US & UK hits charts

Support Music VF

our sites

by year
2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901 1900

by decade
2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s 1970s 1960s 1950s 1940s 1930s 1920s 1910s 1900s

by artist
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.

Pistol Packin' Mama by Al Dexter

395

✫1
US

✫1
country

5
R&B

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

2.

Paper Doll by The Mills Brothers

386

✫1
US

2
R&B

written by Johnny Black (as Johnny S. Black)

3.

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

380

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

[Columbia 36668]
written by Jule Styne & Sammy Cahn

4.

You'll Never Know by Dick Haymes

375

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

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

5.

Sunday, Monday or Always by Bing Crosby

369

✫1
US

3
R&B

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

6.

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

364

✫1
US

7
R&B

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

7.

In the Blue of Evening by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

356

✫1
US

10
R&B

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

8.

Taking a Chance on Love by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

350

✫1
US

10
R&B

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

9.

Moonlight Cocktail by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

340

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11401]
written by Kim Gannon & Lucky Roberts

10.

Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer by Song Spinners

337

✫1
US

[Decca 18553]
written by Harold Adamson & Jimmy McHugh

11.

(As Long As You're Not in Love with Anyone Else) Why Don't You Fall in Love with Me? by Johnny Long and His Orchestra

336

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Houston & Helen Young
written by Mabel Wayne & Al Lewis

12.

Pistol Packin' Mama by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

325

2
US

✫1
country

3
R&B

[Decca 23277]
written by Al Dexter

13.

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

323

✫1
US

[Victor 27934]
written by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren

14.

Don't Get Around Much Anymore by The Ink Spots

312

2
US

✫1
R&B

written by Duke Ellington & Bob Russell

15.

There Are Such Things by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

307

✫1
US

2
R&B

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

16.

White Christmas by Bing Crosby

303

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

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

17.

It Can't Be Wrong by Dick Haymes

302

2
US

2
R&B

[Decca 18557]
written by Kim Gannon & Max Steiner

18.

I Had the Craziest Dream by Harry James and His Orchestra

297

✫1
US

4
R&B

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

19.

All or Nothing at All by Frank Sinatra and Harry James

296

2
US

8
R&B

as Frank Sinatra & Harry James & His Orchestra
[Columbia 35587]
written by Arthur Altman & Jack Lawrence

20.

Brazil (Aquarela Do Brasil) by Xavier Cugat and His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra

296

2
US

9
R&B

[instrumental]
[Columbia 36651]
written by Ary Barroso & Bob Russell

21.

Twelfth Street Rag by Pee Wee Hunt and His Orchestra

288

✫1
US

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

22.

Sleepy Lagoon by Harry James and His Orchestra

279

✫1
US

written by Eric Coates & Jack Lawrence

23.

People Will Say We're in Love by Bing Crosby and Trudy Erwin

277

2
US

written by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II

24.

Tangerine by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

276

✫1
US

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

25.

You'll Never Know by Frank Sinatra

276

2
US

[Academy Award for Best Original Song 1943]
[Columbia 36678]
written by Harry Warren, Mack Gordon & Dorothy Fern Norris

26.

Jingle Jangle Jingle by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra

274

✫1
US

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

27.

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

273

✫1
US

written by Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer

28.

They're Either Too Young or Too Old by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

271

2
US

vocals by Kitty Kallen
written by Arthur Schwartz & Frank Loesser

29.

Shoo-Shoo Baby by Ella Mae Morse

271

4
US

✫1
R&B

[Capitol 143]
written by Phil Moore

30.

A String of Pearls by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

270

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11382]
written by Jerry Gray

31.

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

266

✫1
US

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

32.

As Time Goes By by Jacques Renard and His Orchestra

265

3
US

8
R&B

vocal by Frank Munn; originally from 1931
written by Herman Hupfeld

33.

It Started All Over Again by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

264

4
US

2
R&B

vocals by Frank Sinatra & The Pied Pipers
[Victor 201522]
written by Bill Carey & Carl Fisher

34.

You Always Hurt the One You Love by The Mills Brothers

263

✫1
US

5
R&B

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

35.

Slipping Around by Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely

263

✫1
US

✫1
country

written by Floyd Tillman

36.

Nature Boy by Nat King Cole

261

✫1
US

2
R&B

as King Cole
[Capitol 15054]
written by Eden Ahbez

37.

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

261

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

written by Doris Fisher & Allan Roberts

38.

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

260

✫1
US

2
country

written by Stan Jones

39.

Why Don't You Do Right by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

257

4
US

4
R&B

vocals by Peggy Lee
written by Kansas Joe McCoy

40.

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

257

✫1
US

2
R&B

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

41.

G.I. Jive by Louis Jordan

256

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

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

42.

I'll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams) by Bing Crosby

253

3
US

8
R&B

[Christmas]
[Decca 18570]
written by Buck Ram, Kim Gannon & Walter Kent

43.

The Gypsy by The Ink Spots

252

✫1
US

✫1
R&B

written by Billy Reid

44.

I'll Walk Alone by Dinah Shore

251

✫1
US

10
R&B

[Victor 1586]
written by Jule Styne & Sammy Cahn

45.

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

250

✫1
US

9
R&B

[Decca 23364]
written by Cole Porter & Robert Fletcher

46.

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry

248

✫1
US

✫1
country

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

47.

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

247

✫1
US

3
R&B

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

48.

You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To by Dinah Shore

247

4
US

10
R&B

[Victor 1519]
written by Cole Porter

49.

Buttons and Bows by Dinah Shore

246

✫1
US

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

50.

I'll Get by (As Long As I Have You) by Harry James and His Orchestra

245

✫1
US

vocals by Dick Haymes
written by Fred E. Ahlert & Roy Turk

51.

You Call Everybody Darlin' by Al Trace and His Orchestra

245

✫1
US

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

52.

Love Somebody by Doris Day and Buddy Clark

245

✫1
US

written by Joan Whitney & Alex Kramer

53.

Swinging on a Star by Bing Crosby

245

✫1
US

[Academy Award for Best Original Song 1944]
[Decca 18597]
written by Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke

54.

You Can't Be True, Dear by Ken Griffin

245

✫1
US

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

55.

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

245

✫1
US

written by Clement Scott, Maewa Kaihau & Dorothy Stewart

56.

A Tree in the Meadow by Margaret Whiting

245

✫1
US

[Capitol 15122]
written by Billy Reid

57.

Moonlight Becomes You by Bing Crosby

245

3
US

[Decca 18513]
written by Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke

58.

You're Breaking My Heart by Vic Damone

244

✫1
US

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

59.

Some Enchanted Evening by Perry Como

244

✫1
US

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

60.

Forever and Ever by Russ Morgan

244

✫1
US

[Decca 24569]
written by Franz Winkler & Malia Rosa

61.

For Me and My Gal by Judy Garland and Gene Kelly

243

3
US

written by George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie & E. Ray Goetz

62.

I'll Be Seeing You by Bing Crosby

243

✫1
US

[Decca 18595]
written by Sammy Fain & Irving Kahal

63.

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

243

✫1
US

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

64.

Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me) by Peggy Lee

243

✫1
US

written by Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour

65.

A Little Bird Told Me by Evelyn Knight

243

✫1
US

written by Harvey O. Brooks

66.

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

242

✫1
US

written by Carmen Lombardo & Stanley Rochinski

67.

Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much) by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra

242

✫1
US

vocals by Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen
written by Consuelo Velázquez & Sunny Skylar

68.

Chattanooga Choo Choo by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

241

✫1
US

[Bluebird 11230]
written by Harry Warren & Mack Gordon

69.

(As Long As You're Not in Love with Anyone Else) Why Don't You Fall in Love with Me by Dinah Shore

241

3
US

written by Mabel Wayne & Al Lewis

70.

I Heard You Cried Last Night by Harry James and His Orchestra

241

4
US

vocals by Helen Forrest
written by Joseph Kruger & Ted Grouya (as Theodor Grouya)

71.

The San Fernando Valley by Bing Crosby

241

✫1
US

written by Gordon Jenkins

72.

That Lucky Old Sun by Frankie Laine

241

✫1
US

[Mercury 5316]
written by Beasley Smith & Haven Gillespie

73.

Cruising Down the River by Russ Morgan

241

✫1
US

[Decca 24568]
written by Eily Beadell & Nell Tollerton

74.

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

241

✫1
US

written by Harry M. Woods & Mort Dixon

75.

My Darling, My Darling by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae

240

✫1
US

written by Frank Loesser

76.

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

240

✫1
US

hit for Ray Noble in 1937
written by Irving Berlin

77.

To Each His Own by The Ink Spots

240

✫1
US

3
R&B

written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans

78.

Cruising Down the River by Blue Barron and His Orchestra

239

✫1
US

written by Eily Beadell & Nell Tollerton

79.

Shoo-Shoo Baby by The Andrews Sisters

239

✫1
US

[from the movie Three Cheers for the Boys]
written by Phil Moore

80.

It's Love-Love-Love by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians

239

✫1
US

vocals by Skip Nelson
written by Joan Whitney, Alex Kramer & Mack David

81.

Woody Woodpecker by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra

238

✫1
US

vocals by Gloria Wood
written by George Tibbles & Ramey Idriss

82.

I Love You by Bing Crosby

238

✫1
US

[Decca 18595]
written by Cole Porter

83.

Someday by Vaughn Monroe

238

✫1
US

written by Jimmie Hodges

84.

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

238

✫1
US

✫1
country

written by Merle Travis & Tex Williams

85.

Rum and Coca-Cola by The Andrews Sisters

235

✫1
US

3
R&B

[Decca 18636]
written by Lord Invader & Lionel Belasco

86.

Mairzy Doats by The Merry Macs

235

✫1
US

written by Milton Drake, Al Hoffman & Jerry Livingston

87.

A-You're Adorable by Perry Como

235

✫1
US

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

88.

(There'll Be a) Hot Time in the Town of Berlin (When the Yanks Go Marching In) by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

235

✫1
US

written by Sgt. Joe Bushkin & Pvt. John De Vries

89.

Mule Train by Frankie Laine

234

✫1
US

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

90.

Boogie Woogie by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

234

5
US

6
R&B

[instrumental]
[Victor 26054]
written by Clarence "Pinetop" Smith

91.

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

234

✫1
US

2
country

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

92.

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

233

✫1
US

vocals by George Rock
written by Donald Yetter Gardner

93.

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

233

2
US

✫1
country

3
R&B

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

94.

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

232

✫1
US

4
R&B

[Capitol 180]
written by Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer

95.

To Each His Own by Eddy Howard

232

✫1
US

written by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans

96.

Who Wouldn't Love You by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra

231

2
US

written by Bill Carey & Carl Fischer

97.

Five Minutes More by Frank Sinatra

230

✫1
US

[Columbia 37048]
written by Jule Styne & Sammy Cahn

98.

Jersey Bounce by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

229

2
US

written by Tiny Bradshaw, Eddie Johnson, Bobby Plater & Buddy Feyne (as Robert B. Wright)

99.

The Gypsy by Dinah Shore

229

✫1
US

[Columbia 36964]
written by Billy Reid

100.

Prisoner of Love by Perry Como

229

✫1
US

hit for Russ Columbo in 1932
[RCA Victor 1814]
written by Russ Columbo, Clarence Gaskill & Leo Robin

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

Music VF © 2007-2018 Howard Drake / VF Entertainment

Music VF.com, music hits charts • Rock VF.com, rock music hits charts • Music VF.fr, tous les tubes • Comics VF.com
http://www.musicvf.com/top_songs_of_the_1940s