What's your favorite song from between 1920-1960?

Zenith Royal · **Posted:** Feb Wed 15, 2023 1:33 am

Blast wrote:

Zenith Royal wrote:

" Oh What A Night " The Dells.

Oh, HECK yes!

You're no doubt speaking of the mid-50's original. I grew up on the 1969 remake.

They were both fantastic versions!

radiowizard · **Posted:** Mar Wed 01, 2023 4:32 am

Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade." And "I Only Have Eyes For You" by The Flamingos.
RW

FStephenMasek · **Posted:** Mar Wed 01, 2023 4:04 pm

They are hundreds of excellent ones, and no need to pick one favorite.

vinylhound · **Posted:** Mar Thu 30, 2023 6:00 am

The Flamingos cover of "I Only Have Eyes For You." It's got a timeless quality, and dates from 1959, still within the '20-'60 range. :wink:

Jon S. · **Posted:** Apr Thu 06, 2023 9:41 pm

"Moonlight Serenade" by Glenn Miller. Check out both the original 1939 Bluebird recording and the version(s) he cut with the Army Air Force Orchestra in 1943-44 (with a full string section). That song is the Anthem of the Era. Simply perfect!

47volts · **Posted:** Apr Wed 12, 2023 1:59 am

1920s â€œRhapsody in Blueâ€
1930s â€œSing Sing Singâ€ Benny Goodman
1940s Pretty much anything by Harry James, but especially â€Itâ€™s Been a Long, Long Timeâ€
1950s â€œMack the Knifeâ€ Bobby Darin

Ask me again in five minutes and Iâ€™ll probably have a different answer

Blustar1 · **Posted:** Apr Fri 21, 2023 10:57 pm

The theme from "A Summer Place" by Percy Faith

westcoastjohn · **Posted:** Apr Sat 22, 2023 3:52 am

My son made up a music list for his wedding and reception, and he chose that song for the afternoon gathering before the main event, only he chose the Ventures version.
The Ventures did a good job of that tune for a guitar band.
I would guess early 1960's for the original Percy Faith version, theme song from the movie. Now I'll have to look it up.

Percy's version is in there, Oct 1959. "The Living Strings" band.

fifties · **Posted:** Apr Sat 22, 2023 6:00 am

westcoastjohn wrote:

I would guess early 1960's for the original Percy Faith version, theme song from the movie.

Good guess;
http://www.oldiesloon.com/ca/kfwb600213.htm

westcoastjohn · **Posted:** Apr Sat 22, 2023 11:46 pm

Thanks Richard, yes, it reached #1 on the charts Feb 15, 1960, but was recorded 3 months earlier and I imagine received plenty of airplay in the last months of 1959.

I could be mistaken but ranking on the pop charts up to then was based on the sale of 45's, but LP sales would have had to be acknowledged as well, I would think, going into the 60's. DJ's were soon starting to put album cuts on the air.

Anyway, that song's a classic and it fits the strict parameters.

fifties · **Posted:** Apr Sun 23, 2023 6:53 am

westcoastjohn wrote:

Thanks Richard, yes, it reached #1 on the charts Feb 15, 1960, but was recorded 3 months earlier and I imagine received plenty of airplay in the last months of 1959.

Indeed it did; I do remember it on the radio, about the middle of December, 1959.

I've gotten into arguments W/ PPL regarding when a record came out, only to find that many or most were released on the east coast 3 months earlier than here in the west.

So in this case, it may have been a number one in December of '59 on the east coast, but not until Feb here.

Case in point; back in July of '66, when I arrived in West Germany, AFRTS (armed forces radio and television service) was playing pop records that I hadn't heard here at home yet.

What's your favorite song from between 1920-1960?

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