Have you been trying to find some popular tracks from 1937 that you can add to your music playlist? Well, we’ve compiled a list of the 31 best songs from 1937, so read on to find out which musicians made the cut!
1. Nice Work If You Can Get It – Fred Astaire
First up is Fred Astaire with Nice Work If You Can Get It, which is considered a jazz standard and was one of the most popular songs of 1938. This track was written for A Damsel In Distress, and in the movie, The Stafford Sisters are singing the backup vocals while he has the lead vocals. This was a Billboard hit and went to number one, so it became one of his most popular tunes of the decade.
2. Sing Sing Sing – Benny Goodman
Next is Sing Sing Sing by Benny Goodman, which was written by Louis Prima. While The New Orleans Gang and Louis recorded the song first, it was the version recorded by Goodman that became the most popular, and it’s his rendition that people associate with the big band era. Coming in at over eight minutes long, it’s no wonder that his recording was put into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982.
3. Marie – Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey lands on our list with Marie, which features Jack Leonard on vocals. There were three versions of this song released in 1937, with his being the first and the best out of the three. It spent eight weeks on the Billboard charts with it peaking at number one for two weeks. The track went into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and sold more than 150,000 copies worldwide.
4. One O’Clock Jump – Count Basie
One O’Clock Jump was a hit for Count Basie, and it’s considered a jazz standard, which means a lot of other artists have covered this song through the years. The track went into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1979 and is one of the Songs of the Century. When he released this track, it quickly became one of the signature songs of the band, and he notably would end his concerts with this track.
5. Boo Hoo – Guy Lombardo
Guy Lombardo makes the list with Boo Hoo, which spent 12 weeks on the Billboard charts and peaked at number one for five weeks. While he had many hits during this decade, this is one of the classic songs of this era.
6. Whispers In The Dark – Bob Crosby & His Orchestra
Bob Crosby & His Orchestra had a hit with Whispers In The Dark, which featured Kay Weber on vocals. This song was for the movie Artists And Models and was written by Leo Robin and Friedrich Hollaender. It landed on the Billboard charts for a total of 13 weeks with it hitting number one for four weeks. If you haven’t listened to Crosby yet, then this is the perfect track to get you started with his music.
7. Sweet Leilani – Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby had a hit with Sweet Leilani, which was put into the movie Waikiki Wedding. His recording was one of the biggest record hits of the year, and the song won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. The track has since become a Hawaiian music standard, and multiple artists have covered it through the years.
8. Hell Hound On My Trail – Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson makes the list with Hell Hound On My Trail, which NPR calls one of the most crucial songs of the 20th century. This track is one of the most famous blues songs out there, and it’s one of his signature tracks, with a lot of people claiming this was his best work.
9. September In The Rain – Guy Lombardo
Next up is Guy Lombardo with September In The Rain, which spent over 16 weeks on the Billboard chart with it peaking at number one for four weeks. The song was for the movie Melody For Two, although that version was recorded by James Melton. While Melton originally released the track, it’s the version Lombardo put out that is the most famous. It became a jazz standard and has been covered by multiple artists over the years.
10. The Moon Got In My Eyes – Bing Crosby
The Moon Got In My Eyes by Bing Crosby was a hit and spent 11 weeks on the Billboard chart and peaked at number one for four weeks. This song is about a guy who fell in love with a girl almost immediately, and because he was blinded by his love for her, he didn’t see her intentions were shady. He blamed his blindness to who she was on the moon, and he regretted not seeing her for who she was much quicker.
11. The Lady Is A Tramp – Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey had a hit with The Lady Is A Tramp, which featured Edythe Wright singing the vocals. While Dorsey wasn’t the original recorder of the song, since that was Mitzi Green, his version is one of the most loved. Through the years, it has become a popular standard and has been recorded by several other artists. When you listen to this track, you will laugh because it’s making fun of the New York elite.
12. You Can’t Stop Me From Dreaming – Teddy Wilson
Next up is Teddy Wilson with You Can’t Stop Me From Dreaming, which was side A on the record that also featured the song Big Apple. The track hit the Billboard charts at number 23 but peaked at number one for two weeks. In total, it stayed on the Billboard chart for more than seven weeks.
13. They Can’t Take That Away From Me – Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire had a hit with They Can’t Take That Away From Me, and he sang this song in the movie Shall We Dance. This track is one of the biggest and most notable songs he sang and is now a jazz standard. It landed on the Billboard charts at number 27 but peaked at number one for a week and stayed on the chart for more than 11 weeks. In 2005, his version of the track was put into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
14. A Sailboat In The Moonlight – Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians
Next is A Sailboat In The Moonlight by Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians, which featured Carmen Lombardo on vocals. This song spent 14 weeks on the Billboard charts with it first landing at number 12 but peaked at number one for three weeks. This was one of his most popular tracks, and it was one of the most popular jazz and big band songs of the year.
15. I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm – Ray Noble
Ray Noble makes the list with I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, which was put together by Irving Berlin with Noble being the first one to release this song. While his version is one of the most notable, it was Alice Faye and Dick Powell who also released a popular version since theirs was featured in On The Avenue.
Even though this track isn’t a Christmas song, it has since been covered by multiple artists on Christmas compilation albums including Dean Martin and Rod Stewart. However, since Noble first recorded it, we decided to include this one on our list.
16. Dipsy Doodle – Russ Morgan
Russ Morgan makes the list with Dipsy Doodle, which was written by Larry Clinton. It went onto the Billboard charts and peaked at number two. He had a lot of hit songs in the 30s, and this was of the many iconic and popular tracks that unfortunately never made it to number one on the charts.
17. I’m Sorry I Made You Cry – Fats Waller
Fats Waller had a hit with I’m Sorry I Made You Cry, which is a classic jazz song where you can really hear how talented he was as a musician. This track was side A on the record that contained Havin’ A Ball on side B. I’m Sorry I Made You Cry was written by N.J. Clesi. We love this song because it’s a very sweet tune that you could just sit back and listen to on repeat without getting tired of it.
18. It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane – Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians
Next up on the list is Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians with the song It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane, which landed on the Billboard charts at number four but peaked at number one for five weeks. This track stayed on the chart for 16 weeks and became one of his biggest hits.
19. That Old Feeling – Shep Fields And His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra
Shep Fields And His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra makes the list with That Old Feeling. This song went to number one on the charts and was written by Lew Brown and Sammy Fain. When you listen to this track, you’re transported back in time, and it’ll make you feel as if you lived through the big band and jazz era.
20. Harbour Lights – Frances Langford
Frances Langford is on our list with the song Harbour Lights, which was incredibly popular in 1939 as it was a track that featured a Hawaiian melody. By this, we mean that there is a steel guitar and ukulele involved in the song. Not only was there a version by her released in 1937, but it was also released again in 1950, and it became one of her most famous tracks.
21. Nola – Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey was one of the top musicians of the 30s, and his song Nola makes our list, which was written by Felix Arndt. When you think of big band and jazz, this is a classic track that gives you the energy and vibe of everything we loved about this era in music. He had so many hits during the 30s, and when you listen to this song, you’ll see how talented and skilled he was. It was side A on the record with the B side of the record containing the song Satan Takes A Holiday.
22. This Year’s Kisses – Benny Goodman And Margaret McCrae
Benny Goodman had a hit with This Year’s Kisses, which featured Margaret McCrae on vocals. The song was originally performed by Alice Faye in the movie On The Avenue although his version remained one of the most popular out of all of them, and he also played the clarinet when Count Basie recorded a rendition of the track as well.
23. Where Or When – Hal Kemp
Where Or When by Hal Kemp became an iconic jazz song and landed at number one on the charts. It was side A on the record which also featured Johnny One Note on side B. It is a classic big band track that featured Bob Allen on vocals.
24. For Dancers Only – Jimmie Lunceford
For Dancers Only by Jimmie Lunceford was a huge hit for him, and this song became an anthem for the swing era. What’s interesting is that at first, Decca would not let him record this track, but once another artist recorded it and it became popular, they changed their mind and let him record it. However, the version that he recorded remains the most popular one out there, and it’s a song that is now a part of his legacy and was one of his signature tracks.
25. Vieni, Vieni – Rudy Vallee And His Connecticut Yankees
Vieni, Vieni by Rudy Vallee And His Connecticut Yankees is on the list, and this was a number-one song on the Billboard charts for him. It became one of his most famous and beloved tracks and was one of the biggest songs of the year.
26. Blossoms On Broadway – Dick Robertson
Dick Robertson makes our list with Blossoms On Broadway, which is written for the movie of the same name. It was written by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin and features bass, trombone, trumpet, clarinet, drums, and other classic jazz instruments.
27. Who? – Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey makes the list with the song Who? This track is a big band and swing song that was in the jazz genre of music. It was side A to the record that contained the more popular track, Nola. When you listen to this song, you can see why he was such an iconic and beloved musician of the decade.
28. There’s A Lull In My Life – George Hall
George Hall had a hit with There’s A Lull In My Life, which was written for the movie Wake Up And Live, although Alice Faye recorded that version of the song. Hall had a successful rendition of it a few months later, and this was a ballad that was written by Harry Revel and Mack Gordon, It was covered multiple times through the years including by artists such as Nat King Cole and Tony Bennett.
29. After You’ve Gone – Lionel Hampton
Next on the list is Lionel Hampton with the song After You’ve Gone, which was written by both Turner Layton and Henry Creamer. It was a single that was released on the record Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home. While at least three other renditions were released in 1937, his version was easily the best and one of the most popular to have been recorded.
30. Public Melody Number One – Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong makes the list with Public Melody Number One, which was one of the biggest songs of the year. What made this track so great was his ability to incorporate his unique raw and gravel-tone vocal style into any song regardless of the situation.
31. Smarty (You Know It All) – Fats Waller
Last on our list is Fats Waller with the song Smarty (You Know It All), which first hit the Billboard charts at number 21 but peaked at number one for two weeks. This track is a classic Fats Waller song, and it’s one of his most recognizable tunes.
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From the time she was little, Florence loved listening to music and quickly learned how music can make you happy and feel fulfilled. One of her favorite memories is being in the garage with her dad working on classic cars with the local rock station blaring in the background. Ever since Florence was 3, she loved grunge music and spent hours listening to bands such as Alice in Chains, Mad Season, Soul Asylum, and Soundgarden.
She also enjoys classic rock, modern rock, nu metal, alternative rock, and old 90’s R&B. Her love of music grew as she got older, and used music to help her get through tough times in her life. More often than not, you’ll see Florence with earbuds in while she’s writing, cooking, cleaning, and doing other tasks. She also loves to debate music with her friends such as which lead singer is the best vocalist, the most iconic guitar solos in music, and what songs are really the best of the decade.