100 Greatest Songs From 1943

Criteria: These songs from 1943 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.

1. Pistol Packin' Mama
Al Dexter / Bing Crosby & Andrews Sisters
2. Don't Cry, Baby
Erskine Hawkins (Jimmy Mitchelle)
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Bing Crosby
4. (Goodnight) Irene
Leadbelly
5. Shoo-Shoo Baby
Andrews Sisters / Ella Mae Morse
6. Bésame Mucho
Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Kitty Kallen)
7. Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer
Song Spinners / Willie Kelly / Four Vagabonds
8. You'll Never Know
Dick Haymes
9. As Time Goes By
Rudy Vallee
10. Star Eyes
Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly & Helen O’Connell)
11. Sunday, Monday, or Always
Bing Crosby
12. Mairzy Doats
Merry Macs
13. That Old Black Magic
Glenn Miller
14. My Heart Tells Me
Glen Gray (Eugenie Baird)
15. It Can't Be Wrong
Dick Haymes / Allen Miller / Four Vagabonds
16. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
Duke Ellington (Al Hibbler)
17. Let's Get Lost
Vaughn Monroe / Kay Kyser / Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly)
18. Five Guys Named Moe
Louis Jordan
19. People Will Say We're In Love
Bing Crosby & Trudy Erwin / Frank Sinatra
20. I Heard You Cried Last Night
Harry James (Helen Forrest)
21. They're Either Too Young or Too Old
Jimmy Dorsey (Kitty Kallen)
22. Deacon Jones
Louis Jordan
23. Holiday For Strings
David Rose
24. It Started All Over Again
Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra)
25. No Love, No Nothin'
Ella Mae Morse / Johnny Long (Patti Dugan)
26. All For You
King Cole Trio
27. A Slip of the Lip (Can Sink a Ship)
Duke Ellington (Ray Nance)
28. In My Arms
Dick Haymes
29. I Can't Stand Losing You
Ink Spots
30. Victory Polka
Bing Crosby & Andrews Sisters
31. Sweet Slumber
Lucky Millinder (Trevor Bacon)
32. My Ideal
Jimmy Dorsey (Bob Eberly) / Billy Butterfield (Margaret Whiting) / Maxine Sullivan
33. Ration Blues
Louis Jordan
34. Solo Flight
Benny Goodman & Charlie Chsitian
35. My Shining Hour
Glen Gray (Eugenie Baird)
36. Sentimental Lady (I Didn't Know About You
Duke Ellington
37. G.I. Jive
Johnny Mercer
38. Are You Ready?
Lucky Millinder (Trevor Bacon)
39. It Must Be Jelly ('Cause Jam Don't Shake Like That)
Glenn Miller
40. Velvet Moon
Harry James
41. Appolo Jump
Lucky Millinder
42. Rusty Dusty Blues
Count Basie (Jimmy Rushing)
43. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning
Oklahoma Orchestra (Alfred Drake) / Bing Crosby & Trudy Erwin
44. Don't Stop Now
Bunny Banks Trio (Bonnie Davis) / Beverly White
45. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart
Judy Garland
46. Riffette
Freddie Slack
47. Cherry
Harry James
48. Johnny Zero
Song Spinners
49. Mean Old 'Frisco Blues
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
50. Murder, He Says
Dinah Shore

51. Let's Beat Out Some Love
Buddy Johnson (Warren Evans)
52. Oh! Miss Jaxon
Charlie Barnet ("Peanuts" Holland)
53. Rhapsody in Blue
Glenn Miller
54. Jingle Bells
Bing Crosby & Andrews Sisters
55. Oklahoma!
Alfred Drake
56. I Never Mention Your Name
Jack Leonard / Dick Haymes
57. Poinciana (Song Of The Tree)
Benny Carter
58. John Henry
Leadbelly
59. Hey Lawdy Mama (Meet Me in the Bottom)
Any Kirk (June Richmond)
60. Shame And Scandal
Sir Lancelot
61. Rosalita
Al Dexter
62. Dreamer
Kay Armen
63. From Twilight 'Til Dawn
Ceelle Burke / Freddy Martin
64. If You Please
Bing Corsby
65. Big Boy
Ray McKinley (Imogene Lynn)
66. Down In The Valley
Andrews Sisters
67. Tweedle-O-Twill
Gene Autry
68. Come Sunday
Duke Ellington
69. That'll Just 'Bout Knock Me Out
Louis Jordan
70. Rose Ann Of Charing Cross
Four Vagabonds / Peter Piper
71. Prince Charmin
Harry James
72. Rum & Coca-Cola
Lord Invader
73. The Old Gray Mare Is Back Where She Used to Be
Carson Robinson
74. I'm Old Fashioned
Fred Astaire
75. Ten Little Soldiers
Four Vagabonds
76. This Is the Army, Mr Jones
Horace Heidt
77. My Heart and I Decided
Ella Fitzgerald
78. Get Me on Your Mind
Jay McShann (Al Hibbler)
79. Close To You
Frank Sinatra
80. Home in San Antone
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
81. Washington Whirliglig
Charlie Barnet
82. Hit That Jive, Jack
Four Vagabonds
83. Mandy, Make Up Your Mind
Tommy Dorsey
84. Mission To Moscow
Benny Goodman
85. Think of Me
Roy Rogers
86. On A Monday
Leadbelly
87. Pushin' Sand
Kay Kyser
88. Jump Town
Harry James
89. Something To Remember You By
Dinah Shore
90. I'll Never Make The Same Mistake Again
Ink Spots
91. Miss Molly
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
92. East Side Of The Rockies
Andrews Sisters
93. The Prodigal Son
Roy Acuff
94. Rubber Bounce
Sonny Boy Williams
95. The Fuddy Duddy Watchmaker
Kay Kyser
96. Your Socks Don't Match
Fats Waller
97. Old Acquaintance
Jo Stafford
98. Columbus Stockade Blues
Jimmie Davis
99. Move It Over
Ethel Mermen
100. Four or Five Times
Woody Herman
20 more worth mentioning.
101. Tell Me, Mama
Jazz Gillum
102. Have I Stayed Away Too Long?
Perry Como
103. Gonna Follow My Baby
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup
104. Please Be Careful (If You Can't Be Good)
Boone's Jumpin' Jacks
105. Tap the Barrel Dry
Rene Musstte Orchestra
106. They Took the Stars Out of Heaven
Floyd Tillman
107. For The Good Of Your Country
Count Basie (Jimmy Rushing)
108. How Sweet You Are
Kay Armen / Jo Stafford
109. Savoy
Lucky Millinder
110. Cryin' The Boogie Blues
Will Bradley
111. Get On Board, Little Chillun
Freddie Slack
112. Fly Right, Baby
Lonnie Johnson
113. I Had the Craziest Dream
Four Vagabonds
114. Night Watchman Blues
Big Bill Broonzy
115. Cuddle Up A Little Closer, Lovey Mine
Kay Armen
116. Blue Surreal
Bob Crosby
117. The Surrey with The Fringe on Top
Oklahoma Orchestra (Alfred Drake)
118. Stalin Wasn't Stallin'
Golden Gate Quartet
119. Please Think of Me
Shep Fields (Ralph Young)
120. He Knows How To Knock Me Out
Bunny Banks Trio (Bonnie Davis)
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1943
An unheralded great record from 1943
Adam's choice:
* The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise
Benny Goodman
Bruce's choice:
* Sharp As A Tack
Four Vagabonds
Lew's choice:
* Them There Eyes
Quintette du Hot Club de France
    1942   |   1944
Leadbelly
Dick Haymes

Last Updated: 2010-04-27