List of singles on the Billboard charts (1940)

Notes on using the list

The table contains musicians, titles and their author (s), date of entry into the charts, length of stay in the charts and highest ranking. The origin of the performers is indicated by the country flag; Titles that have reached number one are highlighted in color. The default sorting is alphabetical according to the artist. You can also sort by title, chart entry, dwell time, position and label. Titles that have reached number one are highlighted in yellow.

The list of singles in the Billboard charts (1940) is a complete list of the chart songs that were able to place themselves with the start of the official Billboard single rating on July 27, 1940 .

When setting up it should be noted that the A and B sides of a sound carrier could also be placed individually in the Billboard charts ; in this case they are listed separately in this list. The information on the number of weeks and the best placement correspond to the timeframe of the respective calendar year and thus only represent partial statistics. This year a total of 43 songs were placed.

In addition to the popular big bands , soloists such as Bing Crosby were the stars who mastered all the major media formats of the time, films, radio and music recordings. Other popular singers were the vocal ensembles like the Andrew Sisters and the Ink Spots . Bandleaders like the Dorsey Brothers have often helped kickstart the careers of singers who became popular as solo artists, like Frank Sinatra , who became famous as a singer during this period.

See also : List of number one hits in the US (1940)

Interpreter	Title Author (s)	Chart entry	maximum placement	Weeks	Label number	Remarks
The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen & his Orchestra	Ferryboat Serenade (La piccinina) Eldo di Lazzaro , Mario Panzeri, Harold Adamson	December 07, 1940	8th	2	Decca 3328	The Andrews Sisters were with the song nine weeks at number one on the American jukebox charts. Versions of the song by Kay Kyser , Gray Gordon , Frankie Masters and Leo Reisman were also popular during this period .
Mitchell Ayres & his Fashions in Music, Vocal Refrain by Mary Ann Mercer	Make-Believe Island Nick Kenny, Charles Kenny, Will Grosz	07/27/1940	10	1	Bluebird B-10 687	The band leader Mitchell Ayres was considered the world's first one-hit wonder with Make-Believe Island .
Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra	Pompton Turnpike Will Osborne , Dick Rogers	10/26/1940	3	6th	Bluebird B-10 825	The title was arranged by Billy May . However, part of its arrangement was never recorded on record, because the jukeboxes of the time could not adequately reproduce the end of the brass section , so Victor Records simply omitted the finale from the recording.
Charlie Barnet & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Mary Ann McCall	Where Was I? (From the Warner Bros. Film 'Til We Meet Again ) Al Dubin , W. Franke Harling	07/27/1940	6th	1	Bluebird B-10 669	Where Was I? was the band leader's first and only number one hit. Even Sammy Kaye and Jan Savitt were successful with the film song in the US charts.
Will Bradley & his Orchestra feat. Ray McKinley	Scrub Me, Mama, With a Boogie Beat Don Raye	December 07, 1940	6th	3	Columbia 35 743	The song is a boogie version of the Irish folk song Irish Washerwoman / Scotch Bagpipe Melody from 1792. The Andrews Sisters were also successful in the charts with the song.
Will Bradley & his Orchestra feat. Ray McKinley & Freddie Slack	Beat Me Daddy (Eight to the Bar) Don Raye, Hughie Prince , Eleanor Sheehy	09/28/1940	2	13	Columbia 35 530	Beat Me Daddy , later mistakenly classified by jazz historian Gunther Schuller as a "stupid novelty song ", was the most successful boogie-woogie hit in the charts , a bestseller for Will Bradley, The Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller.
Bob Chester & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Al Stuart	Practice Makes Perfect Don Roberts, Ernest Gold	10/12/1940	6th	6th	Bluebird B-10 838	Practice Makes Perfect was the number one hit on Your Hit Parade for several weeks in October 1940 . In addition to the Bob Chester Orchestra, Al Kavelin (with band vocalist Bill Darnel) was also successful with the song.
Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter & his Orchestra	Only Forever (From Paramount Picture Rhythm on the River ) James V. Monaco , Johnny Burke	09/28/1940	1	13	Decca 3300	The song comes from the Paramount production Rhythm on the River (director: Victor Schertzinger ). In the different film version, Bing Crosby sings Only Forever to his film partner Mary Martin , at the end of the song the two sing in a duet.
Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter & his Orchestra	Sierra Sue Joseph B. Carey	07/27/1940	3	10	Decca 3133	Joseph Buell Carey wrote Sierra Sue as early as 1916; for Bing Crosby's version, the lyrics were revised in 1940 by Elliott Shapiro. Glenn Miller also made the song popular during this time.
Bing Crosby with Dick McIntire & his Harmony Hawaiians	Trade Winds Cliff Friend, Charles Tobias	09/21/1940	2	14th	Decca 3299
Bob Crosby & his Orchestra, Vocal Chorus by Bonnie King	Down Argentina Way (From 20th Century-Fox Picture Down Argentine Way ) Harry Warren , Mack Gordon , Carlos Albert	December 14, 1940	6th	1	Decca 3404	This version of the piece comes from the 20th Century Fox production Galopp ins Glück .
Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Chorus by Bob Eberly	The Breeze and I (Adapted by Toots Camarata from Andalucía ) Al Stillman, Ernesto Lecuona	07/27/1940	2	9	Decca 3150	It is an English-language version of the piece Andalucía from the piano suite of the same name by Ernesto Lecuona from 1928.
Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Chorus by Helen O'Connell	Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga Charles Newman, James V. Monaco	08/17/1940	4th	3	Decca 3152	The funny, but also ambiguous text caused some radio disc jockeys in 1940 not to play the title. The song content served as a template for the Universal production Six Lessons from Madame La Zonga from 1941.
Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Frank Sinatra	Imagination Jimmy Van Heusen , Johnny Burke	07/27/1940	8th	1	Victor 26 581	The Burke / Van Heusen songwriting team wrote Imagination exclusively for Frank Sinatra, who re-recorded the song in 1962 after acquiring Reprise Records . The song was also recorded by Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Reser , Ted Straeter and Roger Wolfe Kahn during this time .
Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Frank Sinatra	Our Love Affair (From The MGM-Film Strike Up The Band ) Arthur Freed , Roger Edens	11/09/1940	5	3	Victor 26 736	This version of the play comes from the MGM production Hot rhythms in Chicago .
Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Frank Sinatra	Trade Winds (Vientos alisios) Cliff Friend, Charles Tobias	09/21/1940	10	4th	Victor 26 666	B-side of the single Only Forever (Solo para siempre) (From the Paramount Film Rhythm on the River ). With this song, Sinatra and Bing Crosby were direct competitors, because only these two were noted in the charts. It was one of the most successful titles of 1940.
Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Frank Sinatra	We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) (Nosotros tres) Dick Robertson, Nelson Cogane, Sammy Mysels	11/30/1940	6th	3	Victor 26 747	The Ink Spots were successful in 1940 with the song in the US charts.
Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Frank Sinatra & The Pied Pipers	I'll Never Smile Again (Jamás reiré otra vez) Ruth Lowe	07/27/1940	1	15th	Victor 26 628	It was only Dorsey's recording with Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers that brought the title to the top of the US charts, until Glenn Miller's version followed suit in August.
Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Allan Storr	Only Forever (Solo para siempre) (From the Paramount Film Rhythm on the River ) Johnny Burke, James V. Monaco	11/30/1940	7th	3	Victor 26 666	The movie song was a number one hit in 1940 in the version by Bing Crosby (who also appeared in the film). Also Eddy Duchin was represented by its version in November 1940 in the charts.
Judy Garland with Bobby Sherwood & his Orchestra	I'm Nobody's Baby (From MGM Picture Andy Hardy Meets Debutante ) Benny Davis, Milton Ager , Lester Santly	08/10/1940	3	10	Decca 3174	In addition to I'm Nobody's Baby , Judy Garland sang two other songs in the film Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (director: George B. Seitz ); All I Do Is Dream of You (which was removed before it was released) and Buds Won't Bud .
Erskine Hawkins & his Orchestra	Dolimite William Johnson	09/14/1940	10	1	Bluebird B-10 812	Only Erskine Hawkins got into the US charts with this song. The soloists include saxophonist Paul Bascomb ; The arranger of the title is William Johnson (tenor saxophone)
The Ink Spots , Vocal with Instrumental Accompaniment	Maybe Allan Flynn, Frank Madden	07.09.1940	2	14th	Decca 3258	With the romantic song, the vocal ensemble headed Your Hit Parade for three weeks . In addition to the Ink Spots, Maybe was also successfully covered by Bobby Byrne in the 1940s . He was later picked up by Perry Como and Eddie Fisher .
The Ink Spots, Vocal with Instrumental Accompaniment	We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) Dick Robertson, Nelson Cogane, Sammy Mysels	10/12/1940	3	11	Decca 3379
The Ink Spots, Vocal with Instrumental Accompaniment	When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano Leon René	08/03/1940	4th	11	Decca 3195	The African American vocal ensemble The Ink Spots was accepted by the white population of the United States with songs like When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano .
The Ink Spots, Vocal with Instrumental Accompaniment	Whispering Grass (Don't Tell the Trees) Fred Fisher , Doris Fisher	05/10/1940	10	1	Decca 3258	The folk song was the last successful track between the songwriter Fred Fisher and his daughter Doris. Even Erskine Hawkins was entitled in 1940 in the top 20th
Kay Kyser & his Orchestra, Vocal by Ginny, Harry, Jack & Max	Ferry-Boat Serenade Harold Adamson, Eldo di Lazzaro	11/02/1940	7th	3	Columbia 35 627	The band vocalists included Harry Babbitt and Ginny Simms .
Kay Kyser & his Orchestra, Vocal Chorus by Sully Mason & His Playmates	Playmates Saxie Dowell	07/27/1940	4th	1	Columbia 35 375
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra	Pennsylvania 6-5000 Carl Sigman , Jerry Gray	07/27/1940	5	6th	Bluebird B-10 754	The special thing about Pennsylvania 6-5000 is that the band sings the title, which was the full text at the time. Only later was a full text added, which the Andrews Sisters and the Mills Brothers recorded. Although not a number one hit, it became a millionaire for Miller.
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Jack Lathrop	Crosstown James Cavanaugh, John Redmond, Nat Simon	05/10/1940	9	1	Bluebird B-10 832	Crosstown was a hit with Glenn Miller and his Orchestra (Bluebird) and Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (Decca). On the B-side of the '78 was What's Your Story Morning Glory .
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	A Handful of Stars (From the MGM-Film Hullabaloo ) Jack Lawrence, Ted Shapiro	11/30/1940	10	1	Bluebird B-10 893	In Glenn Miller's A Handful of Stars was Tex Beneke soloist on tenor saxophone.
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (From the London Musical Success New Faces ) Eric Maschwitz , Manning Sherwin	December 21, 1940	5	1	Bluebird B-10 931	In addition to Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby , Ray Noble , Guy Lombardo and Sammy Kaye were also successful with the song in the USA .
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	Blueberry Hill Al Lewis, Larry Stock, Vincent Rose	08/10/1940	2	14th	Bluebird B-10 768	Blueberry Hill wasn't just a hit for Glenn Miller in 1941; and Gene Autry sang the song in The Singing Hill . The song later became a classic in the Fats Domino version .
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread) Johnny Mercer , Rube Bloom	07/27/1940	3	7th	Bluebird B-10 728	Fools Rush In was based on a composition by Rube Bloom called Shangri-La . The song also hit the charts in 1940 in versions by Tommy Dorsey and Tony Martin .
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	Imagination Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke	07/27/1940	8th	1	Bluebird B-10 622	The Burke / Van Heusen song was first introduced by Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians, but it wasn't until the recordings by Glenn Miller / Ray Eberle and Tommy Dorsey / Frank Sinatra made the song popular across the country.
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	Our Love Affair (From the MGM-Film Strike Up the Band ) Arthur Freed, Roger Edens	11/09/1940	8th	2	Bluebird B-10 845	This version of the play comes from the MGM production Hot rhythms in Chicago ; B-side of The Call of the Canyon.
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	The Call of the Canyon Billy Hill	11/09/1940	10	1	Bluebird B-10 845	Gene Autry presented the song in the western music film Melody Ranch (1940, directed by Joseph Santley ), in which he also played the lead role. In addition to Glenn Miller, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra was also successful with the song.
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	The Nearness of You Ned Washington , Hoagy Carmichael	08/03/1940	5	8th	Bluebird B-10 745	Miller's version of the 1937 Hoagy Charmichael song was the only hit notation for the song, which Conne Boswell , Chick Bullock , Larry Clinton and Harry James also recorded during the period .
Glenn Miller & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Ray Eberle	When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano Leon René	08/31/1940	10	1	Bluebird B-10 776	When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano was one of the most successful songs of the World War I and was recorded several times, first in 1940 by Ink Spots, Guy Lombardo and Gene Autry . Most successful, however, was Glenn Miller's version.
Leo Reisman & his Orchestra, Vocal Refrain by Sara Horn	Down Argentina Way (Allá en la Argentina) (From The 20th Century-Fox Film Down Argentine Way ) Mack Gordon, Harry Warren	11/23/1940	7th	2	Victor 26 765	This version of the piece comes from the 20th Century Fox production Galopp ins Glück .
Jan Savitt & his Orchestra, Vocal Chorus by George "Bon Bon" Tunnell	Make-Believe Island Will Grosz, Nick Kenny, Charles Kenny	08/03/1940	8th	1	Decca 3188	The title was in 1940 in four other versions in the US charts, also by Mitchell Ayres , Dick Todd , Dick Jurgens and Sammy Kaye .
Artie Shaw & his Orchestra	Frenesi Alberto Domínguez	08/03/1940	1	5	Victor 27 546
Kate Smith with Mixed Chorus & Orchestra	God Bless America Irving Berlin	08/17/1940	5	3	Victor 26 198	The patriotic song God Bless America , which Irving Berlin had reworked in 1938, was the theme tune of Kate Smith's successful radio show The Kate Smith Hour .
Will Bradley Trio feat. Ray McKinley	Down the Road a Piece Don Raye	December 21, 1940	10	1	Columbia 35 707	Freddie Slack (piano) and Doc Goldberg (bass) were involved in the song .

Web links

• Billboard Magazine 1936 to 2014 (Free Archive)

Individual evidence

1. ^ The Billboard, July 27, 1940, p. 11 (available in the American Radio History Archives )
2. ↑ Cf. George T. Simon : The golden era of big bands. Hannibal, Höfen 2004, ISBN 3-85445-243-8 .
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Dan Tyler: Hit Songs, 1900–1955: American Popular Music of the Pre-Rock Era , 2009
4. ↑ Spencer Leigh: Frank Sinatra: An Extraordinary Life , 2015
5. ↑ ^{a b c} Tom Lord The Jazz Discography (online, accessed April 28, 2019)
6. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n} Gerhard Klußmeier : Jazz in the Charts. Another view on jazz history. Liner notes and booklet for the 100 CD edition. Membrane International GmbH. ISBN 978-3-86735-062-4
7. ↑ Larry Birnbaum: Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll . Lanham: Scarecrow Press 2015
8. ↑ Siegfried Schmidt-Joos : My back pages: Idols and freaks, death and legend in pop music . Berlin: Lukas Verlag, 2004, p. 277
9. ↑ James L. Neibaur: The Essential Mickey Rooney . Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. p. 105.
10. ↑ Kevin Phinney: Souled American: How Black Music Transformed White Culture . Billboard Books, 2005.
11. ↑ See Joel Whitburn's Pop Hits, 1940–1954: Compiled from Billboard's Pop Singles Charts 1940–1954
12. ↑ Nat Shapiro, Bruce Pollock: Popular music, 1920–1979: a revised cumulation, Volume 1 . Gale Research Co., 1985, p. 375.
13. ↑ RCA Victor Record Review, Volumes 3-5. 1940.
14. ↑ Bob Giula: Icons of R & B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists who Revolutionized Rhythm, Volume 1 . Westport: Grenwood Press, 2007, p. 60
15. ^ Nat Shapiro, Bruce Pollock: Popular Music, 1920–1979: a revised cumulation, Volume 1 . Gale Research Co., 1985
16. ↑ Angela Turner: Swallow . 2015, see also Lizard Tales: People and Events in the Life of a Naturalist by Bayard H. Brattstrom, 2018