George M. Cohan born 100 years ago. His Top 30 Songs

George M. Cohan Top 30 Songs

Songwriter born George Michael Cohan was born 100 years ago today on 7/3/1878 in Providence, RI. Died 11/5/1942. One of America’s most successful songwriters. His songs were often recorded by Billy Murray, one of the most successful singers of the first quartet of the 20th century. Cohan was known for introducing a new style to American musical comedy and wrote, produced, directed, and starred in more than 40 musicals on Broadway. “Over There” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag” are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Pre-Rock Era, 1890-1953. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Awards:

Top 30 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.) DMDB Top 1%: 1. Over There (American Quartet, 1917) #1 2. You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”) (Billy Murray, 1906) #1 3. Give My Regards to Broadway (Billy Murray, 1905) #1 4. Yankee Doodle Boy (Billy Murray, 1905) #1 5. Harrigan (Billy Murray, 1907) #1 DMDB Top 5%: 6. That Haunting Melody (Al Jolson with Walter B. Rogers’ Orchestra, 1912) #1 7. So Long Mary (Corrinne Morgan, 1906) #1 8. Under Any Old Flag at All (Billy Murray, 1908) #1 9. When We Are M-A-R-R-I-E-D (Ada Jones with Billy Murray, 1908) #1 10. Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway (Billy Murray, 1906) 11. Mary’s a Grand Old Name (1906) DMDB Top 10%: 12. I Guess I’ll Have to Telegraph My Baby (Arthur Collins, 1899) #1 13. When You Come Back (And You Will Come Back) (John McCormack, 1918) 14. Always Leave Them Laughing (Billy Murray, 1907) 15. San Francisco Sadie (Dan Quinn, 1900) 16. Any Place the Old Flag Flies (Billy Murray, 1912) 17. If I’m Goin’ to Die, I’m Goin’ to Have Some Fun (Arthur Collins, 1907) 18. When a Fellow’s on the Level with a Girl Who’s on the Square (Billy Murray, 1909) 19. I Want You (Henry Burr, 1908) 20. Nellie Kelly, I Love You (American Quartet, 1923) 21. You Remind Me of My Mother (Henry Burr, 1923) DMDB Top 20%: 22. Popularity (Vess Ossman, 1907) 23. Little Johnny Jones Medley (Vess Ossman, 1905) 24. You Can Have Broadway (Billy Murray, 1907) 25. Sullivan (Billy Murray & Haydn Quartet, 1909) 26. ABC’s of the U.S.A. (Ada Jones & Billy Murray, 1908) 27. American Ragtime (Billy Murray, 1909) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 28. Venus, My Shining Love (1894) 29. The Warmest Baby in the Bunch (1897) 30. If I Were Mister Morgan (1903) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for George M. Cohan Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 12/8/2019; last updated 6/6/2022.