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Songs from the Year 1940 |
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| Other Years: | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s |
This page lists the top songs of 1940 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. There is also a set of monthly tables showing the various number ones on any date during 1940.
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.
During this era music was dominated by a number of "Big Bands" and songs could be attributed to the band leader, the band name, the lead singer or a combination of the them. It is common, for example, to see the same song listed with three different artists. And, just to stop us from getting bored, the success of a song was tied to the sales of sheet music, so a popular song would often be perfomed by many different combinations of singers and bands and the contemporary charts would list the song, without clarifying whose version was the major hit. Where we have found such issues we have attempted to consolidate the entries using the most widely accepted value for the artist in each case.
The top ten song artists of 1940 were: | ||||
| 1:Glenn Miller | 3:Bing Crosby | 5:Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | 7:The Andrews Sisters | 9:Joe Loss Orchestra |
| 2:Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra | 4:The Ink Spots | 6:Artie Shaw | 8:Tommy Dorsey | 10:Cliff Edwards (Ukelele Ike) |
| # | Artist | Song Title | Year | Chart Entries |
| 1 | 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, ASCAP song of 1940, Library of Congress artifact added 2004 (1939), US invalid BB 2 of 1940, Australian Nostalgia 2 of 1940-1949, POP 2 of 1940, 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), RYM 4 of 1939, Song of 1938, Party 45 of 1999 |
| 2 | 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 invalid 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 |
| 3 | 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), Your Hit Parade 2 of 1940, DDD 3 of 1940, US invalid BB 8 of 1940, POP 8 of 1940, nuTsie 14 of 1940s, Europe 17 of the 1940s (1940), Brazil 39 of 1941 |
| 4 | 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), Library of Congress artifact added 2009 (1940), AFI 7, DDD 9 of 1940, US Billboard 10 - 1940 (6 weeks), Music Imprint 11 of 1940s, RIAA 55, Australian Nostalgia 58 of 1940-1949, nuTsie 80 of 1940s, Acclaimed 1090 (1940), RYM 20 of 1940 |
| 5 | 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), Your Hit Parade 15 of 1940, US invalid BB 15 of 1940, POP 15 of 1940, Europe 24 of the 1940s (1940), DDD 69 of 1940, RYM 87 of 1940 |
| 6 | Glenn Miller | When You Wish Upon a Star | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (16 weeks), US invalid BB 1 of 1940, POP 1 of 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 2 - Apr 1940 (3 weeks), DDD 9 of 1940, Brazil 55 of 1940, RYM 15 of 1940 |
| 7 | Jimmie Davis | You Are My Sunshine | 1940 | Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1940), Library of Congress artifact added 2012 (1940), DDD 4 of 1940, Music Imprint 5 of 1940s, RIAA 14, nuTsie 30 of 1940s, Australian Nostalgia 53 of 1940-1949, Acclaimed 677 (1940), RYM 4 of 1940 |
| 8 | The Ink Spots | Whispering Grass (Don't Tell the Trees) | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 11 weeks - Jun 1943, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - May 1943 (21 weeks), Australia 1 for 1 month - Jul 1944, US Billboard 10 - 1940 (10 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Oct 1940 (1 week), DDD 21 of 1940 |
| 9 | Jimmy Dorsey | The Breeze & I | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (14 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Jul 1940 (9 weeks), Your Hit Parade 12 of 1940, DDD 12 of 1940, US invalid BB 14 of 1940, POP 14 of 1940, nuTsie 52 of 1940s, Brazil 58 of 1940 |
| 10 | Glenn Miller | Blueberry Hill | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (20 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Aug 1940 (14 weeks), UK 40s Sheet Music 8 - Dec 1940 (3 weeks), US invalid BB 10 of 1940, POP 10 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 13 of 1940, DDD 49 of 1940, RYM 29 of 1940 |
| 11 | Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys | New San Antonio Rose | 1940 | Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1940), Library of Congress artifact added 2003 (1940), DDD 2 of 1940, US Billboard 11 - Nov 1940 (5 weeks), Your Hit Parade 22 of 1941, RIAA 316, RYM 23 of 1940 |
| 12 | Glenn Miller | The Woodpecker Song | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (16 weeks), Australia 1 for 5 months - Nov 1940, US invalid BB 13 of 1940, POP 13 of 1940, DDD 45 of 1940, RYM 86 of 1940 |
| 13 | Glenn Miller | Tuxedo Junction | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (19 weeks), DDD 5 of 1940, US invalid BB 7 of 1940, POP 7 of 1940, nuTsie 20 of 1940s, Brazil 61 of 1941, RYM 12 of 1940 |
| 14 | Glenn Miller | Imagination | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (11 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Jul 1940 (3 weeks), UK 40s Sheet Music 11 - Sep 1940 (1 week), POP 16 of 1940, US invalid BB 20 of 1940, DDD 48 of 1940 |
| 15 | The Ink Spots | When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano | 1940 | US invalid BB 3 of 1940, POP 3 of 1940, US Billboard 4 - 1940 (14 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Aug 1940 (11 weeks), Peel list 4 of 1940, DDD 15 of 1940 |
| 16 | Bing Crosby | Trade Winds | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (17 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Sep 1940 (15 weeks), US invalid BB 17 of 1940, POP 19 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 21 of 1940, DDD 78 of 1940 |
| 17 | The Ink Spots | Maybe | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - 1940 (17 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Sep 1940 (14 weeks), DDD 11 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 14 of 1940, Europe 39 of the 1940s (1940), nuTsie 99 of 1940s |
| 18 | Glenn Miller | Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread) | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (13 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Jul 1940 (7 weeks), UK 40s Sheet Music 5 - Aug 1940 (4 weeks), POP 22 of 1940, DDD 40 of 1940 |
| 19 | Glenn Miller | Pennsylvania 6-5000 | 1940 | US Billboard 5 - 1940 (12 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Jul 1940 (6 weeks), DDD 8 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 9 of 1940, Brazil 25 of 1942, nuTsie 43 of 1940s, RYM 2 of 1940, Song of 1940 |
| 20 | Artie Shaw | All the Things You Are | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 2 weeks - Nov 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jan 1940 (5 weeks), US Billboard 8 - 1940 (8 weeks), RYM 89 of 1939 |
| 21 | The Andrews Sisters | Ferryboat Serenade | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (14 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Dec 1940 (3 weeks), US invalid BB 12 of 1940, POP 12 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 17 of 1940, DDD 79 of 1940 |
| 22 | Tommy Dorsey | All the Things You Are | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - Dec 1939 (13 weeks), Your Hit Parade 4 of 1940, US invalid BB 16 of 1940, POP 17 of 1940, Brazil 31 of 1940 |
| 23 | Bing Crosby | Sierra Sue | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (14 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Jul 1940 (10 weeks), POP 9 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 10 of 1940, DDD 71 of 1940 |
| 24 | Vera Lynn | A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jun 1940 (11 weeks), Australia 1 for 4 months - May 1941, Australian Nostalgia 5 of 1940-1949 |
| 25 | Charlie Barnet | Where Was I? | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (10 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Jul 1940 (1 week), US invalid BB 18 of 1940, POP 21 of 1940, DDD 70 of 1940 |
| 26 | Judy Garland | I'm Nobody's Baby | 1940 | US Billboard 3 - 1940 (12 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Aug 1940 (10 weeks), Your Hit Parade 23 of 1940, DDD 72 of 1940, Brazil 99 of 1941 |
| 27 | Bob Crosby & his Orchestra | Down Argentina Way | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - Nov 1940 (13 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Dec 1940 (4 weeks), Your Hit Parade 6 of 1940, Brazil 85 of 1941 |
| 28 | Kate Smith | The Woodpecker Song | 1940 | Australia 1 for 5 months - Nov 1940, Australian Nostalgia 3 of 1940-1949, US Billboard 14 - 1940 (5 weeks) |
| 29 | Vaughn Monroe | There I Go | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (12 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Dec 1940 (4 weeks), US invalid BB 19 of 1941, POP 23 of 1941 |
| 30 | Will Bradley | Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - 1940 (22 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Sep 1940 (15 weeks), POP 5 of 1940, Your Hit Parade 16 of 1940 |
| 31 | Arthur Askey | Bless Em All | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 1 week - Jan 1941, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jan 1940 (7 weeks) |
| 32 | Hutch | All Over The Place | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 1 week - Jan 1941, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jan 1940 (4 weeks) |
| 33 | Hutch | The Woodpecker Song | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 4 weeks - May 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - May 1940 (11 weeks) |
| 34 | Hal Kemp | In an 18th Century Drawing Room | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 1 week - Feb 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jan 1940 (7 weeks) |
| 35 | Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | There'll Come Another Day | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 1 week - Jan 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jan 1940 (5 weeks) |
| 36 | Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | Scatterbrain | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 4 weeks - Jan 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jan 1940 (6 weeks) |
| 37 | Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | I Can't Love You Anymore | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 2 weeks - Sep 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Aug 1940 (4 weeks) |
| 38 | Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | The Singing Hills | 1940 | UK Sheet Music 1 for 6 weeks - Jul 1940, UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jun 1940 (9 weeks) |
| 39 | Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra | Stardust | 1940 | DDD 1 of 1940, US Billboard 7 - 1941 (5 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Jan 1941 (1 week), RYM 42 of 1940, Song of 1940 |
| 40 | Mitchell Ayres & his Fashions in Music | Make Believe Island | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (13 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Jul 1940 (1 week), Your Hit Parade 22 of 1940, POP 25 of 1940 |
| 41 | Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra | Down Argentina Way | 1940 | Australia 1 for 1 month - Sep 1941, US Billboard 18 - 1940 (6 weeks), Australian Nostalgia 46 of 1940-1949 |
| 42 | Glenn Miller | Careless | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - 1940 (13 weeks), US invalid BB 11 of 1940, POP 11 of 1940, RYM 29 of 1939 |
| 43 | Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra | Our Love Affair | 1940 | Oscar in 1940 (film 'Strike Up the Band') (Nominated), US Billboard 5 - 1940 (5 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Nov 1940 (3 weeks), US CashBox 47 - Mar 1956 (1 week) |
| 44 | Duke Ellington | Ko Ko | 1940 | Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011 (1940), US Billboard 25 - 1940 (1 week), DDD 38 of 1940, RYM 47 of 1940 |
| 45 | Bill Monroe | Mule Skinner Blues | 1940 | Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009 (1940), DDD 22 of 1940, Acclaimed 1580 (1940), one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500 |
| 46 | Bukka White | Fixing To Die Blues | 1940 | Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012 (1940), Scrobulate 59 of blues, DDD 86 of 1940 |
| 47 | Tony Martin | It's a Blue World | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - 1940 (13 weeks), Oscar in 1940 (film 'Music in My Heart') (Nominated), Your Hit Parade 20 of 1940 |
| 48 | Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra | Imagination | 1940 | US Billboard 8 - 1940 (6 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Jul 1940 (1 week), DDD 48 of 1940, nuTsie 75 of 1940s |
| 49 | Joe Loss Orchestra | Blue Orchid | 1940 | Australia 1 for 3 months - May 1940, Australian Nostalgia 9 of 1940-1949 |
| 50 | Joe Loss Orchestra | Till the Lights of London Shine Again | 1940 | Australia 1 for 3 months - Aug 1940, Australian Nostalgia 10 of 1940-1949 |
| 51 | Charlie Barnet | Pompton Turnpike | 1940 | US Billboard 3 - 1940 (13 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Oct 1940 (6 weeks), DDD 19 of 1940 |
| 52 | Joe Loss Orchestra | South of the Border (Down Mexico Way) | 1940 | Australia 1 for 3 months - Jan 1940, Australian Nostalgia 18 of 1940-1949 |
| 53 | Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra | We Three (My Echo, My Shadow & Me) | 1940 | US Billboard 3 - 1940 (10 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Nov 1940 (5 weeks), DDD 6 of 1940 |
| 54 | Glenn Miller | When The Swallows Come Back to Capistrano | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - 1940 (12 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Aug 1940 (1 week), DDD 15 of 1940 |
| 55 | Will Bradley | Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - Nov 1940 (10 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Dec 1940 (7 weeks) |
| 56 | Glenn Miller | A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - 1940 (6 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Dec 1940 (6 weeks) |
| 57 | Ella Fitzgerald | Five O'Clock Whistle | 1940 | US Billboard 9 - Nov 1940 (5 weeks), US 1940s 9 - Jan 1941 (1 week), DDD 18 of 1940, RYM 53 of 1940 |
| 58 | Erskine Hawkins | Dolemite | 1940 | US Billboard 10 - 1940 (7 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Sep 1940 (1 week), DDD 74 of 1940, RYM 92 of 1940 |
| 59 | Glenn Miller | In an Old Dutch Garden (By an Old Dutch Mill) | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 2 - Apr 1940 (3 weeks), US Billboard 8 - 1940 (8 weeks) |
| 60 | The Ink Spots | Java Jive | 1940 | DDD 13 of 1940, US Billboard 15 - Dec 1940 (3 weeks), Visconti song of 1940, RYM 3 of 1940 |
| 61 | Dick Robertson & his Orchestra | Ma (He's Making Eyes At Me) | 1940 | US invalid BB 5 of 1940, US Billboard 12 - 1940 (6 weeks), POP 20 of 1940 |
| 62 | Xavier Cugat | The Breeze & I | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 2 - Sep 1940 (2 weeks), US Billboard 13 - 1940 (1 week) |
| 63 | Nat Gonella | I'm Nobody's Baby | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 3 - Jan 1940 (3 weeks), Peel list 3 of 1940 |
| 64 | Kay Kyser | Playmates | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - 1940 (14 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jul 1940 (1 week) |
| 65 | Will Bradley | Down the Road Apiece | 1940 | US Billboard 10 - 1940 (6 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Dec 1940 (1 week), DDD 37 of 1940 |
| 66 | Will Bradley | Celery Stalks At Midnight | 1940 | US Billboard 19 - 1940 (1 week), POP 24 of 1940, DDD 68 of 1940 |
| 67 | Francisco Alves | Dama das Camelias | 1940 | Brazil 1 of 1940 |
| 68 | Carson Robison | South of the Border (Down Mexico Way) | 1940 | Australia 1 for 3 months - Jan 1940 |
| 69 | Flanagan & Allen | There's A Boy Coming Home On Leave | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Apr 1940 (7 weeks) |
| 70 | Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | When Our Dreams Grow Old | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jun 1940 (7 weeks) |
| 71 | Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | Arm In Arm (Just You & Me) | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - May 1940 (12 weeks) |
| 72 | Bert Ambrose & his Orchestra | You Made Me Care (When I Wasn't In Love) | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Apr 1940 (12 weeks) |
| 73 | Jack Payne & his Orchestra | Don't Ever Pass Me By | 1940 | UK 40s Sheet Music 1 - Jun 1940 (8 weeks) |
| 74 | Joe Loss Orchestra | Beer Barrel Polka (Roll out the Barrel) | 1940 | Australia 1 for 1 month - Apr 1940 |
| 75 | Joe Loss Orchestra | The Spitfire Song | 1940 | Peel list 1 of 1940 |
| 76 | The Andrews Sisters | Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar | 1940 | US Billboard 2 - Nov 1940 (14 weeks), DDD 14 of 1940 |
| 77 | Benny Goodman | Seven Come Eleven | 1940 | Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 (1940) |
| 78 | Jimmy Dorsey | 6 Lessons From Madame La Zonga | 1940 | US Billboard 4 - 1940 (14 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Aug 1940 (3 weeks) |
| 79 | Sammy Kaye | Dream Valley | 1940 | US Billboard 1 - Dec 1940 (13 weeks) |
| 80 | Art Tatum | Sweet Lorraine | 1940 | Library of Congress artifact added 2007 (1940) |
| 81 | Frank Proffitt | Tom Dooley | 1940 | Library of Congress artifact added 2008 (1940) |
| 82 | Bob Chester & his Orchestra | Practice Makes Perfect | 1940 | US Billboard 3 - 1940 (13 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Oct 1940 (6 weeks) |
| 83 | Roland Hayes | Were You There? | 1940 | Library of Congress artifact added 2013 (1940) |
| 84 | Edith Piaf | L'accordeoniste | 1940 | France (Historical) 11 of the 1940s (1940), DDD 44 of 1940, RYM 80 of 1961 |
| 85 | Glenn Miller | I'd Know You Anywhere | 1940 | Oscar in 1940 (film 'You'll Find Out') (Nominated), US Billboard 24 - 1940 (1 week) |
| 86 | The Andrews Sisters | Say 'Si Si' (Para Vigo Me Voy) | 1940 | US Billboard 4 - 1940 (10 weeks), Brazil 83 of 1940 |
| 87 | Connee Boswell | On the Isle of May | 1940 | US Billboard 3 - 1940 (11 weeks), Your Hit Parade 11 of 1940 |
| 88 | Glenn Miller | The Nearness of You | 1940 | US Billboard 5 - 1940 (11 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Aug 1940 (8 weeks) |
| 89 | Will Bradley | There I Go | 1940 | US Billboard 5 - Dec 1940 (7 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Dec 1940 (3 weeks) |
| 90 | The Ink Spots | Do I Worry? | 1940 | US Billboard 8 - 1941 (6 weeks), DDD 65 of 1940, RYM 3 of 1940 |
| 91 | Kay Kyser | Ferryboat Serenade | 1940 | US Billboard 6 - Oct 1940 (12 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Nov 1940 (5 weeks) |
| 92 | Erskine Hawkins | Five O'Clock Whistle | 1940 | US Billboard 15 - 1940 (2 weeks), DDD 18 of 1940, RYM 93 of 1940 |
| 93 | The Andrews Sisters | Rhumboogie | 1940 | US Billboard 11 - 1940 (9 weeks), DDD 59 of 1940, RYM 27 of 1940 |
| 94 | Tommy Dorsey | Only Forever | 1940 | US Billboard 7 - 1940 (9 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Oct 1940 (3 weeks) |
| 95 | Leo Reisman | Down Argentina Way | 1940 | US Billboard 7 - 1940 (9 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Nov 1940 (2 weeks) |
| 96 | The Charioteers | So Long | 1940 | US Billboard 23 - 1940 (1 week), DDD 51 of 1940, RYM 54 of 1940 |
| 97 | Billie Holiday | Night & Day | 1940 | DDD 24 of 1940, Scrobulate 59 of jazz, Song of 1940 |
| 98 | Glenn Miller | Our Love Affair | 1940 | US Billboard 8 - 1940 (7 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Nov 1940 (2 weeks) |
| 99 | Jan Savitt & his Orchestra | Make Believe Island | 1940 | US Billboard 8 - 1940 (2 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Aug 1940 (1 week) |
| 100 | Benny Carter | Sleep | 1940 | US Billboard 27 - 1940 (1 week), DDD 81 of 1940, Song of 1940 |
Previous Comments (newest first)
30 Jan 2021
Jeanie with the light brown hair
I am researching this +Stephen Collins song.
Deems Taylor in his forward to A Treasury of Stephen Foster, Random House Inc.,1946, says that this song made "the Hit Parade...in 1940 and'41" when ASCAP and BMI were feuding.
But the song is not listed here. Was he incorrect? Hoping you can clarify. Thanks.
This list only includes 100 biggest hits of the year (across all available charts). However the charts don't list anything at all by Stephen Collins.
The song "I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair" was a hit from Lambert Murphy in 1922. There was also one by The Shadows in 1965.
So it was not in the hit parade in 1940 or any other time.
27 Aug 2019
LOOKING FOR SONG
ONLY KNOW A FEW LINES OF THE SONG,MAYBE DONE 1930'S,1940/S,1950/S THERES A HOTDOG STAND ON THE HWY TO MEXICO CITY, HEY THERE BENNY WE AINT GOT TO MANY, HEY THERE CHARLIE BUY A HOT TAMALI, MY FATHER USED TO SING THIS SONG BUT NEVER HEARD FULL SONG, THANKS
9 Jun 2019
A song called Donna Maria from the 1940's
I was born in 1944 amd was named after a song called Donna Maria. I think part of the lyrics were There's a moon out tonight Donna Maria. Would love to locate it any help would b appeciated. Thank you.
1 May 2017
looking for a song called Donna Maria that was out in 1944
13 Mar 2016
Song from 1940
My late aunt copyrighted a song on Dec 20, 1940 which was called "You are thesoul of my dreams". Her name was Flora Luria. How can I find the lyrics to this song?
28 Jan 2016
Expanded Lists
I know you have been asked this before but ... Isn't there any way you wouldconsider expanding your Yearly Lists of Songs? For example 1920 - 1939 from 50 or 60 to 80. From 1940 - 1949 from 80 to 100. It seems like a lot of important recordings from Europe, UK & Brazil have dropped off these lists over the last few months. I know you have those expanded Excel files but it's not the same as seeing them chronologically. Please!!!
We have always been wary of making the earlier years too long, if you want longer lists it is easy for us to change the limits. Of course the significance of songs lower down the list is questionable (since they normally come from just a single chart) but given that you are aware of that we will expand the lists.
We've changed the limits to the top 75 songs before 1920 and top 100 after that.
8 Dec 2015
ken chaundy orchestra detroit 1940's
any info on this group
This site only lists songs in the national charts (so no)
17 Nov 2015
The Breeze & I (again)
A bit of digging around informs me that Joe Loss had the most significant British contemporary recording of it...(BUT only according to this reference source (http://www.missingcharts.co.uk/index.html), which is all very interesting, but I don't think can be counted as a recognised 'sales' chart in any way!)
Given that the sheet music does not list the artist we'll go with your suggestion and add an entry for Joe Loss
Thanks
5 Nov 2015
The Breeze & I
The Fentones (#36) have slipped in a little early, by about two decades! Not sure who had the British success with it at the time
You are right, given that Xavier Cugat and Charlie Barnet both released versions in 1940 we'll assume that Xavier Cugat had the UK hit. Thanks
13 Oct 2015
The 50 Cent Song
I am interested in getting information on a song called The 50 Cent Song (orPiece). +My mother used to sing it. +Looking for the composer or any information whatsoever. +Thank you!!!!! +
30 Aug 2015
The song with the words if you don't know the bliss of your own baby s kissthen I'm sorry so sorry for you+
20 Jul 2015
1940 songs
This is the best listing I have seen
1 Apr 2015
Coolness
28 Jan 2015
Song title
In the mid 1940s there was a song composed from a classical piano concerto or a symphony with the lyrics "now and forever" Not sure but I think Frank Sinatra recorded the song. Thanks.
9 Nov 2014
I'll Rest when I Die lady singer 1940's heard it on Radio 2 recently
4 Oct 2014
love song
who wrote and what are the words for when you are in love it's the lovliest night of the year
5 Sep 2014
Song lyrics/title
'Lyrics begin: +You're breaking my heart cause you're leaving, you've fallen for somebody new ....'
You've already got the title! It's called 'You're Breaking My Heart' and it put Vic Damone on the road to stardom back in 1949.
It was based on a classical piece called 'Mattinata' by Leoncavello which was actually commissioned by The Gramophone Company (later EMI) to presumably 'show off' their recording abilities. This WAS back in the early 1900's, so those abilities probably sounded very crude by the time Vic got hold of it!+
5 Sep 2014
name of a song
'Do you know of a song that had the line: we'll have seven children dear or maybe we'll have eight?'
That would be 'We Got Love', a sizeable 1959 hit for Bobby Rydell in the US and Alma Cogan in the UK.
25 Aug 2014
She came walking through the door who sang it
25 Aug 2014
Mildred Bailey
#72-Darn That Dream was also on Your Hit Parade #8 as she was lead singer with Benny Goodman and Orchestra.
That looks reasonable, the data has been changed, thanks
2 Aug 2014
Song lyrics/title
Lyrics begin: +You're breaking my heart cause you're leaving, you've fallen for somebody new ....
2 May 2014
SOLO PISTA de When the swallows come back to capistrano
Estimado. Debo reconocer el tremendo trabajo e investigacion que se hiso para el logro de esta pagina. Yo siguiendo la cancian que interpreta, magistralmente Pat Boone,quise aventurarme en este ocano de la web y ver si me podia conseguir la pista, solo la pista, de esta cancion, ya que va acorde con mi registro de voz y la quiero cantar. Por el tiempo que ha pasado en mi frenatica basqueda creo que debera regresar, no a Capistrano, si no que a mis quehaceres habituales.
Desde Chile un gran saludo para todos y debo reconocerme viudo de Presley... Hasta la proxima.
Jorge. ++
18 Apr 2014
Does anyone know the song that goes like this: 1 and 2 and I love you, I love you, I love you. 2 and 3 I don't remember. 5 and 6 and kiss me quick, let's play the game of love. Please email me the singer and name of the song to latifyusufi@hotmail.com thank you
14 Oct 2013
name of a song
Do you know of a song that had the line: we'll have seven children dear or maybe we'll have eight?
8 Aug 2013
Lyrics "A pile driven man'
Who sang this sng
As far as we know it was never a hit anywhere
18 May 2013
SONG IN THE EARLY 1940'S
THE TITLE IS "TIME WAS" WHICH TOMMY DORSEY PLAYED WITH FRANK SINATRA
14 Mar 2013
Laizi
"i DANCED WITH A LADY WITH A HOLE INHER STOCKING AND HER KNEES KEPT ON ROCKING...... Title: Dance By The Light Of The Moon by "The Olympics" released in 1960 There might be an earlier version.+
14 Mar 2013
Song And year
some of the words are "Mares eat oats, Does eat oats and little Lames eat ivy" "I would eat ivy too wouldn't you?"
The title to this song is "Mairzy Doats". Popularized by The Merry Macs. It was released in 1944 and reached #4 on the charts. Was also sung by "The King Sisters" and "The Pied Pipers with Jo Stafford+
13 Mar 2013
Trying to locate a song from the 30's or 40's
Can anyone help me out there? I know I'm not very helpful but this was an old war song about a gal who lost her guy in combat. It was called "What will I do" or What'l I do". It goes What'l I do when you are gone away and I'm so blue, what'l I do. What'l I do whith just a photgraph to tell my troubles to. When I'm alone with only dreams of you that can't come true, what'l I do." Thanks to anyone who can help.
Diane
Paul Whiteman and others had a hit in 1924 called "What'll I Do?".
16 Feb 2013
song from 1930-1940's
would you know who sang "but where are you" my mum and her sisters listening and singing along to this and it would be lovely to get a copy if possible. + Thanks
Ozzie Nelson & his Orchestra had a hit with "But Where Are You?" in 1936
11 Feb 2013
song and year
some of the words are "Mares eat oats, Does eat oats and little Lames eat ivy" "I would eat ivy too wouldn't you?"
23 Jan 2013
Laizi
LOOKING FOR A SONG THE WORDS I REMEMBER +"i DANCED WITH A LADY WITH A HOLE INHER STOCKING AND HER KNEES KEPT ON ROCKING......
11 Dec 2012
The +Percolater song
I would wake up to this song every school day in 1945, 1946. It was the theme song for a raido station in Detroit, WWJ, WJR, or WXYZ. Mom listened to it every morning while she got ready for work, about 6 AM. Thats when I woke up to get ready for school. I do not know the name of the song or who played it. It sounded like the coffee pot, percolater, was making coffee.
Does anybody know the name of the song, who played it?
Thanks for your help. Jim
26 Oct 2012
i am looking for comedy song flying saucers
I am looking for comedy song flying saucers
We have entries for:
Buchanan & Goodman - "Flying Saucer" (1956) Billy Lee Riley - "Flying Saucer Rock & Roll" (1957) Ella Fitzgerald - "Two Little Men in a Flying Saucer" (1951)
14 Oct 2012
50 cent piece
Looking for a song called 50 cent piece: +It begins " I took my girl to a dance one night, It was a social hop. +We danced till the lights went out and the music had to stop. +I took her to a restaurant, the smallest (finest) in the state, etc.
11 Jun 2012
X Marks The Spot
I have been looking for a song that was recorded on a Recordio disc off the radio. One side had Kate Smith singing "Tradewinds",and the other side had a male vocalist with what sounds like "X Marks The Spot". I don't know who recorded it;"X marks the spot,where my heart did reside,untill you came along,and took it for a one way ride,Once it used to be,mine exclusively,now what have I got?,ooh ooh darlin you,x marks the spot". I assume it was from 1940,the same year as Kate Smith recorded "Tradewinds".
4 May 2012
Fly me to the moon
I am looking for that song for my Mother in Law. She loves it. I can'tremember the year tho. I think it was in 1940's or 50's? Please help us out. Thank you
If you had tried searching from the box at the top right you would have found that Frank Sinatra, Modern Talking, Blank & Jones, Sinead O'Connor, Bobby Womack, Tony Bennett, Sam & Bill and LaVern Baker had hits with the song. Joe Harnell & his Orchestra had a hit in 1962 with "Fly Me To The Moon Bossa Nova".
Most of those are available from Amazon or iTunes
7 Apr 2012
Movie that the song, "Tell me a tale that I delighted to hear..."
I do not know which year the movie was made. I saw it as a child in the 1950's. Thanks
26 Feb 2012
Looking for a song
The words are "Women do get weary" is it called "Try a little tenderness". I love the songs of this period as they have words which make sense and tunes that have great harmonies.
Thank You, Bernard Bloch.
In the Otis Redding (1966) version the words are "young girls they do get weary". According to Wikipedia the song was written in 1932 and first recorded by Ray Nobel.
We have entries for Ray Noble (Peel list 2 of 1932), Ted Lewis & his Orchestra (US Billboard 6 - 1933 (10 weeks)), Ruth Etting (US Billboard 16 - 1933 (2 weeks)), Frank Sinatra (Peel list 2 of 1947, RYM 64 of 1945) and Aretha Franklin (US Billboard 100 - Sep 1962 (1 week)) that predate Otis Redding's 1966 version.
27 Jan 2012
I am looking for a song only a Rose I give to you
31 Dec 2011
# 31 Make Believe Land
The Correct title is Make Believe Island
That looks right, the data has been adjusted thanks for the suggestion
7 Jul 2011
looking for you are my sunshine 1920 or 30
The song "You Are My Sunshine" was first recorded in 1939. It was written by Jimmie Davis & Charles Mitchell.
The most famous version was by Jimmie Davis (1940) - Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1940), RYM 4 of 1940, Music Imprint 5 of 1940s, RIAA 14, nuTsie 30 of 1940s, Acclaimed 677 (1940)
Other versions in various charts were:
Gene Autry "You Are My Sunshine" (1941) - RYM 8 of 1941, US Billboard 23 - 1941 (1 week)
Bing Crosby "You Are My Sunshine" (1941) - US Billboard 19 - 1941 (1 week)
Ferko String Band "You Are My Sunshine" (1955) - US CashBox 44 - Sep 1955 (2 weeks)
Carl McVoy "You Are My Sunshine" (1958) - Canada 39 - Jul 1958 (5 weeks)
Johnny & The Hurricanes "You Are My Sunshine" (1960) - US Billboard 91 - Dec 1960 (1 week)
Ray Charles "You Are My Sunshine" (1962) - US Billboard 7 - Nov 1962 (12 weeks), Flanders 13 - Jan 1963 (1 month), Canada 22 - Nov 1962 (6 weeks), US CashBox 84 of 1963, US Radio 96 of 1962 (peak 7 4 weeks)
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels "You Are My Sunshine" (1967) - US Billboard 88 - Oct 1967 (3 weeks)
Kiriman "You Are My Sunshine" (1997) - Austria 13 - Jun 1997 (3 weeks)
30 Dec 2010
Love it! :)
9 Aug 2010
63 Tommy Dorsey Only Forever
Is the following sound:
63 Tommy Dorsey Only Forever
be
63 Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra Only Forever
Thanks.
Lin
During this period songs were often not officially assigned to an artist at all, most charts focused on the sale of sheet music so it was the song, not the particular version that was listed.
Most charts have tried, retrospectively, to assign songs to the performers, however this is confusing since some songs are assigned to band leaders (like Eddy Duchin), some are assigned to singers (like Bing Crosby) and some are assigned to both (which would fit your suggestion of Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra). We, of course, then have to work out a consistent value that works across all the charts.
Looking at this case in detail we see that the 1940s listing suggests that the song is by "Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra", however the normally more reliable Bullfrog listing has it as "Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (Vocal Allan Storr)". It seems the song was released with Allan Storr on vocals but with a B-Side of "Trade Winds" on which Frank Sinatra sang (which is listed elsewhere).
So the evidence would seem to refute your suggestion that Frank Sinatra was the singer. In that case the song would be listed under "Tommy Dorsey" since Allan Storr was not a widely known vocalist in his own right (like Sinatra).
26 Jul 2010
Yours
I'm looking for a song called "Yours" from 1940, or possibly earlier (but not much). It was my aunt and uncle's favorite song. I've been asked to sing it at their 70th Wedding Anniversary in November.
We suspect that the song you are after became a hit in early 1941, although probably it was around before then. Like all songs of the period it was recorded by a number of artists, for example Benny Goodman, Helen Forrest and Vaughn Monroe all had hits with it.
The most successful version was by Jimmy Dorsey, it reached number 2 in the Billboard charts. Some sources have the title as "Yours (Quierme Mucho)".
If you search for "Jimmy Dorsey Yours" on iTunes or Amazon you should be able to get a copy.
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"