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Top 10 List how we choose |
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White Christmas
White Christmas was a song that Bing Crosby crooned in the
1954 movie by the same title. The song was written by Irving
Berlin and was first heard in December, 1941 on Crosby's radio show.
The original recordings were worn out from using them to create so
many records to sell and the song had to be re-recorded in 1947.
That version is the one heard on radio stations today. White
Christmas is the most popular selling Christmas song of all
time. |
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In the Mood
In the Mood was recorded by Glenn Miller. Although he
actually recorded the song in 1939, it was a year before it hit
number one on song charts. It was featured in the movie Sun
Valley Serenade in 1941.
Glenn Miller had varying success as a musician throughout the
rest of his career. The song would later be recorded by Johnny
Maddox and the Andrews Sisters. Although the song seems very mild
looking through today's lenses, at the time the song was recorded it
was considered a bit promiscuous. |
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I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Hank Williams recorded this song in 1949 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The
song was written by Williams and is thought to be about his troubled
marriage. The hauntingly sorrowful sounds of his Texas croon lilting
out the song almost echoes through the past and into today. The song
can still be heard in various movies and television programs from
time to time. Rolling Stone ranked I'm So Lonesome I Could
Cry as one of the
Top 500 songs of all time. |
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Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
During the
1940s, Louis Jordan released dozens of songs that hit the charts
and stayed there. Choo Choo Ch'Boogie was number one on R & B
charts in 1946 and hit number seven overall on the US charts. It has
a big band, jazz sound with fast paced, fun lyrics. In 1946, Jordan
also released other number one hits such as Buzz Me, Stone Cold
Dead in the Market and Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens.
Louis Jordan is often called the father of rhythm and blues. |
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When You Wish Upon a Star
Composer Leigh Harline created numerous familiar songs for Disney.
When You Wish Upon a Star appeared in the 1940 film
Pinocchio. The song was crooned by Jiminy Cricket, but today
serves as Disney's theme song for its products and parks. The song
was ranked number seven by the American Film Institute in their list
of the 100 greatest songs in the history of films. Only three other
Disney songs made that list and they ranked much further down. the
other three songs were Some Day My Prince Will Come (Snow
White), Beauty and the Beast (from the movie of the same
name) and Hakuna Matata (Lion King). |
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You Are My Sunshine
The song was first recorded in 1939, but was actually copyrighted
in 1940 by the writers. The song was written by Jimmie Davis and
Charles Mitchell. In 1940, Jimmie Davis recorded You Are My
Sunshine with Decca Records. There is some controversy over who
actually wrote the song. The Rice Brothers are thought to have had
some influence. You Are My Sunshine is the state song of
Louisiana. Since the Jimmie Davis version, the song has been
recorded hundreds of other times. |
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Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
This song is in the style of jump blues and was recorded by the
Andrews Sisters. The song was recorded in 1941. The song was
performed in an Abbott and Costello film titled Buck Privates.
The song received a nomination for an Academy Award. The Andrews
Sisters had many hits in the 1940s, including Don't Fence Me In
(with Bing Crosby). Many of their songs hit number one on the
charts and have been remade in more recent years. The Andrews
Sisters are
inductees in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. |
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Route 66
Route 66, also called Get Your Kicks on Route 66,
was recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946. The song was written by Bobby
Troup and is a rhythm and blues song. The song is featured in the
Disney animated film Cars. Route 66 used to be the way to
travel between the Midwest and Los Angeles. The stops and
interesting sites along the way are what inspired this song. The
song has also been recorded by
Chuck Berry and John Mayer. The Nat King Cole version reached
number one on US music charts. |
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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The story of Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 story by Robert L.
May, which was published by Montgomery Ward. Johnny Marks, May's
brother-in-law, adapted the story of the red-nosed reindeer into a
song. Although the song was first sung on the radio in 1948, it
wasn't until 1949 that Gene Autrey recorded the song that is still
famous today. The song has been covered by singers like Barry
Manilow, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alan Jackson, The Jackson 5 and Bing
Crosby. Rudolph remains a popular
children's Christmas carol. |
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Blue Moon of Kentucky
Blue Moon of Kentucky is a bluegrass style waltz that was
written by Bill Monroe. In 1947, the song was released by Columbia
Records. Monroe's band, The Bluegrass Boys, performed the song for
the recording. Other members of the band included familiar names
like Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. The song is the official blue
grass song for the state of Kentucky. The song has also been covered
by Elvis Presley, John Fogerty, Patsy Cline, LeAnn Rimes and Ray
Charles. It is along the lines of other bluegrass favorites like the
East Virginia Blues. |
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