100 Greatest Songs From 1942
Criteria: These songs from 1942 were chosen and ranked based on their initial & lasting popularity, and on their impact on the overall scope of musical history.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.
1. White Christmas
Bing Crosby
2. Paper Doll
Mills Brothers
3. Stormy Weather
Lena Horne
4. Flying Home
Lionel Hampton (Illinois Jacquet)
5. Why Don't You Do Right?
Benny Goodman (Peggy Lee)
6. Jingle, Jangle, Jingle
Kay Kyser (Julie Conway & Harry Babbitt) / Gene Autry
7. Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)
Jimmie Lunceford (Willie Smith)
8. (I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo
Glenn Miller
9. Tangerine
Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
10. Moonlight Cocktail
Glenn Miller
11. Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree
Glenn Miller (Modernaires) / Andrews Sisters
12. Sleepy Lagoon
Harry James
13. Jersey Bounce
Benny Goodman / Jimmy Dorsey
14. Deep in the Heart of Texas
Alvino Rey / Bing Crosby / Horace Heidt / Gene Autry
15. (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover
Vera Lynn
16. I've Heard That Song Before
Harry James (Helen Forrest)
17. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts of Town
Louis Jordan / Big Bill Broonzy / Jimmie Lunceford
18. Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition
Kay Kyser / Merry Macs / Southern Sons / Royal Harmony Quartet
19. Der Fuehrer's Face
Spike Jones (Carl Grayson & Willie Spicer)
20. Trav'lin Light
Paul Whiteman (Lady Day)
21. Cow-Cow Boogie
Freddie Slack (Ella Mae Morse)
22. Stormy Monday Blues
Earl Hines (Billy Eckstine)
23. Night And Day
Frank Sinatra
24. Shout, Sister, Shout
Lucky Millinder (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
25. See See Rider Blues
Bea Booze
26. Wreck On The Highway
Roy Acuff
27. American Patrol
Glenn Miller
28. Mister Five By Five
Freddie Slack (Ella Mae Morse) / Harry James
29. Serenade in Blue
Glenn Miller (Ray Eberle & Modernaires)
30. Brazil
Xavier Cugat / Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
31. Perdido
Duke Ellington
32. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Ink Spots
33. Juke Box Saturday Night
Glenn Miller (Modernaires)
34. That Ain't Right
King Cole Trio
35. At Last
Glenn Miller (Ray Eberle)
36. Take it and Git
Andy Kirk
37. There Are Such Things
Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
38. Skylark
Harry James / Dinah Shore / Woody Herman / Glenn Miller / Bing Crosby
39. St. James' Infirmary
Artie Shaw (Hot Lips Page)
40. I Don't Want To Walk Without You
Harry James (Helen Forrest) / Bing Crosby
41. I'm Gonna Leave You on The Outskirts of Town
Louis Jordan
42. Take Me
Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra) / Benny Goodman (Dick Haymes)
43. Amen
Abe Lyman / Woody Herman
44. Strip Polka
Kay Kyser / Andrews Sisters / Alvino Rey / Johnny Mercer
45. Idaho
Benny Goodman (Dick Haymes)
46. Who Wouldn't Love You
Kay Kyser (Trudy & Harry Babbitt)
47. Let Me Play With Your Poodle
Tampa Red
48. Rock Island Line
Leadbelly
49. The Chicks I Pick Are Slender and Tender and Tall
Louis Jordan
50. I Had The Craziest Dream
Harry James
51. Gonna Hit The Highway
Washboard Sam
52. Give Me A 32-20
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
53. What's the Use of Getting Sober (When You Gonna Get Drunk Again)
Louis Jordan
54. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Johnny Hodges
55. When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World)
Vaughn Monroe / Lucky Millinder (Trevor Bacon)
56. Ev'ry Night About This Time
Ink Spots
57. Moon Mist
Duke Ellington
58. I Want A Tall Skinny Papa
Lucky Millinder (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
59. Blues On Central Avenue
Joe Turner
60. Knock Me A Kiss
Louis Jordan / Gene Krupa / Erskine Hawkins
61. Rock Me
Lucky Millinder (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
62. He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings
Kay Kyser (Harry Babbitt)
63. The "C" Jam Blues
Duke Ellington
64. For Me And My Gal
Judy Garland & Gene Kelly
65. Baby Don't You Cry
Buddy Johnson (Warren Evans)
66. If I Cared A Little Bit Less (And You Cared A Little Bit More)
Ink Spots
67. It's A Low Down Dirty Shame
Louis Jordan
68. Deep Blue Sea Blues
Tommy McClennan
69. Bicycle Bounce
Erskine Hawkins
70. Hit That Jive Jack
King Cole Trio
71. Take This Hammer (Steel Drivin')
Lead Belly
72. Born To Lose
Ted Daffan's Texans (Leon Seago)
73. Keep Your Hand On Your Heart
Lil Green
74. S. K. Blues
Saunders King
75. Hay-Foot, Straw Foot
Duke Ellington
76. Just As Though You Were Here
Ink Spots
77. This Is Worth Fighting For
Ink Spots
78. It Ain't Necessarily So
Todd Duncan
79. There's A Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
Elton Britt
80. My Devotion
Vaughn Monroe / Charlie Spivak / Jimmy Dorsey
81. One Dozen Roses
Harry James (Jimmy Saunders) / Dick Jurgens (Buddy Moreno)
82. Moonlight Becomes You
Bing Crosby / Glenn Miller (Modernaires)
83. I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen
Sammy Kaye / Charlie Spivak
84. Let's Start The New Year Right
Bing Crosby
85. Just As Though You Were Here
Tommy Dorsey
86. Dearly Beloved
Glenn Miller (Skip Nelson) / Dinah Shore
87. Pennsylvania Polka
Andrews Sisters
88. Remember Pearl Harbor
Sammy Kaye / Carson Robison
89. Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose in Ireland
Kay Kyser
90. I Don't Know What Kind of Blues I Got
Duke Ellington (Herb Jeffries)
91. Well, Git It
Tommy Dorsey
92. The Way You Look Tonight
Benny Goodman (Peggy Lee)
93. Ride, Red, Ride
Lucky Millinder
94. Easter Parade
Harry James
95. Sweet Eloise
Glenn Miller
96. Miss You
Dinah Shore / Bing Crosby
97. I Remember You
Jimmy Dorsey
98. Daybreak
Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
99. Be Careful, It's My Heart
Bing Crosby
100. Manhattan Serenade
Tommy Dorsey
Bing Crosby
2. Paper Doll
Mills Brothers
3. Stormy Weather
Lena Horne
4. Flying Home
Lionel Hampton (Illinois Jacquet)
5. Why Don't You Do Right?
Benny Goodman (Peggy Lee)
6. Jingle, Jangle, Jingle
Kay Kyser (Julie Conway & Harry Babbitt) / Gene Autry
7. Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)
Jimmie Lunceford (Willie Smith)
8. (I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo
Glenn Miller
9. Tangerine
Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
10. Moonlight Cocktail
Glenn Miller
11. Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree
Glenn Miller (Modernaires) / Andrews Sisters
12. Sleepy Lagoon
Harry James
13. Jersey Bounce
Benny Goodman / Jimmy Dorsey
14. Deep in the Heart of Texas
Alvino Rey / Bing Crosby / Horace Heidt / Gene Autry
15. (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover
Vera Lynn
16. I've Heard That Song Before
Harry James (Helen Forrest)
17. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts of Town
Louis Jordan / Big Bill Broonzy / Jimmie Lunceford
18. Praise The Lord and Pass the Ammunition
Kay Kyser / Merry Macs / Southern Sons / Royal Harmony Quartet
19. Der Fuehrer's Face
Spike Jones (Carl Grayson & Willie Spicer)
20. Trav'lin Light
Paul Whiteman (Lady Day)
21. Cow-Cow Boogie
Freddie Slack (Ella Mae Morse)
22. Stormy Monday Blues
Earl Hines (Billy Eckstine)
23. Night And Day
Frank Sinatra
24. Shout, Sister, Shout
Lucky Millinder (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
25. See See Rider Blues
Bea Booze
26. Wreck On The Highway
Roy Acuff
27. American Patrol
Glenn Miller
28. Mister Five By Five
Freddie Slack (Ella Mae Morse) / Harry James
29. Serenade in Blue
Glenn Miller (Ray Eberle & Modernaires)
30. Brazil
Xavier Cugat / Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell)
31. Perdido
Duke Ellington
32. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Ink Spots
33. Juke Box Saturday Night
Glenn Miller (Modernaires)
34. That Ain't Right
King Cole Trio
35. At Last
Glenn Miller (Ray Eberle)
36. Take it and Git
Andy Kirk
37. There Are Such Things
Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
38. Skylark
Harry James / Dinah Shore / Woody Herman / Glenn Miller / Bing Crosby
39. St. James' Infirmary
Artie Shaw (Hot Lips Page)
40. I Don't Want To Walk Without You
Harry James (Helen Forrest) / Bing Crosby
41. I'm Gonna Leave You on The Outskirts of Town
Louis Jordan
42. Take Me
Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra) / Benny Goodman (Dick Haymes)
43. Amen
Abe Lyman / Woody Herman
44. Strip Polka
Kay Kyser / Andrews Sisters / Alvino Rey / Johnny Mercer
45. Idaho
Benny Goodman (Dick Haymes)
46. Who Wouldn't Love You
Kay Kyser (Trudy & Harry Babbitt)
47. Let Me Play With Your Poodle
Tampa Red
48. Rock Island Line
Leadbelly
49. The Chicks I Pick Are Slender and Tender and Tall
Louis Jordan
50. I Had The Craziest Dream
Harry James
51. Gonna Hit The Highway
Washboard Sam
52. Give Me A 32-20
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
53. What's the Use of Getting Sober (When You Gonna Get Drunk Again)
Louis Jordan
54. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Johnny Hodges
55. When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World)
Vaughn Monroe / Lucky Millinder (Trevor Bacon)
56. Ev'ry Night About This Time
Ink Spots
57. Moon Mist
Duke Ellington
58. I Want A Tall Skinny Papa
Lucky Millinder (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
59. Blues On Central Avenue
Joe Turner
60. Knock Me A Kiss
Louis Jordan / Gene Krupa / Erskine Hawkins
61. Rock Me
Lucky Millinder (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
62. He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings
Kay Kyser (Harry Babbitt)
63. The "C" Jam Blues
Duke Ellington
64. For Me And My Gal
Judy Garland & Gene Kelly
65. Baby Don't You Cry
Buddy Johnson (Warren Evans)
66. If I Cared A Little Bit Less (And You Cared A Little Bit More)
Ink Spots
67. It's A Low Down Dirty Shame
Louis Jordan
68. Deep Blue Sea Blues
Tommy McClennan
69. Bicycle Bounce
Erskine Hawkins
70. Hit That Jive Jack
King Cole Trio
71. Take This Hammer (Steel Drivin')
Lead Belly
72. Born To Lose
Ted Daffan's Texans (Leon Seago)
73. Keep Your Hand On Your Heart
Lil Green
74. S. K. Blues
Saunders King
75. Hay-Foot, Straw Foot
Duke Ellington
76. Just As Though You Were Here
Ink Spots
77. This Is Worth Fighting For
Ink Spots
78. It Ain't Necessarily So
Todd Duncan
79. There's A Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere
Elton Britt
80. My Devotion
Vaughn Monroe / Charlie Spivak / Jimmy Dorsey
81. One Dozen Roses
Harry James (Jimmy Saunders) / Dick Jurgens (Buddy Moreno)
82. Moonlight Becomes You
Bing Crosby / Glenn Miller (Modernaires)
83. I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen
Sammy Kaye / Charlie Spivak
84. Let's Start The New Year Right
Bing Crosby
85. Just As Though You Were Here
Tommy Dorsey
86. Dearly Beloved
Glenn Miller (Skip Nelson) / Dinah Shore
87. Pennsylvania Polka
Andrews Sisters
88. Remember Pearl Harbor
Sammy Kaye / Carson Robison
89. Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose in Ireland
Kay Kyser
90. I Don't Know What Kind of Blues I Got
Duke Ellington (Herb Jeffries)
91. Well, Git It
Tommy Dorsey
92. The Way You Look Tonight
Benny Goodman (Peggy Lee)
93. Ride, Red, Ride
Lucky Millinder
94. Easter Parade
Harry James
95. Sweet Eloise
Glenn Miller
96. Miss You
Dinah Shore / Bing Crosby
97. I Remember You
Jimmy Dorsey
98. Daybreak
Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
99. Be Careful, It's My Heart
Bing Crosby
100. Manhattan Serenade
Tommy Dorsey
20 more worth mentioning.
101. We're Gonna Slap The Dirty Little Jap
Carson Robison
102. The Jitterbug Waltz
Fats Waller
103. All I Need is You
Ella Fitzgerald
104. The Father Jumps
Earl Hines
105. Fat Meat is Good Meat
Jimmy Lytell
106. Jumpin' in a Julep Joint
Erskine Hawkins
107. Cherokee Maiden
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
108. I Ain't Honky Tonkin' Anymore
Ernest Tubb
109. Mussolini's Letter to Hitler
Carson Robison
110. You Nearly Lose Your Mind
Ernest Tubb
111. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Zeke Manners
112. She Gave Her Heart To A Soldier Boy
Roy Rogers
113. Meet Me Down In Honky Tonk Town
Al Dexter
114. He's A Jelly-Roll Baker
Lonnie Johnson
115. So Long Shorty
Erskine Hawkins
116. She's Gone With The Wind
Big Bill Broonzy
117. Shady Grove Blues
Sonny Boy Williamson
118. Mama Mama Blues
Louis Jordan
119. By The Light of The Silvery Moon
Fats Waller
120. It Had To Be You
Jimmie Lunceford
Carson Robison
102. The Jitterbug Waltz
Fats Waller
103. All I Need is You
Ella Fitzgerald
104. The Father Jumps
Earl Hines
105. Fat Meat is Good Meat
Jimmy Lytell
106. Jumpin' in a Julep Joint
Erskine Hawkins
107. Cherokee Maiden
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
108. I Ain't Honky Tonkin' Anymore
Ernest Tubb
109. Mussolini's Letter to Hitler
Carson Robison
110. You Nearly Lose Your Mind
Ernest Tubb
111. When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Zeke Manners
112. She Gave Her Heart To A Soldier Boy
Roy Rogers
113. Meet Me Down In Honky Tonk Town
Al Dexter
114. He's A Jelly-Roll Baker
Lonnie Johnson
115. So Long Shorty
Erskine Hawkins
116. She's Gone With The Wind
Big Bill Broonzy
117. Shady Grove Blues
Sonny Boy Williamson
118. Mama Mama Blues
Louis Jordan
119. By The Light of The Silvery Moon
Fats Waller
120. It Had To Be You
Jimmie Lunceford
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1942
An unheralded great record from 1942
Adam's choice:
* I'm On My Last Go-Round
Leadbelly
Bruce's choice:
* Beale Street Blues
Guy Lombardo (Kenny Gardner)
Lew's choice:
* 627 Stomp
Mills Brothers
Adam's choice:
* I'm On My Last Go-Round
Leadbelly
Bruce's choice:
* Beale Street Blues
Guy Lombardo (Kenny Gardner)
Lew's choice:
* 627 Stomp
Mills Brothers
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Edited By: Bruce
Last Updated: 2010-04-13