weeks)
89 Bing Crosby The Little Things In Life 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (5 weeks)
90 Paul Whiteman A Faded Summer Love 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (5 weeks)
91 The Mills Brothers Nobody's Sweetheart 1931 US Billboard 4 - Nov 1931 (9 weeks)
92 Leo Reisman I Love Louisa 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (7 weeks)
93 Frank Luther & Carson Robison When Your Hair Has Turned to Silver 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (12 weeks)
94 Joe Venuti & his Orchestra Little Girl 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (6 weeks)
95 Bing Crosby Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams 1931 US Billboard 4 - 1931 (6 weeks)
96 Noel Rosa Com Que Roupa? 1931 Brazil 4 of 1931
97 Ruth Willis Experience Blues 1931 Peel list 4 of 1931
98 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Blues in my Heart 1931 Jazz Standard 594, RYM 56 of 1931
99 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby 1931 Jazz Standard 686, RYM 79 of 1931
100 Nick Lucas Lady, Play Your Mandolin 1931 US Billboard 5 - 1931 (5 weeks)
Comment on the contents of the 'Songs from the Year 1931' page
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Previous Comments (newest first)

10 Apr 2016

When I Take My Sugar To Tea

Why is this song by the Boswell Sisters mission from this list? +

Because it was not one of the top 100 songs of 1931 (it only reached number 6 in the Billboad chart)

31 May 2015

1931 Movie and Song

The One Way Trail, a 1931 Western, features a song: Si, Si Senor. Who wrote it? Who sang it?

11 Nov 2012

I Don't Know why I Love You Like I do

wasn't "I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do" a big hit in 1931 along with "Guilty" and Prisoner of Love?

Tommy

There is a song "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)" by Wayne King that was number 2 in the US in 1931. Also two songs called "I Don't Know Why" were hits in 1931 one by Benny Krueger the other by Kate Smith (we guess they are both the same song). None make it to the year list.

We don't have a song called "I Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do" in our listings. Of course different versions would have had variations on the names.

"Guilty" was a hit in 1931 for Ruth Etting (peak 4), Wayne King (peak 11) and Russ Columbo (peak 13). None of them high enough to reach the year list.

"Prisoner of Love" was a hit in 1932 (and is listed there)

30 Dec 2010

Love it! :)

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