Search - Various Artists :: Chart Toppers of the 30's

25 Of The Best The Thirties Had To Offer

06/08/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the decade of the "Dirty Thirties" there were some 211 songs that made it to # 1 on the national North American charts (some of them variations on the same song), and in this volume from the U.K. based ASV Living Era outlet you get 25, all of which spent at least 5 weeks at the top spot. Full details are in the discography which accompanies 3 pages of background information written in 1998 by Peter Dempsey. The sound is excellent.



In 1930 there were 14 # 1 hits, with Stein Song by Rudy Vallée & His Connecticut Yankees leading the way with 10 weeks at that position, followed by Dancing With Tears In My Eyes by Nat Shilkret & The Victor Orchestra (vocal by Lewis James) at 7 weeks. Others that could have met the 5 weeks criteria were Little White Lies by Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians (vocal by Clare Hanlon), and Body And Soul by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra (vocal by Jack Fulton), both of which spent 6 weeks at # 1.



From 1931, which had 16 # 1 hits, they select Sweet And Lovely by Gus Arnheim & His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra (vocal by Donald Novis), which had a 6-week stay at the top, but two better were The Peanut Vendor by Don Azpiazu & His Havana Casino Orchestra (vocal by Arturo Machin), and Good Night, Sweetheart, an instrumental by Wayne King & His Orchestra, both of which spent 7 weeks there.



In 1932 there were 15 such hits, and they picked three pretty good ones: Please by Bing Crosby with Anson Weeks & His Orchestra (6 weeks), In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town by Ted Lewis & His Band (10 weeks), and Night And Day by Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman & His Orchestra (also 10 weeks). Others that qualified were Paradise by Leo Reisman & His Orchestra (vocal by Frances Maddux), 6 weeks, and We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (vocal by Carmen Lombardo), 5 weeks.



There were just 10 # 1 hits in 1933 and here you get the top three: Stormy Weather by Leo Reisman & His Orchestra (vocal by Harold Arlen), 8 weeks; Love Is The Sweetest Thing by Ray Noble & His Orchestra (vocal by Al Bowlly), 5 weeks; and The Last Round-Up by George Olsen & His Orchestra (vocal by Joe Morrison), 9 weeks.



1934, on the other hand, produced 20 such hits and in this volume are: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra (vocal by Bob Lawrence and trumpet solo by Bunny Berigan), 6 weeks; and June In January by Bing Crosby with George Stoll & His Orchestra, 7 weeks. These would also have qualified: Let's Fall In Love by Eddy Duchin & His Orchestra (vocal by Lew Sherwood); The Little Dutch Mill by Bing Crosby with Jimmy Grier's orchestra; Cocktails For Two by Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra; I'll String Along With You by Ted Fio Rito & His Orchestra (vocal by Muzzy Marcellino); The Very Thought Of You by Ray Noble & His Orchestra (vocal by Al Bowlly), each of which spent 5 weeks at # 1, and Love In Bloom by Bing Crosby with Irving Aaronson's orchestra, 6 weeks.



A total of 27 # 1 hits appeared in 1935, but the only two included here are The Isle Of Capri by Ray Noble & His Orchestra (vocal by Al Bowlly), 7 weeks, and Cheek To Cheek by Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman & His Orchestra (11 weeks), simply because none of the other 25 were at the top position for more than 4 weeks. Not so the case in 1936 which had 29, including these 3 presented here: The Glory Of Love by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (vocal by Helen Ward), 6 weeks; Pennies From Heaven by Bing Crosby with George Stoll's orchestra (10 weeks); and The Way You Look Tonight by Fred Astaire with Johnny Green & His Orchestra (6 weeks). Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra had two which qualified, The Music Goes Round And Round (vocal by Edythe Wright), and Alone (vocal by Cliff Weston), 5 and 6 weeks respectively, while both Benny Goodman (Goody-Goody - vocal by Helen Ward, 6 weeks - and Fred Astaire (A Fine Romance with the Johnny Green orchestra, 5 weeks) had one more each.



1937 produced the most # 1 hits, 31, but just 2 are here: Sweet Leilani by Bing Crosby & Lani McIntyre & His Hawaiians (10 weeks); and Once In A While by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (vocal by a quartet), 7 weeks. Left out were two by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (Boo Hoo and It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane - vocals by Carmen Lombardo and both 5 weeks), and another by Tommy Dorsey (The Dipsy Doodle - vocal by Edythe Wright, 6 weeks).



Out of the 27 1938 selections you get these 4: A-Tisket, A-Tasket by Chick Webb & His Orchestra (vocal by Ella Fitzgerald, 10 weeks); Music, Maestro, Please by Tommy Dorsey (vocal Edythe Wright, 6 weeks); My Reverie by Larry Clinton & His Orchestra (vocal by Bea Wain, 8 weeks); and Begin The Beguine by Artie Shaw & His Orchestra, 6 weeks. Others that could have made the volume were Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen by The Andrews Sisters, 5 weeks; Don't Be That Way by Benny Goodman, 5 weeks; and Ti-Pi-Tin by Horace Heidt & His Orchestra (vocal by Lysbeth Hughes & Larry Cotton, 6 weeks.



In the final year of the decade there were 22 # 1 hits, represented here by Over The Rainbow by Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (vocal by Ray Eberle, 7 weeks, Deep Purple by Larry Clinton (vocal by Bea Wain), 9 weeks, and Scatterbrain by Frankie Masters & His Orchestra, 8 weeks. Not making the cut were And The Angels Sing by Benny Goodman (vocal by Martha Tilton), Jeepers Creepers by Al Donohue & His Orchestra (vocal by Paula Kelly), and South Of The Border (Down Mexico Way) by Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra (vocal by Hal Derwin), all 5 weeks.



The missing tunes could have formed the basis for a Volume 2, but I doubt we'll ever see that as ASV has been bought out by Universal Music Group and has reportedly discontinued all their many volumes. Shame."

Best charted songs possible

Paul H. Neyman | Asheville, NC | 05/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd goes right down the list of the best charted songs of the thirties. Every song from 78s but the right version. The best possible cd of thirties charted music. The twenties cd "chart toppers of the twenties" is exactly the same-the best possible charted songs of that decade. The two best greatest hits by various artists cds I have ever bought! Bring on more-the teens, and earlier!"