Songs from the Year 1940

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.

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"

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