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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Other • Top 1000

Top Songs of the 1940s

1940

Video playlist

Cover

Date

Title

Album

US
country
peak

Comment

Video

1.

White Christmas by Bing Crosby

398

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

[Academy Award for Best Original Song 1942]
[Decca 23778]
written by Irving Berlin

2.

Pistol Packin' Mama by Al Dexter

394

✫1
US

✫1
country

5
R&B

as Al Dexter and His Troopers
[Okeh 6708]
written by Al Dexter

3.

There Are Such Things by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

392

✫1
US

2
R&B

vocals by Frank Sinatra & The Pied Pipers
[Victor 27974]
written by Stanley Adams, Abel Baer & George W. Meyer

4.

I Had the Craziest Dream by Harry James and His Orchestra

383

✫1
US

4
R&B

vocals by Helen Forrest
[Columbia 36659]
written by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon

5.

The Gypsy by The Ink Spots

382

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

written by Billy Reid

6.

Nature Boy by Nat King Cole

380

✫1
US

2
R&B

as King Cole
[Capitol 15054]
written by Eden Ahbez

7.

Slipping Around by Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely

380

✫1
US

✫1
country

written by Floyd Tillman

8.

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry

378

✫1
US

✫1
country

as Gene Autry & The Pinafores
[Christmas]
[Columbia 38610]
written by Johnny Marks

9.

I've Heard That Song Before by Harry James and His Orchestra

376

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

[Columbia 36668]
written by Jule Styne & Sammy Cahn

10.

You'll Never Know by Dick Haymes

376

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

[Decca 18556]
written by Harry Warren, Mack Gordon & Dorothy Fern Norris

11.

Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend) by Vaughn Monroe

375

✫1
US

2
country

written by Stan Jones

12.

Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall by The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald

374

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

written by Doris Fisher & Allan Roberts

13.

G.I. Jive by Louis Jordan

374

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

as Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
[Decca 8659]
written by Johnny Mercer

14.

Rum and Coca-Cola by The Andrews Sisters

373

✫1
US

3
R&B

[Decca 18636]
written by Lord Invader & Lionel Belasco

15.

Open the Door, Richard! by Count Basie

372

✫1
US

2
R&B

[novelty]
[RCA Victor 2127]
written by Bob Russell

16.

Paper Doll by The Mills Brothers

371

✫1
US

2
R&B

written by Johnny Black (as Johnny S. Black)

17.

Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) by Tex Williams

371

✫1
US

✫1
country

[Capitol Americana 40001]
written by Merle Travis & Tex Williams

18.

Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive by Johnny Mercer

370

✫1
US

4
R&B

[Capitol 180]
written by Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer

19.

(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons by The King Cole Trio

370

✫1
US

3
R&B

[Capitol 304]
written by Pat Best (as William Best) & Deek Watson

20.

To Each His Own by The Ink Spots

369

✫1
US

3
R&B

written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans

21.

I'm Making Believe by The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald

368

✫1
US

2
R&B

B side to Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall
written by James V. Monaco & Mack Gordon

22.

Open the Door, Richard by The Three Flames

367

✫1
US

3
R&B

[novelty]
[Columbia 37268]
written by Bob Russell

23.

Temptation (Tim-Tayshun) by Red Ingle and the Natural Seven

366

✫1
US

2
country

featuring Jo Stafford on vocals
written by Arthur Freed & Nacio Brown (as Nacio Herb Brown)

24.

Sunday, Monday or Always by Bing Crosby

364

✫1
US

3
R&B

[Decca 18561]
written by Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke

25.

Chattanooga Choo Choo by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

363

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11230]
written by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon

26.

Piano Concerto in B Flat by Freddy Martin and His Orchestra

360

✫1
US

written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

27.

You and I by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

360

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11215]
written by Meredith Willson

28.

Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes) by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

360

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell
written by Adolfo Utrera, Nilo Menéndez, Eddie Rivera & Eddie Woods

29.

Maria Elena by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

359

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly
written by Lorenzo Barcelata & Bob Russell

30.

Daddy by Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye

359

✫1
US

written by Bobby Troup

31.

Blue Champagne by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

359

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly
written by Grady Watts & Frank Ryerson

32.

Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy) by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

359

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly
written by Joseph LaCalle & Albert Gamse

33.

You Always Hurt the One You Love by The Mills Brothers

359

✫1
US

5
R&B

B side to Till Then
written by Allan Roberts & Doris Fisher

34.

My Sister and I by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

359

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly
written by Hy Zaret, Joan Whitney & Alex Kramer

35.

Elmer's Tune by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

358

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11274]
written by Elmer Albrecht, Sammy Gallop & Dick Jurgens

36.

Song of the Volga Boatmen by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

357

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11029]
written by traditional & Mily Balakirev

37.

Moonlight Cocktail by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

355

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11401]
written by Kim Gannon & Lucky Roberts

38.

My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?) by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra

355

✫1
US

7
R&B

vocals by Eugenie Baird
[Decca 18567]
written by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon

39.

(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

354

✫1
US

[Victor 27934]
written by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren

40.

Tuxedo Junction by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

353

✫1
US

[Bluebird 10612]
written by Erskine Hawkins, Bill Johnson & Julian Dash

41.

Pistol Packin' Mama by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

352

2
US

✫1
country

3
R&B

[Decca 23277]
written by Al Dexter

42.

The Woodpecker Song by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

352

✫1
US

[Bluebird 10598]
written by Eldo Di Lazzaro & Harold Adamson

43.

Is You Is or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby) by Louis Jordan

352

2
US

✫1
country

3
R&B

as Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
[Decca 8659]
written by Louis Jordan & Billy Austin

44.

Sleepy Lagoon by Harry James and His Orchestra

351

✫1
US

written by Eric Coates & Jack Lawrence

45.

Tangerine by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

351

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell
written by Victor Schertzinger & Johnny Mercer

46.

A String of Pearls by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

351

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11382]
written by Jerry Gray

47.

Jingle Jangle Jingle by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra

351

✫1
US

vocals by Harry Babbitt
written by Frank Loesser & Joseph J. Lilley

48.

When You Wish upon a Star by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

351

✫1
US

[Bluebird 10570]
written by Ned Washington & Leigh Harline

49.

Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me) by Woody Herman and His Orchestra

350

✫1
US

written by Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer

50.

Careless by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

350

✫1
US

[Bluebird 10520]
written by Lew Quadling, Eddy Howard & Dick Jurgens

51.

Frenesi by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra

350

✫1
US

written by Alberto Domínguez (as Alberto Dominguez)

52.

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone else But Me) by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

350

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11474]
written by Charles Tobias (as Charlie Tobias), Lew Brown & Sam H. Stept (as Sam Stept)

53.

I'll Never Smile Again by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

350

✫1
US

vocals by Frank Sinatra
written by Ruth Lowe

54.

Only Forever by Bing Crosby

350

✫1
US

[Decca 3300]
written by James V. Monaco & Johnny Burke

55.

Don't Fence Me In by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

349

✫1
US

9
R&B

[Decca 23364]
written by Cole Porter & Robert Fletcher

56.

Sierra Sue by Bing Crosby

349

✫1
US

[Decca 3133]
written by Joseph Buell Carey

57.

Make-Believe Island by Mitchell Ayres and His Fashions in Music

349

✫1
US

written by Will Grosz, Nick Kenny & Charles Kenny

58.

In the Blue of Evening by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

349

✫1
US

10
R&B

vocals by Frank Sinatra
[Victor 201530]
written by Tom Adair (as Thomas Montgomery Adair) & Alfonso D'Artega

59.

The Breeze and I by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

349

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly
written by Ernesto Lecuona & Al Stillman

60.

Imagination by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

349

✫1
US

[Bluebird 10622]
written by Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke

61.

Where Was I? by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra

349

✫1
US

written by Al Dubin & W. Franke Harling

62.

Blueberry Hill by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

349

✫1
US

[Bluebird 10768]
written by Vincent Rose, Al Lewis & Larry Stock

63.

Taking a Chance on Love by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

349

✫1
US

10
R&B

vocals by Helen Forrest
written by Vernon Duke, John La Touche (as John Latouche) & Ted Fetter

64.

I'll Walk Alone by Dinah Shore

348

✫1
US

10
R&B

[Victor 1586]
written by Jule Styne & Sammy Cahn

65.

Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread) by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

348

✫1
US

[Bluebird 10728]
written by Rube Bloom & Johnny Mercer

66.

Twelfth Street Rag by Pee Wee Hunt and His Orchestra

345

✫1
US

hit for Earl Fuller in 1917
[Capitol 15105]
written by Euday L. Bowman

67.

You're Breaking My Heart by Vic Damone

344

✫1
US

[Mercury 5271]
written by Pat Genaro, Sunny Skylar & Ruggero Leoncavallo

68.

Some Enchanted Evening by Perry Como

344

✫1
US

[RCA 47-2896]
written by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II

69.

Forever and Ever by Russ Morgan

344

✫1
US

[Decca 24569]
written by Franz Winkler & Malia Rosa

70.

I Can Dream, Can't I by The Andrews Sisters

344

✫1
US

hit for Tommy Dorsey in 1938
[Decca 24705]
written by Sammy Fain & Irving Kahal

71.

That Lucky Old Sun by Frankie Laine

343

✫1
US

[Mercury 5316]
written by Beasley Smith & Haven Gillespie

72.

Cruising Down the River by Russ Morgan

343

✫1
US

[Decca 24568]
written by Eily Beadell & Nell Tollerton

73.

Cruising Down the River by Blue Barron and His Orchestra

343

✫1
US

written by Eily Beadell & Nell Tollerton

74.

Someday by Vaughn Monroe

343

✫1
US

written by Jimmie Hodges

75.

A-You're Adorable by Perry Como

343

✫1
US

written by Sidney Lippman (as Sid Lippman), Buddy Kaye & Fred Wise

76.

Mule Train by Frankie Laine

343

✫1
US

as Frankie Laine & the Muleskinners
[Mercury 5345]
written by Johnny Lange, Hy Heath & Fred Glickman

77.

Careless Hands by Mel Tormé

342

✫1
US

[Capitol 15379]
written by Bob Hilliard & Carl Sigman

78.

Buttons and Bows by Dinah Shore

342

✫1
US

dinah shore & her happy valley boys
[Columbia 38284]
written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans

79.

You Call Everybody Darlin' by Al Trace and His Orchestra

341

✫1
US

as Al Trace & his new orchestra
written by Sam Martin, Ben Trace & Al Trace (as Clem Watts)

80.

Love Somebody by Doris Day and Buddy Clark

341

✫1
US

written by Joan Whitney & Alex Kramer

81.

You Can't Be True, Dear by Ken Griffin

341

✫1
US

as Ken Griffin at the Organ
vocals by Jerry Wayne (added later)
written by Hans Otten, Gerhard Ebeler & Hal Cotten

82.

Now Is the Hour (Maori Farewell Song) by Bing Crosby

341

✫1
US

written by Clement Scott, Maewa Kaihau & Dorothy Stewart

83.

A Tree in the Meadow by Margaret Whiting

341

✫1
US

[Capitol 15122]
written by Billy Reid

84.

Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me) by Peggy Lee

341

✫1
US

written by Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour

85.

A Little Bird Told Me by Evelyn Knight

341

✫1
US

written by Harvey O. Brooks

86.

Powder Your Face with Sunshine (Smile! Smile! Smile!) by Evelyn Knight

341

✫1
US

written by Carmen Lombardo & Stanley Rochinski

87.

I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover by Art Mooney

341

✫1
US

written by Harry M. Woods & Mort Dixon

88.

My Darling, My Darling by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae

341

✫1
US

written by Frank Loesser

89.

I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm by Les Brown and His Orchestra

341

✫1
US

hit for Ray Noble in 1937
written by Irving Berlin

90.

There! I've Said It Again by Vaughn Monroe

341

✫1
US

written by Redd Evans & David Mann

91.

Woody Woodpecker by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra

341

✫1
US

vocals by Gloria Wood
written by George Tibbles & Ramey Idriss

92.

Sentimental Journey by Les Brown and His Orchestra

341

✫1
US

written by Les Brown, Ben Homer & Bud Green

93.

All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) by Spike Jones and His City Slickers

340

✫1
US

vocals by George Rock
written by Donald Yetter Gardner

94.

I Can't Begin to Tell You by Bing Crosby and Carmen Cavallaro

340

✫1
US

written by James V. Monaco & Mack Gordon

95.

Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief by Betty Hutton

340

✫1
US

written by Hoagy Carmichael & Paul Francis Webster

96.

Till the End of Time by Perry Como

340

✫1
US

[Victor 1709]
written by Ted Mossman & Buddy Kaye

97.

On the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe by Johnny Mercer

340

✫1
US

written by Harry Warren & Johnny Mercer

98.

I'm Beginning to See the Light by Harry James and His Orchestra

340

✫1
US

vocals by Kitty Kallen
written by Duke Ellington, Don George, Johnny Hodges & Harry James

99.

Candy by Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford

340

✫1
US

written by Alex Kramer, Mack David & Joan Whitney

100.

Dream by The Pied Pipers

340

✫1
US

[Capitol 15246]
written by Johnny Mercer

US charts info based on Billboard (www.billboard.com) charts • UK charts info based on The Official UK Charts Company's charts

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