Jerome Kern: Top 40 Songs

Jerome Kern Top 40 Songs

Musical theater composer Jerome Kern was born on 1/27/1885 in New York City, NY. He died 11/11/1945. He composed more than 700 songs used in more than 100 stage works. He collaborated with many of his era’s greatest lyricists, including Ira Gershwin, Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach, Yip Harburg, and Johnny Mercer. Created dozens of Broadway musicals and Hollywood films over a career lasting more than four decades. “The Way You Look Tonight,” “All the Things You Are,” “Ol’ Man River,” and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Pre-Rock Era, 1890-1953. Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Jerome Kern DMDB profile page for Jerome Kern Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists”

Awards:

Top 40 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. DMDB Top 1%: 1. The Way You Look Tonight (Fred Astaire with Johnny Greer’s Orchestra, 1936) #1 US, HP 2. All the Things You Are (Tommy Dorsey with Jack Leonard, 1939) #1 US, HP 3. Ol’ Man River (Paul Robeson with Paul Whiteman, 1927) 4. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Paul Whiteman with Bob Lawrence, 1933) #1 US 5. They Didn’t Believe Me (Harry MacDonough with Olive Kline, 1915) #1 US 6. Look for the Silver Lining (Marion Harris, 1921) #1 US 7. Who? (George Olsen, 1926) #1 US 8. Till the Clouds Roll By (Anna Wheaton with James Harrod, 1917) #1 US 9. A Fine Romance (A Sarcastic Love Song) (Fred Astaire with Johnny Greer’s Orchestra, 1936) #1 US, HP 10. Long Ago and Far Away (Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest with Carmarata’s Orchestra, 1944) #1 HP 11. Yesterdays (Leo Reisman with Frank Luther, 1933) DMDB Top 5%: 12. Lovely to Look At (Eddy Duchin with Lew Sherwood, 1935) #1 US, HP 13. I Won’t Dance (Eddy Duchin with Lew Sherwood, 1935) #1 US 14. Bill (Helen Morgan, 1928) 15. Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man (Ben Bernie with Vaughn Deleath, 1928) 16. Why Was I Born? (Libby Holman, 1930) 17. I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star (Jack Denny with Paul Small, 1932) 18. Why Do I Love You? (Nat Shilkret, 1928) 19. The Last Time I Saw Paris (Kate Smith, 1940) 20. The Song Is You (Jack Denny with Paul Small, 1932) 21. Make Believe (Paul Whiteman with Bing Crosby, 1928) 22. She Didn’t Say “Yes” (Leo Reisman, 1932) 23. Sunny (George Olsen, 1926) 24. The Touch of Your Hand (Leo Reisman, 1926) 25. Babes in the Wood (Harry MacDonough with Lucy Isabelle Marsh as Anna Howard, 1917) DMDB Top 10%: 26. Dearly Beloved (Glenn Miller with Skip Nelson, 1942) 27. The Folks Who Live on the Hill (Guy Lombardo, 1937) 28. All Through the Day (Perry Como, 1946) #1 HP 29. You Couldn’t Be Cuter (Tommy Dorsey, 1938) 30. Pick Yourself Up (Fred Astaire with Johnny Greer’s Orchestra, 1936) 31. Wild Rose (1920) 32. Don’t Ever Leave Me (1929) 33. You Are Love (1927) DMDB Top 20%: 34. I’m Old-Fashioned (Fred Astaire with John Scott Trotter’s Orchestra, 1943) 35. Blue Danube Blues (Carl Fenton, 1922) 36. Never Gonna Dance (Fred Astaire with Johnny Greer’s Orchestra, 1936) 37. In Love in Vain (Dick Haymes with Helen Forest and Earle Hagen’s Orchestra, 1946) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 38. All in Fun (Jack Whiting with Frances Mercer, 1939) 39. Sure Thing (1944) 40. Nobody Else But Me (1945) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Jerome Kern DMDB profile page for Jerome Kern Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 1/23/2024.