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Songs from the Year 1942

Other Years: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

This page lists the top songs of 1942 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), hence these results should be treated with caution since, with few exceptions, they are based on fairly subjective charts.

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.

At this point the number of chart entries hit its lowest point in the period 1927-2007. This was not only because of the war, but also because of the musician's strike in the US.

# 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), DZE 1 of 1942, Europe 2 of the 1940s (1942), RIAA 2, Scrobulate 2 of christmas, UK 5 - Dec 1977 (17 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
2 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, Brazil 50 of 1942, Europe 55 of the 1940s (1942)
3 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, DZE 3 of 1942, US BB 10 of 1942, POP 10 of 1942, RYM 41 of 1942, Europe 44 of the 1940s (1942), Brazil 64 of 1943
4 Jimmy Dorsey Tangerine 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (16 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1942 (15 weeks), US 1 for 6 weeks - May 1942, US BB 4 of 1942, POP 4 of 1942, DZE 5 of 1942, Brazil 9 of 1943, Europe 82 of the 1940s (1942)
5 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
6 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, RYM 13 of 1941, POP 13 of 1941, Brazil 44 of 1942
7 Woody Herman Blues in the Night 1942 US Billboard 1 - Dec 1941 (18 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1942 (11 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Feb 1942, POP 8 of 1942, DZE 8 of 1942, Brazil 69 of 1942
8 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, POP 12 of 1942, Brazil 79 of 1944
9 Benny Goodman Jersey Bounce 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (21 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Apr 1942 (20 weeks), DZE 6 of 1942, US BB 11 of 1942, POP 11 of 1942, Brazil 37 of 1942, Europe 79 of the 1940s (1942), RYM 86 of 1942
10 Alveno Rey Deep in the Heart of Texas 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (10 weeks), US BB 2 of 1942, POP 2 of 1942, US 1940s 3 - Feb 1942 (9 weeks), Brazil 78 of 1942, RIAA 290
11 Glenn Miller Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me) 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (17 weeks), US 1940s 2 - May 1942 (13 weeks), US BB 9 of 1942, POP 9 of 1942, RYM 11 of 1942
12 Lena Horne Stormy Weather 1942 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 (1942), RYM 10 of 1942, US Billboard 21 - 1943 (1 week), RIAA 26, AFI 30, Acclaimed 1039 (1942)
13 Kay Kyser Who Wouldn't Love You? 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (23 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Apr 1942 (22 weeks), US BB 18 of 1942, POP 24 of 1942, Europe 70 of the 1940s (1942)
14 Kay Kyser Praise The Lord & Pass the Ammunition 1942 US Billboard 1 - Oct 1942 (14 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Oct 1942 (18 weeks), US BB 20 of 1943, POP 25 of 1943, Europe 65 of the 1940s (1942)
15 Vaughn Monroe My Devotion 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (14 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Sep 1942 (5 weeks), US BB 19 of 1942, POP 23 of 1942, Brazil 71 of 1943
16 Kay Kyser (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) the White Cliffs of Dover 1942 US Billboard 1 - Dec 1941 (13 weeks), US BB 3 of 1942, POP 3 of 1942, US 1940s 7 - Jan 1942 (3 weeks)
17 Kay Kyser Strip Polka 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (11 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Oct 1942 (3 weeks), US BB 20 of 1942, POP 25 of 1942, Europe 64 of the 1940s (1942)
18 Harry James I Don't Want to Walk Without You 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (15 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Feb 1942 (13 weeks), US BB 15 of 1942, POP 15 of 1942
19 Kay Kyser He Wears A Pair Of Silver Wings 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (14 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Aug 1942 (11 weeks), DZE 9 of 1942
20 Lionel Hampton Flying Home 1942 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996 (1942), US Billboard 23 - 1942 (2 weeks), Scrobulate 32 of swing, Acclaimed 1501 (1942)
21 Benny Goodman Somebody Else is Taking My Place 1942 US 1940s 5 - Mar 1942 (9 weeks), DZE 10 of 1942, US BB 14 of 1942, POP 14 of 1942, US Billboard 30 - Jun 1948 (1 week)
22 Horace Heidt Deep in the Heart of Texas 1942 Australia 1 for 2 months - Dec 1943, US Billboard 7 - 1942 (6 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Mar 1942 (4 weeks)
23 Dinah Shore Blues in the Night 1942 US Billboard 4 - 1942 (11 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Feb 1942 (7 weeks), US BB 8 of 1942, POP 8 of 1942
24 Freddy Martin Rose O'Day (The Filla-Da-Gusha Song) 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (11 weeks), US BB 16 of 1942, POP 17 of 1942
25 Jimmy Dorsey Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil) 1942 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009 (1942), US Billboard 14 - Dec 1942 (3 weeks), Europe 63 of the 1940s (1943)
26 The Ink Spots Every Night About This Time 1942 Australia 1 for 1 month - Jan 1944, US Billboard 17 - 1942 (2 weeks), RYM 94 of 1942
27 Glenn Miller Serenade in Blue 1942 US Billboard 2 - 1942 (18 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Sep 1942 (22 weeks), RYM 31 of 1942
28 Charlie Spivak My Devotion 1942 US Billboard 2 - 1942 (12 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Sep 1942 (11 weeks), Brazil 75 of 1944
29 Bing Crosby Moonlight Becomes You 1942 US Billboard 1 - Dec 1942 (17 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Dec 1942 (22 weeks)
30 Glenn Miller At Last 1942 Brazil 7 of 1943, US Billboard 9 - 1942 (9 weeks), POP 20 of 1942, RYM 41 of 1942
31 Glenn Miller American Patrol 1942 RYM 7 of 1942, US Billboard 15 - 1942 (2 weeks), Europe 49 of the 1940s (1942), Scrobulate 60 of swing
32 Glenn Miller Always In My Heart 1942 US Billboard 10 - 1942 (5 weeks), US 1940s 10 - May 1942 (1 week), Brazil 83 of 1943, RYM 84 of 1942
33 Spike Jones Der Fuhrer's Face 1942 US Billboard 3 - 1942 (16 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Oct 1942 (16 weeks), Europe 74 of the 1940s (1942)
34 Glenn Miller Happy in Love 1942 Australia 1 for 1 month - Aug 1944, RYM 18 of 1942
35 Bing Crosby Let's Start the New Year Right 1942 RYM 1 of 1942, US Billboard 18 - 1943 (1 week)
36 Tommy Dorsey Just As Though You Were Here 1942 US 1940s 3 - Jul 1942 (9 weeks), US Billboard 6 - 1942 (10 weeks), RYM 33 of 1942
37 Jimmie Lunceford Blues in the Night 1942 US Billboard 4 - 1942 (8 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Feb 1942 (5 weeks), RYM 58 of 1942
38 Harry James One Dozen Roses 1942 US Billboard 4 - 1942 (15 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jun 1942 (10 weeks), Brazil 89 of 1943
39 Xavier Cugat Brazil 1942 US Billboard 2 - 1943 (24 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Dec 1942 (32 weeks)
40 Alveno Rey I Said No 1942 US Billboard 2 - 1942 (10 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Jan 1942 (10 weeks)
41 Jimmy Dorsey My Devotion 1942 US Billboard 3 - 1942 (11 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Aug 1942 (1 week), Brazil 50 of 1944
42 Frank Sinatra Night & Day 1942 RYM 3 of 1942, US Billboard 15 - Sep 1944 (3 weeks), Scrobulate 22 of easy listening
43 Glenn Miller Dearly Beloved 1942 US Billboard 4 - Oct 1942 (10 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Dec 1942 (1 week), RYM 74 of 1942
44 Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra Take Me 1942 US Billboard 5 - 1942 (10 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Sep 1942 (3 weeks), RYM 75 of 1942
45 The Andrews Sisters Strip Polka 1942 US Billboard 6 - 1942 (9 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Oct 1942 (4 weeks), Europe 38 of the 1940s (1942)
46 Glenn Miller Moonlight Becomes You 1942 US Billboard 5 - Dec 1942 (12 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Dec 1942 (20 weeks), Brazil 92 of 1943
47 Glenn Miller (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) the White Cliffs of Dover 1942 US Billboard 6 - 1942 (9 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Jan 1942 (7 weeks), RYM 83 of 1941
48 Glenn Miller Skylark 1942 US Billboard 7 - 1942 (12 weeks), US 1940s 7 - May 1942 (11 weeks), RYM 82 of 1942
49 Glenn Miller Everything I Love 1942 US Billboard 7 - 1942 (10 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Jan 1942 (4 weeks), RYM 86 of 1941
50 Merry Macs Praise The Lord & Pass the Ammunition 1942 US Billboard 8 - 1942 (5 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Nov 1942 (4 weeks), POP 22 of 1942
51 Glenn Miller Sweet Eloise 1942 US Billboard 7 - 1942 (14 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Aug 1942 (3 weeks), RYM 76 of 1942
52 The Andrews Sisters Pennsylvania Polka 1942 POP 7 of 1942, RYM 16 of 1942, US Billboard 17 - 1942 (3 weeks)
53 Freddie Slack Mister Five By Five 1942 US Billboard 10 - 1942 (20 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Dec 1942 (1 week), POP 16 of 1942
54 Freddy Martin Tonight We Love 1942 US Billboard 8 - Dec 1941 (3 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Jan 1942 (1 week), Europe 96 of the 1940s (1942)
55 Benny Goodman Why Don't You Do Right 1942 US 1940s 5 - Dec 1942 (22 weeks), RYM 37 of 1942, Brazil 86 of 1943
56 Sammy Kaye I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen 1942 US Billboard 3 - 1942 (14 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Sep 1942 (7 weeks)
57 Bing Crosby Deep in the Heart of Texas 1942 US Billboard 3 - 1942 (9 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Mar 1942 (6 weeks)
58 Sammy Kaye Remember Pearl Harbor 1942 US Billboard 3 - 1942 (8 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Jan 1942 (5 weeks)
59 Woody Herman I'll Remember April 1942 US BB 17 of 1942, POP 19 of 1942, US Billboard 23 - 1942 (1 week)
60 Paul Whiteman & Billie Holiday Travellin' Light 1942 POP 18 of 1942, RYM 20 of 1942, US Billboard 23 - 1942 (1 week)
61 Kay Kyser Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland 1942 US Billboard 2 - 1942 (17 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Jun 1942 (3 weeks)
62 Glenn Miller Perfidia (Tonight) 1942 US Billboard 11 - 1941 (4 weeks), Italy 53 of 1947, Brazil 97 of 1942
63 Dooley Wilson As Time Goes By 1942 AFI 2, UK 15 - Dec 1977 (9 weeks)
64 Benny Goodman Solo Flight 1942 US Billboard 20 - Jan 1944 (1 week), RYM 65 of 1942, Acclaimed 1938 (1941)
65 Bing Crosby Be Careful, It's My Heart 1942 US Billboard 2 - 1942 (15 weeks), Brazil 58 of 1943
66 Peggy Lee Somebody Else is Taking My Place 1942 US Billboard 1 - 1942 (15 weeks)
67 Jean Cerchi (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) the White Cliffs of Dover 1942 Australia 1 for 3 months - Jul 1942
68 Merry Macs Jingle, Jangle, Jingle 1942 US Billboard 4 - Jun 1942 (10 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jul 1942 (8 weeks)
69 Ataulfo Alves Ai! Que Saudades da Amelia 1942 Brazil 1 of 1942
70 Abe Lyman & His California Orchestra Amen 1942 US Billboard 4 - 1942 (8 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Sep 1942 (3 weeks)
71 Vera Lynn (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) the White Cliffs of Dover 1942 Australia 1 for 3 months - Jul 1942
72 Harry James Strictly Instrumental 1942 US Billboard 5 - 1942 (12 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Aug 1942 (7 weeks)
73 Woody Herman Amen 1942 US Billboard 5 - 1942 (9 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Sep 1942 (4 weeks)
74 Russ Morgan Somebody Else is Taking My Place 1942 US Billboard 5 - 1942 (13 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Apr 1942 (11 weeks)
75 Alveno Rey Strip Polka 1942 US Billboard 6 - 1942 (6 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Sep 1942 (2 weeks)
76 Johnny Mercer Strip Polka 1942 US Billboard 7 - 1942 (13 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Sep 1942 (6 weeks)
77 Glenn Miller Juke Box Saturday Night 1942 US Billboard 7 - 1942 (11 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Dec 1942 (26 weeks)
78 Tommy Dorsey Manhattan Serenade 1942 US Billboard 4 - Oct 1942 (14 weeks), RYM 32 of 1942
79 Kay Kyser A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Girl) 1942 US Billboard 7 - 1942 (10 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Mar 1942 (1 week)
80 Benny Goodman Idaho 1942 US 1940s 4 - Aug 1942 (3 weeks), Brazil 97 of 1943
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© 2007-10, Steve Hawtin et al. Generated 24 Jul 2010 07:52 GMT. This data may be freely copied provided that the source is acknowledged, a link to the tsort.info site is prominently incorporated and the version number is attached (this data is version 1.9.0067).