100 years ago: Al Jolson hit #1 with “Swanee”

Swanee Al Jolson with Charles Prince’s Orchestra

Writer(s): Irving Caesar/George Gershwin (see lyrics here) First Charted: May 8, 1920 Peak: 19 US, 11 GA, 12 SM (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 4.0 (includes 1.0 in sheet music) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.75 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: George Gershwin may be America’s greatest songwriter. He began his music career making piano rolls of other composers’ works, giving him valuable insight into the makings of a hit song. LW By 1919, he had already written two Broadway revues, one of which included the song “Swanee.” LW It became his first major hit and his best-selling song in terms of both sheet music and record sales. DJ It was also the first major hit for co-writer Irving Caesar, who later wrote “Tea for Two.” Caesar worked first as a Ford Motor Company mechanic and met Gershwin in a New York restaurant. By the time they took the bus back to Gershwin’s house, Caesar had completed the lyrics and, according to legend, Gershwin had the music down 15 minutes later. LW However, when introduced in New York City’s Demi-Tasse Revue, the number got lost amidst the lush staging. RCG It didn’t become a million seller until Caesar persuaded his friend Al Jolson to use it in his Broadway show Sinbad; LW he subsequently recorded it in January 1920. WK That year, the All-Star Trio and Peerless Quartet each got to #11 with their versions of the song. The 1954 movie A Star Is Born also featured a memorable performance of the song by Judy Garland. However, the song is primarily attributed to Jolson NRR and specifically his performance of it in blackface. The practice of white men donning black face paint is horrifically racist in hindsight, but was popular entertainment in the minstrel shows of the day. Lyrically, “the racism remains embedded in every word, practically in every note” DS of the song. The song parodies Stephen Foster’s 1851 song “Old Folks at Home,” WK also known as “Way Down Upon the Swanee River.” Caesar even incorporated the line “I love the old folks at home” in “Swanee.” RCG “Old Folks” had mythologized the Suwanee River (which Foster misspelled as “Swanee”) in southern Georgia as a symbol of nostalgia for emancipated slaves. DS It came to represent freedom not just for blacks, but for immigrants. On a larger scale, “the larger-than-life, tirelessly productive image America had of itself following the First World War” DS was well represented by Jolson, “the undisputed king of popular culture.” DS Resources: DS Don’t Stay Up Too Late (2011). Top 100 Lists DJ David Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 185. LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 42. NRR National Recording Registry RCG RimChiGuy.com The Old Songs (1900-1929) WK Wikipedia.org Related Links: First posted 11/9/2011; last updated 1/28/2023.

Top 100 Songs from 1930-1939

First posted 4/4/2012; last updated 3/25/2020.

Top 100 Songs of the Decade: 1930-1939

These are the top 100 songs from the 1930s according to Dave’s Music Database. Rankings are figured by combining sales figures, chart data, radio airplay, video airplay, streaming figures, awards, and appearances on best-of lists. 1. Over the Rainbow...Judy Garland (1939) 2. Night and Day...Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman (1932) 3. In the Mood...Glenn Miller (1939) 4. Cheek to Cheek...Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman (1935) 5. Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)...Ethel Waters (1933) 6. Begin the Beguine...Artie Shaw (1938) 7. The Way You Look Tonight...Fred Astaire with Johnny Green (1936) 8. Pennies from Heaven...Bing Crosby with George Stoll (1936) 9. A-Tisket, A-Tasket...Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb (1938) 10. All the Things You Are...Tommy Dorsey with Jack Leonard (1939) 11. Silent Night...Bing Crosby (1935) 12. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes…Paul Whiteman with Bob Lawrence (1933) 13. Mood Indigo...Duke Ellington (1931) 14. I Got Rhythm...Red Nichols (1930) 15. Deep Purple...Larry Clinton with Bea Wain (1939) 16. Happy Days Are Here Again...Ben Selvin (1930) 17. God Bless America...Kate Smith (1939) 18. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?...Rudy Vallee (1932) 19. Blue Moon…Glen Gray with Kenny Sargent (1935) 20. I’m in the Mood for Love...Little Jack Little (1935) 21. Strange Fruit...Billie Holiday (1939) 22. On the Sunny Side of the Street...Ted Lewis & His Band (1930) 23. Minnie the Moocher (The Ho De Ho Song)...Cab Calloway (1931) 24. Puttin’ on the Ritz...Harry Richman with Earl Burtnett & His Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra (1930) 25. They Can’t Take That Away from Me...Fred Astaire with Johnny Green (1937) 26. The Last Round-Up...George Olsen with Joe Morrison (1933) 27. If I Didn’t Care...The Ink Spots (1939) 28. I’ve Got You Under My Skin...Ray Noble (1936) 29. Sweet Leilani...Bing Crosby with Lani McIntire & His Hawaiians (1937) 30. All or Nothing at All...Harry James with Frank Sinatra (1939) 31. The Peanut Vendor (El Manisero)...Don Azpiazu with Antonio Machin (1930) 32. Sophisticated Lady...Duke Ellington (1933) 33. In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town...Ted Lewis & His Band (1932) 34. Stein Song (University of Maine)...Rudy Vallee (1930) 35. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (Means That You’re Grand)...The Andrews Sisters (1938) 36. Dinah…Bing Crosby & the Mills Brothers (1932) 37. All of Me...Louis Armstrong (1932) 38. Summertime…Billie Holiday (1936) 39. Moonlight Serenade...Glenn Miller (1939) 40. Goodnight, Sweetheart…Wayne King with Ernie Birchill (1931) 41. 42nd Street...Don Bestor with Dudley Mecum (1933) 42. Let’s Fall in Love...Eddy Duchin with Lew Sherwood (1934) 43. Lover…Paul Whiteman with Jack Fulton (1933) 44. I Can’t Get Started...Bunny Berigan (1938) 45. September Song...Walter Huston (1939) 46. Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)...Benny Goodman (1938) 47. The Very Thought of You...Ray Noble with Al Bowlly (1934) 48. That Old Feeling...Shep Fields with Bob Goday (1937) 49. Winter Wonderland...Guy Lombardo (1934) 50. Wabash Cannonball...Roy Acuff & the Smoky Mountain Boys (1938) 51. Honeysuckle Rose...Thomas “Fats” Waller (1935) 52. Stars Fell on Alabama...Guy Lombardo with Carmen Lombardo (1934) 53. It Don’t Mean a Thing if It Ain’t Got That Swing...Duke Ellington (1932) 54. These Foolish Things Remind Me of You...Benny Goodman with Helen Ward (1936) 55. Lullaby of Broadway...The Dorsey Brothers with Bob Crosby (1935) 56. Jeepers Creepers...Al Donahue with Paula Kelly (1938) 57. How Deep Is the Ocean?...Guy Lombardo with Carmen Lombardo (1932) 58. Once in a While...Tommy Dorsey (1937) 59. September in the Rain…Guy & Carmen Lombardo (1937) 60. Lazy Bones…Ted Lewis (1933) 61. A Fine Romance (A Sarcastic Love Song)…Fred Astaire with Johnny Green & His Orchestra (1936) 62. My Reverie…Larry Clinton with Bea Wain (1938) 63. Isle of Capri…Ray Noble with Al Bowlly (1934) 64. South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)...Shep Fields with Hal Derwin (1939) 65. Out of Nowhere...Bing Crosby with Victor Young (1931) 66. Embraceable You...Red Nichols (1930) 67. June in January…Bing Crosby with George Stoll’s Orchestra (1934) 68. Whistle While You Work...The Seven Dwarfs (1938) 69. What Is This Thing Called Love?...Leo Reisman (1930) 70. Paradise…Leo Reisman with Frances Maddux (1932) 71. Red Sails in the Sunset…Guy & Carmen Lombardo (1935) 72. Where or When…Hal Kemp with Bob Allen (1937) 73. You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby…Bing Crosby (1938) 74. The Continental (You Kiss While We’re Dancing)…Leo Reisman (1934) 75. Tumbling Tumbleweeds...Sons of the Pioneers (1934) 76. One O’Clock Jump...Count Basie (1937) 77. Little White Lies…Fred Waring with Clare Hanlon (1930) 78. The Old Spinning Wheel...Ray Noble with Al Bowlly (1933) 79. Sweet and Lovely…Gus Arnheim with Donald Novis (1931) 80. Goody Goody…Benny Goodman with Helen Ward (1936) 81. Beer Barrell Polka...Will Glahe (1939) 82. Dream a Little Dream of Me...Wayne King with Ernie Birchill (1931) 83. Alone…Tommy Dorsey with Cliff Weston (1936) 84. Three Little Words...Duke Ellington (1930) 85. And the Angels Sing …Benny Goodman with Martha Tilton (1939) 86. I’ll String Along with You…Ted Fio Rito with Muzzy Marcellino (1934) 87. Music, Maestro, Please...Tommy Dorsey with Edythe Wright (1938) 88. Thanks for the Memory…Shep Fields with Bob Goday (1937) 89. Love for Sale…Libby Holman with Dick Robertson (1931) 90. I Get a Kick Out of You...Johnny Green with Ethel Merman (1934) 91. When the Saints Go Marching In...Louis Armstrong (1939) 92. I Found a Million Dollar Baby in a Five and Ten Cent Store...Fred Waring with Clare Hanlon (1931) 93. You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me…Bing Crosby with Guy Lombardo’s Orchestra (1933) 94. Cocktails for Two…Duke Ellington (1934) 95. Marie...Tommy Dorsey (1937) 96. Too Marvelous for Words…Bing Crosby with Jimmy Dorsey’s Orchestra (1937) 97. Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?...Bing Crosby with Lennie Hayton’s Orchestra (1932) 98. Exactly Like You...Ruth Etting (1930) 99. The Carioca…Enric Madriguera with Patricia Gillmore (1934) 100. Willow Weep for Me…Paul Whiteman with Irene Taylor (1932)

100 years ago: “For Me and My Gal” charted for the first time

For Me and My Gal Van & Schenck

Writer(s): George Meyer (music), Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz (words) (see lyrics here) First Charted: May 26, 1917 Peak: 13 US, 112 GA, 112 SM (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 (sheet music) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

For Me and My Gal Judy Garland & Gene Kelly

First Charted: January 24, 1942 Peak: 3 US, 6 GA, 8 HP, 12 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 3.0 (sheet music) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

Awards (Van & Schenck): Click on award for more details.

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Awards (Garland/Kelly): Click on award for more details.

About the Song: George W. Meyer was a composer born in Boston in 1884. He had hits spanning many years, including “”My Song of the Nile,” “Lonesome,” “My Mother’s Rosary” and the great novelty song “Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go with Friday on Saturday Night?” PS However, his biggest hit was probably “For Me and My Gal.” He wrote the music and came up with the title and then tapped Edgar Leslie and E. Ray Goetz to write the lyrics. TY2 When Meyer died, his wife had the song title inscribed on his tombstone. RCG The song “was a forerunner of the jazz age.” RCG Its lyrics about “bells ringing and birds singing as two turtle doves go off to their wedding” RCG showed that in 1917, even as Americans were consumed by World War I, they still relished love songs. The popular vaudeville team of Van & Schenck recorded the song and took it #1. Others to sing it on vaudeville included Belle Baker, Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, George Jessel, Al Jolson, Sophie Tucker. 1917 saw three more chart version in addition to Van & Schenck’s – Prince’s Orchestra (#5), Henry Burr & Albert Campbell (#7), and Billy Murray (#9). PM The sheet music moved three million copies. The song “was still on pianos all over America” RCG In 1942 when Gene Kelly and Judy Garland sang the song in the movie of the same name. The movie celebrated vaudeville and other hits from the World War I era. Their recording was a #3 hit featuring Garland’s then-husband David Rose and His Orchestra. DJ Guy Lombardo also charted with a version of the song in 1943, reaching #17. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Gene Kelly DMDB encyclopedia entry for Van & Schenck DJ David Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 60. PS ParlorSongs.com Lessons in America’s Popular Music History RCG RimChiGuy.com The Old Songs (1900-1929) TY2 Don Tyler (2007). Hit Songs, 1900-1955. McFarland & Company, Inc.: Jefferson, North Carolina. Page 90. PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research, Inc: Menomonee Falls, WI. Page 499. Related Links: First posted 5/26/2012; last updated 3/31/2023.

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