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The #1 hits of 1936

Astaire, Dorsey, Goodman, Lombardo, Waller

I was wondering why the list of the#1 hits of 1936 was so long. It was a function of the national economy. The record industry underwent an almost total collapse. By 1932, only six million records had been sold, compared with a peak of 140,000,000 just five years earlier.

However, according to Joel Whitburn Presents A Century of Pop Music, the jukebox had become ubiquitous whenever people gathered to listen to music or dance. Some 225,000 were in operation by 1939.

You will likely recognize some of these. I’d heard 5 of the first six.

The songs

Pennies From Heaven – Bing Crosby with George Stoll and his orchestra (Decca), 10 weeks at #1. From the Columbia picture, Pennies From Heaven.

Goody Goody – Benny Goodman and his orchestra with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor), 6 weeks at #1. Co-written by Johnny Mercer.

The Way You Look Tonight – Fred Astaire with Johnny Green (no relation) and his orchestra (Brunswick), 6 weeks at #1. The Oscar-winning song from the movie Swing Time

Alone – Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, with Cliff Weston, vocals (Victor), 6 weeks at #1, from the M-G-M film, A Night At The Opera

The Glory of Love – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor) 6 weeks at #1

A Fine Romance (A Sarcastic Love Song) – Fred Astaire with Johnny Green andhis orchestra (Brunswick), 5 weeks at #1, from Swing Time, written by Fields/Kern

The Music Goes ‘Round and ‘Round – Tommy Dorsey and his Clambake Seven, with Edythe Wright, vocals (Victor), 5 weeks at #1, a novelty song

Did I Remember – Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra, with Charles Chester, vocals (Bluebird), 4 weeks at #1, from the M-G-M film Suzy

It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie – Fats Waller and his Rhythm (Victor), 4 weeks at #1

Is It True What They Say About Dixie – Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra, with Bob Eberly, vocals (Decca ), 4 weeks at #1

Three weeks at #1

Moon Over Miami – Eddie Duchin and his orchestra, with Lew Sherwood, vocals (Victor)

The Music Goes ‘Round and Around – Reilly-Farley and their Oxnard Club Boys, with Mike Reilly (Decca), a novelty song. Reilly’s name is subsequently spelled Riley.

Melody From The Sky – Jan Garber and his orchestra, The Idol of The Air Lanes, with Lee Bennett, vocals (Decca)

Two weeks at #1

When Did You Leave Heaven – Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, with Carmen Lombardo, vocals (Victor), from the 20th Century Fox film Sing, Baby, Sing

In The Chapel In The Moonlight -Shep Fields and his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra (Bluebird)

These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor), from the revue, Spread It Abroad

A Beautiful Lady In Blue – Jan Garber and his orchestra, The Idol of The Air Lanes, with Lew Palmer, vocals (Decca)

It’s Been So Long – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor). From the M-G-M film The Great Ziegfeld

Until The Real Thing Comes Along – Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy, with Pha Terrell, vocals (Decca)

Lost – Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, with Carmen Lombardo, vocals (Victor)

When I’m With You – Hal Kemp and his orchestra, with Skinnay Ennis, vocals (Brunswick). From the Temple film Poor Little Rich Girl

You Turned The Tables On Me – Benny Goodman and his orchestra, with Helen Ward, vocals (Victor). From the 20th Century Fox film Sing, Baby, Sing

There’s A Small Hotel – Hal Kemp and his orchestra, with Maxine Grey, vocals (Brunswick). From the musical On Your Toes, written by Rodgers and Hart.

Take My Heart – Eddy Duchin and his orchestra, with Jerry Cooper, vocals (Victor)

One week at #1

Lights Out – Eddy Duchin and his orchestra, with Lew Sherwood, vocals (Victor)

You– Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra, with Edythe Wright, vocals (Victor). From the M-G-M film, The Great Ziegfeld

All My Life – Fats Waller and his Rhythm (Victor). From the Republic film Laughing Irish Eyes

I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket – Fred Astaire with Johnny Green and his orchestra (Brunswick). From the film Follow The First, written by Irving Berlin

I’ll Sing You A Thousand Love Songs – Eddy Duchin and his orchestra, with Jimmy Newill, vocals. From the Cosmopolitan film Cain and Mabel

The #1 hits of 1926

Red, Red Robin

I know you have been aching to hear the #1 hits of 1926. You may recognize at least three of the dozen from a century ago.

From Joel Whitburn presents a Century of Pop Music: “For popular music, the most historic event of the 1920s was the switch from acoustic to electrical records, which followed a year of experiments by engineers at Bell Laboratories in 1924-25. Instead of the acoustic process of singers and musicians performing directly into a recording horn, they were now able to record with a condenser microphone in a spacious studio.

“With the use of vacuum tube amplifiers and an electromagnetically powered cutting stylus, the frequency range of recorded music expanded by two and a half octaves. The Associated Glee Clubs of America’s pairing of a ‘Adeste Fidelis’ and ‘John Peel’ became the first electrically recorded hit in July 1925. and within months every major label record label had gone electric.”

Valencia (A Song of Spain) -Paul Whiteman and his orchestra with Franklyn Baur on vocals (Victor), 11 weeks at #1. Music written in 1924 by Spanish composer/pianist José Padilla

Baby Face (Carita de Nino) -Jan Garber and his orchestra with Benny Davis on vocals (Victor), 6 weeks at #1

Who – George Olsen (Victor), 6 weeks at #1, gold record. From the musical comedy Sunny, written by Harbach-Hammerstein II-Kern.

Sleepy Time Gal – Ben Bernie with his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra and Arthur Fields on vocals (Brunswick), 4 weeks at #1

The Birth of the Blues – Paul Whiteman and his orchestra with Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord, and Austin Young on vocals (Victor), 4 weeks at #1

Crooner

Bye Bye Blackbird – Gene Austin (Victor), 3 weeks at #1. “Austin was a soft-voiced ‘crooner’ whose career horizons were expanded by the greater sensitivity of electrical recording.”

Always – George Olsen with Fran Frey, Bob Rice, and Edward Joyce (Victor), 3 weeks at #1. written by Irving Berlin.

Breezin’ Along With The Breeze – Johnny Marvin, “The Ukulele Ace” (Columbia), 2 weeks at #1. Written by Gillespie-Simons-Whiting

Always – Vincent Lopez and his Casa Lopez Orchestra (Okeh), 2 weeks at #1 (instrumental)

I’m Sitting On Top Of The World – Al Jolson with Carl Fenton’s Orchestra (Brunswick), 2 weeks at #1

“Gimme” A Little Kiss (Will “Ya”? Huh ?)- “Whispering” Jack Smith (Victor), 2 weeks at #1

When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along – Al Jolson with Carl Fenton’s Orchestra (Brunswick), 2 weeks at #1

Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blues (Has Anybody Seen My Girl) – Gene Austin (Victor), one week at #1

#1 pop songs of 1916

Ireland and Hawaii

Here are the #1 pop songs of 1916. It’s interesting to me that there is a war song and two patriotic songs on the list because the United States had not yet gone to war in Europe for what became World War I until April of 1917.

M-O-T-H-E-R (A Word That Means The World To Me) – Henry Burr (Victor), 6 weeks at #1. He was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007. My mother used to sing the chorus around our house; the song came out a decade before she was born, so she must have learned it from her family.

Good-Bye, Good Luck, God Bless You (Is All That I Can Say) – Henry Burr (Victor), 6 weeks at #1

Hello, Hawaii, How Are You – Prince’s Orchestra (Columbia), 5 weeks at #1; instrumental. I could not find this recording on YouTube or the Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR), though I came across versions by other artists. This is Hello, Hawaii! – Medley Fox Trot, played by the Victor Military Band from 1916, which includes “Hello, Hawaii, How Are You”, “When You’re Down in Louisville” and “That Soothing Symphony”.

The Sunshine Of Your Smile – John McCormick (Victor), 4 weeks at #1

There’s A Long, Long Trail – James F. Harrison and James Reed (Victor), 3 weeks at #1

Turn Back The Universe And Give Me Yesterday – Orpheus Quartet (Victor), 3 weeks at #1. /This song can be heard in an episode of “Boardwalk Empire.”

**Born Israel Beilin (also transliterated as Bailin)**

The Girl On The Magazine – Henry MacDonough (Victor), 3 weeks at #1. Written by Irving Berlin. From the musical comedy, “Stop! Look! Listen!”

If I Knock The ‘L’ Out Of Kelly (It Would Still Be Kelly To Me) – Marguerite Farrell (Victor), 3 weeks at #1

I Sent My Wife To The Thousand Isles – Al Jolson (Columbia), 3 weeks at #1; comedy. The song was featured in the show “Robinson Crusoe, Jr”. Words by Andrew B. Sterling & Ed Moran.

Ireland Must Be Heaven, For My Mother Came From There – Charles Harrison (Victor), 3 weeks at #1

There’s A Quaker Down In Quaker Town – Henry Burr and Albert Campbell (Victor), 3 weeks at #1

Oh How She Could Yacki Hacki Wicki Wacki Woo (That’s Love In Honolulu) – Arthur Collins and Byron Harlan (Victor), 2 weeks at #1; comedy

Somewhere A Voice Is Calling – John McCormack (Victor), 2weeks at #1. Recorded in 1914.

Keep The Home Fires Burning (Till The Boys Come Home) – James F. Harrison (Victor), 2 weeks at #1. Singer Frederick Wheeler also frequently recorded under the pseudonym ‘James F. Harrison.’ It was especially popular in wartime England,

The Star-Spangled Banner – Prince’s Orchestra (Columbia), 2 weeks at #1; instrumental arranged by John Philip Sousa

America (My Country ‘Tis Of Thee)- Columbia Mixed Double Quartette (Columbia), 2 weeks at #1

The Lights Of My Home Town– Peerless Quartet (Victor), 2 weeks at #1

I Love A Piano – Billy Murray (Victor), 1 week at #1. This Irving Berlin tune was introduced in the revue “Stop! Look! Listen!” Judy Garland performed it in the film “Easter Parade” (1948).

Pretty Baby – Billy Murray (Victor), 1 week at #1. A song with a complicated history. You may recall this tune from “every party has a pooper, that’s why we invited you.”

Mainstream and alternative rock #1s for 1991

So You Think You’re In Love

These are the mainstream and alternative rock #1s for 1991. There is some overlap. The mainstream tracks will be designated M and the alternative A.

Mysterious Ways– U2, 12 weeks at#1 M, 9 weeks at #1 A, #9 pop

All This Time – Sting, 7 weeks at #1 M, 2 weeks at number one A, #5 pop

Lift Me Up – Yes, 6 weeks at #1 M, #86 pop

Learning To Fly – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 6 weeks at #1 M, #28 pop

Right Here, Right Now – Jesus Jones, 5 weeks at#1 A, #7 M, #2 pop

Kiss Them For Me – Siouxsie and the Banshees, 5 weeks at #1 A, #23 pop

So You Think You’re In Love – Robin Hitchcock and the Egyptians, 5 weeks at #1 A. This is a great pop song, yet it did not reach the pop charts.

Run Around – Van Halen, 4 weeks at #1 M

Dream Line – Rush, 4 weeks at #1 M

Top Of The World – Van Halen, 4 weeks at #1 M

The Other Side Of Summer – Elvis Costello, 4 weeks at #1 A. I only bought Mighty Like A Rose since COVID.

Teenage Wasteland redux

Rush -Big Audio Dynamite II, 4 weeks at #1 A, #40 M, #32 pop. Samples Baba O’Riley by The Who

Highwire – The Rolling Stones, 3 weeks at #1 M, #57 pop

Losing My Religion – R.E.M., 3 weeks at #1 M, 8 weeks at #1 A, #4 pop

Get A Leg Up – John Mellencamp, 3 weeks at #1 M, #14 pop

Poundcake – Van Halen, 2 weeks at #1 M

Out In The Cold – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 2 weeks at #1 M

See The Lights -Simple Minds, 2 weeks at #1 A, #10 M, #40 pop

Get The Message – Electronic, 2 weeks at #1 A

Until She Comes – the Psychedelic Furs, 2 weeks at #1 A

Give It Away – Red Hot Chili Peppers, 2 weeks at #1 A, #73 pop. Grammy for Hard Rock Performance. I actually know this song better as Bedrock Anthem by Weird Al Yankovic

The Fly – U2, 2 weeks at number one A, #2 M, #61 pop

She Talks To Angels – the Black Crowes, 1 week at #1 M, #30 pop

Silent Lucidity – Queensryche, 1 week at #1 M, #9 pop

Heavy Fuel – Dire Straits, 1 week at #1 M, #22 A

Kinky Afro – Happy Mondays, 1 week at #1 A

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana, 1 week at #1, #7 M, #6 pop. And of course, Weird Al’s Smells Like Nirvana

At the time, I was mostly listening to U2, Sting, Petty, R.E.M., plus the Black Crowes, BAD II, and Nirvana.

Number one hits for 1906

A song Johnny Cash covered

victrola According to the book, Joel Whitburn presents A Century of Pop Music: year-by-year Top 40 rankings of the songs and artists that shaped a Century, these are the number one hits for 1906.

As previously noted, these rankings were derived from various sources, including the Talking Machine World periodical, which published monthly lists of nearly all popular record releases from 1905 onward. Jim Walsh was a universally respected authority on the pioneer recording age in his forty years of columns for Hobbies magazine. Record labels’ publications, particularly those of Victor and Edison, contained valuable information about their own top sheet music sellers. David Ewan’s book All the Years of American Popular Music. Author Roger Kindle Kinko in his Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz 1900 to 1950. Joseph Murrell’s book Million-selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s.

“Victor’s position was solidified in 1906 by the introduction of the Victrola, the first record player to remove the increasingly intrusive tin horn from atop the phonograph and fold it into the wooden cabinet beneath. It would take a few years – Concealed horn phonographs went from 3 percent of total sales in 1907 to 75 percent in 1911 – but the word “Victrola” would become synonymous in many households with the word “phonograph.” By 1908, the phonograph had firmly established its place in the typical American home.”

The songs

The Grand Old Rag (a/k/a You’re a Grand Old Flag) – Billy Murray (Victor), 10 weeks at #1, from George Washington Jr. A very familiar piece.

Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie – Byron Harlan (Columbia), 9 weeks at #1. I know this one too.

Nobody – Bert Williams (Columbia), 9 weeks at #1, music by Bert Williams and lyrics by Alex Rogers. “THE DOYEN OF AFRO-AMERICAN ENTERTAINERS.” Ha! Johnny Cash covered this song on his 2000 American III: Solitary Man album!

Love Me and the World is Mine – Henry Burr (Columbia), 7 weeks at #1.

The Good Old U.S.A.The Good Old U.S.A. – Byron Harlan(Columbia), 4 weeks at #1

Love Me And The World Is Mine — Albert Campbell (Victor), 3 weeks at #1. Words by David Ball Jr. Music by Ernest R. Ball.

Everybody Works But Father – Billy Murray (Victor), a comedy record, 3 weeks at #1

So Long, Mary – Corinne Morgan (Victor), 3 weeks at #1, from Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway. A George M. Cohan song

How Would You Like To Spoon With Me – Corrine Morgan, and the Haydn Quartet (Victor) 2 weeks at #1.

Call me little tootsy wootsy baby. How’d you like to hug and squeeze?

Indeed, I would. Dangle me upon your knees.

Oh, if I could. How’d you like to be my lovey dovey? How’d you like to spoon with me?

Let It Alone – Bert Williams (Columbia), 2 weeks at #1, a comedy record

Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie – Harry Talley (Victor), 1 week at #1