First published in 1973, this book collects lyrics for nearly 1000 standards, predominantly from before the 20th century. There is no commentary or ranking of the songs in the book, but I have created a top 100 ranking by looking at how many other lists the songs in this book appeared on. Publication years for songs are indicated, but no specific artist is attached to each song.
Click here to see other lists from critics and individuals and here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations.
1. “Amazing Grace” (1772)
2. “The Battle Hymn of the Republic (aka ‘Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!’)” (1861)
3. “When the Saints Go Marching In” (1880)
4. “The Star-Spangled Banner” (1814)
5. “Silent Night” (1818)
6. “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home?” (1902)
7. “Home on the Range” (1873)
8. “America the Beautiful” (1895)
9. “Jingle Bells” (1857)
10. “Yankee Doodle (aka ‘Yankee Doodle Went to Town’)” (1754)
11. “Oh! Susanna” (1846)
12. “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (1706)
13. “Hello Ma Baby” (1899)
14. “After the Ball” (1892)
15. “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” (1863)
16. “Dixie” (1859)
17. “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” (1894)
18. “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis” (1904)
19. “O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)” (1751)
20. “Camptown Races (Gwine to Run All Night)” (1850)
21. “In the Good Old Summertime” (1902)
22. “Joy to the World” (1719)
23. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” (1852)
24. “The Yellow Rose of Texas” (1853)
25. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (1739)
26. “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)” (1903)
27. “Auld Lang Syne” (1799)
28. “Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built for Two)” (1892)
29. “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” (1873)
30. “On Top of Old Smoky” (1841)
31. “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” (1899)
32. “Clementine” (1884)
33. “Frère Jacques (Are You Sleeping?)” (1780)
34. “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (1868)
35. “The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)” (1851)
36. “Home Sweet Home” (1823)
37. “Turkey in the Straw” (1820)
38. “My Old Kentucky Home” (1853)
39. “Rock-a-Bye Baby” (1884)
40. “Danny Boy” (1913)
41. “Jimmy Crack Corn (The Blue Tail Fly)” (1846)
42. “The Sidewalks of New York” (1894)
43. “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” (1881)
44. “Rock of Ages” (1763)
45. “Away in a Manger” (1882)
46. “The First Noel” (1823)
47. “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (1927)
48. “School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids)” (1907)
49. “Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie” (1905)
50. “Skip to My Lou” (1832)
51. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (1868)
52. “The Battle Cry of Freedom” (1862)
53. “Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay” (1891)
54. “Pop Goes the Weasel” (1853)
55. “This Old Man (Nick Nack Paddiwak)” (1842)
56. “Bingo (B-I-N-G-O)” (1780)
57. “Casey Jones (The Brave Engineer)” (1909)
58. “Polly Wolly Doodle (All the Day)” (1843)
59. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (1760)
60. “Hush Little Baby” (1918)
61. “The Man on the Flying Trapeze” (1867)
62. “Beautiful Dreamer” (1864)
63. “The Band Played On” (1895)
64. “Red River Valley” (1896)
65. “Shenandoah” (1837)
66. “On the Banks of the Wabash” (1897)
67. “In the Sweet By-and-By” (1868)
68. “Michael Row the Boat Ashore” (1863)
69. “Twelve Days of Christmas” (1780)
70. “Listen to the Mocking Bird (aka “The Mocking Bird”)” (1855)
71. “My Wild Irish Rose” (1899)
72. “Buffalo Gals (Will You Come Out Tonight)” (1844)
73. “Grandfather’s Clock” (1876)
74. “A Bird in a Gilded Cage” (1900)
75. “What Child Is This?” (1865)
76. “I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair” (1854)
77. “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” (1875)
78. “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” (1912)
79. “Froggie Went A-Courtin’” (1549)
80. “Nearer My God to Thee” (1841)
81. “Alouette” (1879)
82. “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” (1867)
83. “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” (1865)
84. “Deck the Halls” (1862)
85. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (1900)
86. “We Shall Overcome” (1963)
87. “The Green Grass Grew All Around” (1912)
88. “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)” (1935)
89. “Greensleeves” (1580)
90. “Alabamy Bound” (1925)
91. “Old Dan Tucker” (1843)
92. “The Little Brown Jug” (1869)
93. “The Old Grey Mare” (1915)
94. “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” (1709)
95. “Onward Christian Soldiers” (1871)
96. “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean” (1843)
97. “Give Me That Old Time Religion” (1865)
98. “Down by the Riverside” (1918)
99. “Angels We Have Heard on High” (1862)
100. “Lorena” (1857)
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First posted 12/5/2025; last updated 12/7/2025.
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