Great American Songbook
Canon of American jazz standards, popular songs and show tunes
The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant 20th-century American jazz standards , popular songs , and show tunes .
Definition
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
According to the Great American Songbook Foundation :
The "Great American Songbook" is the canon of the most important and influential American popular songs and jazz standards from the early 20th century that have stood the test of time in their life and legacy. Often referred to as "American Standards", the songs published during the Golden Age of this genre include those popular and enduring tunes from the 1920s to the 1950s that were created for Broadway theatre , musical theatre , and Hollywood musical film .[ 1]
Culture writer Martin Chilton defines the term "Great American Songbook" as follows: "Tunes of Broadway musical theatre, Hollywood movie musicals and Tin Pan Alley (the hub of songwriting that was the music publishers' row on New York's West 28th Street)". Chilton adds that these songs "became the core repertoire of jazz musicians" during the period that "stretched roughly from 1920 to 1960".[ 2]
Although several collections of music have been published under the "Great American Songbook" title, the term does not refer to any actual book or specific list of songs. The Great American Songbook includes standards by Irving Berlin , George Gershwin , Cole Porter , Jerome Kern , Harold Arlen , Johnny Mercer , Hoagy Carmichael , Richard Rodgers , and Oscar Hammerstein II , among others.[ 3] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6] [ 7]
In Alec Wilder 's 1972 study, American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900–1950 , the songwriter and critic lists and ranks the artists he believes belong to the Great American Songbook canon. A composer, Wilder emphasized analysis of composers and their creative efforts in this work.[ 8]
Radio personality Jonathan Schwartz and singer Tony Bennett , both Songbook devotees, have both described this genre as "America's classical music".[ 9] [ 10]
List of songs
Alphabetical list of songs with names of composers and lyricists
Year
Song title
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
Notes
1933
"42nd Street "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1935
About a Quarter to Nine "Harry Warren Al Dubin
1944
"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive "
Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer
1957
"An Affair to Remember (Our Love Affair)
Harry Warren Leo McCarey and Harold Adamson
1929
"Ain't Misbehavin' "
Fats Waller Andy Razaf
1927
"Ain't She Sweet "
Milton Ager Jack Yellen [ 11]
1960
"Ain't That a Kick in the Head "
Jimmy Van Heusen Sammy Cahn
1921
"Ain't We Got Fun "
Richard A. Whiting Raymond B. Egan and Gus Kahn
1924
"Alabamy Bound "
Ray Henderson Buddy DeSylva and Bud Green [ 11] [ 12]
1911
"Alexander's Ragtime Band "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1921
"All by Myself "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1934
"All I Do Is Dream of You "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed [ 13]
1954
"All of You "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1939
"All or Nothing at All "
Arthur Altman Jack Lawrence
1939
"All the Things You Are "
Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein II
1957
"All the Way "
Jimmy Van Heusen Sammy Cahn
1934
"All Through the Night "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1947
"Almost Like Being in Love "
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner [ 14]
1932
"Alone Together "
Arthur Schwartz Howard Dietz [ 13] [ 15]
1925
"Always "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1934
"Anything Goes "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1946
"Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better) "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1932
"April In Paris "
Vernon Duke Yip Harburg
1957
"April Love "
Sammy Fain Paul Francis Webster
1956
"Around the World "
Victor Young Harold Adamson [ 11]
1931
"As Time Goes By "
Herman Hupfeld Herman Hupfeld
1941
"At Last "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1946
"Autumn Leaves "
Joseph Kosma Johnny Mercer
1934
"Autumn In New York "
Vernon Duke Vernon Duke [ 13]
1949
"Baby, It's Cold Outside "
Frank Loesser Frank Loesser [ 16] [ 17]
1949
"Bali Ha'i "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1929
"Basin Street Blues "
Spencer Williams Glenn Miller
1942
"Be Careful! It's My Heart"
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1935
"Begin the Beguine "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1959
"The Best Is Yet to Come " Cy Coleman Carolyn Leigh
1927
"The Best Things in Life Are Free " Ray Henderson Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown
1940
"Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1930
"Beyond the Blue Horizon "
Richard A. Whiting Leo Robin
1930
"Bidin' My Time "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1924
"Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) "
Milton Ager Jack Yellen
1962
"Big Spender "
Cy Coleman Dorothy Fields
1926
"The Birth of the Blues " Ray Henderson Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown
1948
"Black Coffee "
Sonny Burke Paul Francis Webster
1934
"Blame It on My Youth "
Oscar Levant Edward Heyman
1953
"Blue Gardenia "
Lester Lee Bob Russell
1934
"Blue Moon "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1926
"Blue Room "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1926
"Blue Skies "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1941
"Blues in the Night "
Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer
1930
"Body and Soul "
Johnny Green Edward Heyman
1941
"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy "
Don Raye Hughie Prince
1933
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1944
"The Boy Next Door " Hugh Martin Ralph Blane
1926
"Breezin' Along with the Breeze "
Haven Gillespie Haven Gillespie , Seymour Simons , and Richard Whiting
1932
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? "
Jay Gorney Yip Harburg
1947
"But Beautiful "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke [ 13]
1930
"But Not for Me "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1928
"Button Up Your Overcoat "
Ray Henderson Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown
1948
"Buttons and Bows "
Jay Livingston Ray Evans
1967
"By the Time I Get to Phoenix "
Jimmy Webb Jimmy Webb
1926
"Bye Bye Blackbird "
Ray Henderson Mort Dixon
1962
Call Me Irresponsible "Jimmy Van Heusen Sammy Cahn
1962
"Can't Get Used to Losing You "
Doc Pomus Mort Shuman
1929
"Can't We Be Friends? "
Kay Swift Paul James
1933
"(The) Carioca "
Vincent Youmans Edward Eliscu and Gus Kahn
1922
"Carolina in the Morning "
Walter Donaldson Gus Kahn
1938
"Change Partners "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1941
"Chattanooga Choo Choo "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1935
"Cheek to Cheek "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1945
"The Christmas Song "
Mel Tormé Robert Wells
1959
"Climb Every Mountain "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1958
"Come Fly with Me "
Jimmy Van Heusen Sammy Cahn
1946
"Come Rain or Come Shine "
Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer
1954
"Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1928
"Crazy Rhythm "
Irving Caesar Joseph Meyer and Roger Wolfe Kahn
1931
Dancing in the Dark "Arthur Schwartz Howard Dietz
1930
"Dancing on the Ceiling "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1939
"Darn That Dream "
Jimmy Van Heusen Eddie DeLange
1945
"Day by Day "
Axel Stordahl Paul Weston
1939
"Day In, Day Out "
Rube Bloom Johnny Mercer
1963
"Days of Wine and Roses "
Henry Mancini Johnny Mercer
1942
"Dearly Beloved"
Jerome Kern Johnny Mercer
1933
"Deep Purple "
Peter DeRose Mitchell Parish
1949
"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend "
Jule Styne Leo Robin
1959
"Do-Re-Mi "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1932
"Don't Blame Me "
Jimmy McHugh Dorothy Fields [ 13] [ 15]
1934
"Don't Fence Me in "
Cole Porter Robert Fletcher and Cole Porter
1940
"Don't Get Around Much Anymore "
Duke Ellington Bob Russell
1962
"Don't Make Me Over "
Burt Bacharach Hal David
1964
"Don't Rain on My Parade "
Jule Styne Bob Merrill
1942
"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree "
Sam H. Stept Lew Brown and Charles Tobias
1944
"Dream "
Johnny Mercer Johnny Mercer [ 6] [ 17]
1931
"Dream a Little Dream of Me "
Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt Gus Kahn
1933
Easter Parade "Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1937
"Easy Living "
Ralph Rainger Leo Robin
1959
"Edelweiss "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1928
"Embraceable You "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1959
"Everything's Coming Up Roses "
Jule Styne Stephen Sondheim
1944
"Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1930
"Exactly Like You "
Jimmy McHugh Dorothy Fields
1938
Falling in Love With Love "Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1924
"Fascinating Rhythm "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1936
"A Fine Romance " Jerome Kern Dorothy Fields [ 5] [ 18] [ 6] [ 7] [ 17]
1954
"Fly Me to the Moon " Bart Howard Bart Howard
1937
"A Foggy Day " George Gershwin Ira Gershwin [ 18] [ 3] [ 5] [ 6] [ 7] [ 17]
1937
"The Folks Who Live On the Hill " Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein II
1940
"Fools Rush In "
Rube Bloom Johnny Mercer
1931
"For All We Know "
J. Fred Coots Sam M. Lewis
1945
"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons "
William "Pat" Best Ivory "Deek" Watson
1950
"From This Moment On "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1930
Georgia on My Mind "Hoagy Carmichael Stuart Gorrell [ 19]
1930
"Get Happy "
Harold Arlen Ted Koehler
1951
"Getting to Know You "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein
1929
"Glad Rag Doll "
Milton Ager Jack Yellen
1936
"Glad to Be Unhappy "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1936
"The Glory of Love "
Billy Hill Billy Hill
1938
"God Bless America "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1933
"The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money) "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1937
"Gone with the Wind "
Allie Wrubel Herb Magidson
1939
"Good Morning "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1931
"Guilty "
Richard A. Whiting Gus Kahn
1937
"The Gypsy in My Soul " Clay Boland Moe Jaffe
1951
Half as Much "Curley Williams Curley Williams
1943
"Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe "
Harold Arlen Yip Harburg
1930
"Happy Days Are Here Again "
Milton Ager Jack Yellen
1949
"Happy Talk "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1924
"Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah) "
Milton Ager Jack Yellen , Bob Bigelow , and Charles Bates
1937
"Have You Met Miss Jones? "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1944
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas "
Hugh Martin Ralph Blane
1938
"Heart and Soul "
Hoagy Carmichael Frank Loesser [ 14]
1933
"Heat Wave "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1937
"Heigh-Ho "
Frank Churchill Larry Morey
1964
"Hello, Dolly! "
Jerry Herman Jerry Herman
1951
"Hello, Young Lovers "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1953
"Here's That Rainy Day "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke
1960
"Hey, Look Me Over "
Cy Coleman Carolyn Leigh
1929
"Honey "
Haven Gillespie Haven Gillespie , Seymour Simons , and Richard Whiting
1929
"Honeysuckle Rose "
Fats Waller Andy Razaf [ 17]
1937
"Hooray for Hollywood "
Richard A. Whiting Johnny Mercer
1941
"How About You? "
Burton Lane Ralph Freed
1946
"How Are Things in Glocca Morra? "
Burton Lane Yip Harburg
1932
"How Deep is the Ocean? "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1940
"How High the Moon "
Morgan Lewis Nancy Hamilton
1927
"How Long Has This Been Going On? "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1936
I Can't Escape from You "Richard A. Whiting Leo Robin
1936
"I Can't Get Started "
Vernon Duke Ira Gershwin
1928
"I Can't Give You Anything But Love "
Jimmy McHugh Dorothy Fields
1939
"I Concentrate on You "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1956
"I Could Have Danced All Night "
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner
1940
"I Could Write a Book "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1933
"I Cover the Waterfront "
Johnny Green Edward Heyman
1939
"I Didn't Know What Time It Was "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1931
"I Don't Know Why (I Just Do) "
Fred E. Ahlert Roy Turk
1932
"I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You "
Victor Young Ned Washington and Bing Crosby
1958
"I Enjoy Being a Girl "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1944
"I Fall in Love Too Easily "
Jule Styne Sammy Cahn
1931
"I Found a Million Dollar Baby "
Harry Warren Mort Dixon and Billy Rose
1934
"I Get a Kick Out of You "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1934
"I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1930
"I Got Rhythm "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1932
"I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues "
Harold Arlen Ted Koehler
1944
"I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry "
Jule Styne Sammy Cahn [ 11]
1929
"I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan "
Arthur Schwartz Howard Dietz
1942
"I Had the Craziest Dream "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1951
"I Have Dreamed "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1941
"I Know Why (And So Do You) "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1962
"I Left My Heart in San Francisco "
George Cory Douglass Cross
1933
"I Like the Likes of You"
Vernon Duke Yip Harburg
1934
"I Only Have Eyes for You "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1941
"I Remember You "
Victor Schertzinger Johnny Mercer
1937
"I See Your Face Before Me "
Arthur Schwartz Howard Dietz
1951
"I Talk to the Trees"
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner
1939
"I Thought About You "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Mercer
1959
"I Wanna Be Around "
Johnny Mercer Johnny Mercer and Sadie Vimmerstadt
1928
"I Wanna Be Loved by You "
Herbert Stothart Bert Kalmar
1925
"I Want to Be Happy "
Vincent Youmans Irving Caesar
1960
"If Ever I Would Leave You "
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner
1945
"If I Loved You "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1939
"If I Only Had a Brain "
Harold Arlen Yip Harburg
1950
"If I Were a Bell "
Frank Loesser Frank Loesser
1966
"If My Friends Could See Me Now "
Cy Coleman Dorothy Fields
1943
"I'll Be Home for Christmas "
Walter Kent Kim Gannon
1938
"I'll Be Seeing You "
Sammy Fain Irving Kahal
1924
"I'll See You in My Dreams "
Isham Jones Gus Kahn [ 11] [ 20] [ 21]
1934
"I'll String Along with You"
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1944
"I'm Beginning to See the Light "
Duke Ellington Don George [ 14] [ 6] [ 19] [ 17]
1935
"I'm in the Mood for Love "
Jimmy McHugh Dorothy Fields
1945
"I'm Just a Lucky So-and-So "
Duke Ellington Mack David
1921
"I'm Just Wild About Harry "
Eubie Blake Noble Sissle
1925
"I'm Sitting on Top of the World "
Ray Henderson Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young
1940
"Imagination "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke
1926
"In a Little Spanish Town "
Mabel Wayne Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young
1935
"In a Sentimental Mood "
Duke Ellington Manny Kurtz
1951
"In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening "
Hoagy Carmichael Johnny Mercer
1937
"In the Still of the Night "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1955
"Innamorata "
Harry Warren Jack Brooks
1932
"Isn't It Romantic? "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1935
"It Ain't Necessarily So "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1926
"It All Depends on You "
Ray Henderson Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown
1944
"It Could Happen to You "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke
1931
"It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) "
Duke Ellington Irving Mills
1924
"It Had to Be You "
Isham Jones Gus Kahn
1941
"It Happened in Sun Valley "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1945
"It Might as Well Be Spring "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1940
"It Never Entered My Mind "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1948
"It's a Most Unusual Day "
Jimmy McHugh Harold Adamson
1953
"It's All Right with Me "
Cole Porter Harold Adamson
1936
"It's De-Lovely "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1935
"It's Easy To Remember "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1933
"It's Only a Paper Moon "
Harold Arlen E.Y. Harburg and Billy Rose
1930
"I've Got a Crush on You "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1937
"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1932
"I've Got the World on a String "
Harold Arlen Ted Koehler
1936
"I've Got You Under My Skin "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1962
"I've Got Your Number "
Cy Coleman Carolyn Leigh
1956
"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face "
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner
1920
"The Japanese Sandman " Richard A. Whiting Raymond B. Egan
1938
"Jeepers Creepers "
Harry Warren Johnny Mercer
1938
"Jumpin' at the Woodside "
Count Basie Eddie Durham
1956
"Just in Time "
Jule Styne Betty Comden and Adolph Green
1935
"Just One of Those Things "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1933
Keep Young and Beautiful "Harry Warren Al Dubin
1942
"(I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1935
"A Kiss to Build a Dream On " Harry Ruby Bert Kalmar and Oscar Hammerstein II [ 11]
1937
"The Lady is a Tramp " Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1940
"The Last Time I Saw Paris "
Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein II [ 22]
1945
"Laura "
David Raksin Johnny Mercer
1930
"Lazy River "
Sidney Arodin Hoagy Carmichael
1945
"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! "
Jule Styne Sammy Cahn
1937
"Let's Call the Whole Thing Off "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1928
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1936
"Let's Face the Music and Dance "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1933
"Let's Fall in Love "
Harold Arlen Ted Koehler
1932
"Let's Put Out the Lights (and Go to Sleep) "
Herman Hupfeld Herman Hupfeld
1944
"Like Someone in Love "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke
1935
"Little Girl Blue "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1930
"Little White Lies "
Walter Donaldson Walter Donaldson [ 19]
1944
"Long Ago (and Far Away) "
Jerome Kern Ira Gershwin [ 5] [ 18] [ 6] [ 7] [ 17]
1919
"Look for the Silver Lining "
Jerome Kern B.G. DeSylva
1923
"Louisville Lou (That Vampin' Lady) "
Milton Ager Jack Yellen [ 23]
1930
"Love for Sale "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1955
"Love is a Many-Splendored Thing "
Sammy Fain Paul Francis Webster
1938
"Love Is Here to Stay "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1931
"Love Is Sweeping the Country "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1932
"Love Is the Sweetest Thing "
Ray Noble Ray Noble
1945
"Love Letters "
Victor Young Edward Heyman
1931
"Love Letters in the Sand "
J. Fred Coots Nick Kenny and Charles Kenny
1928
"Love Me or Leave Me "
Walter Donaldson Gus Kahn
1937
"Love Walked In "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1932
"Lover "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1941
"Lover Man "
Jimmy Davis Ram Ramirez
1928
"Lover, Come Back to Me "
Sigmund Romberg Oscar Hammerstein II
1950
"Luck Be a Lady "
Frank Loesser Frank Loesser
1952
"Lullaby of Birdland "
George Shearing George David Weiss
1935
"Lullaby of Broadway "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1935
"Lulu's Back In Town "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1939
"Lydia the Tattooed Lady "
Harold Arlen Yip Harburg
1932
Mad About the Boy "Noël Coward Noël Coward
1928
"Makin' Whoopee "
Walter Donaldson Gus Kahn
1953
"The Man that Got Away " Harold Arlen Ira Gershwin [ 18] [ 5] [ 6]
1925
"Manhattan "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1924
"The Man I Love " George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1927
"Me and My Shadow "
Al Jolson Billy Rose
1955
"Memories Are Made of This "
Terry Gilkyson and Richard DehrFrank Miller
1930
"Memories of You "
Eubie Blake Andy Razaf
1954
"Midnight Sun "
Lionel Hampton Johnny Mercer
1932
"Mimi "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1931
"Minnie the Moocher "
Cab Calloway Irving Mills and Clarence Gaskill
1935
"Miss Brown to You "
Richard A. Whiting Leo Robin
1934
"Miss Otis Regrets "
Cole Porter Cole Porter [ 3] [ 18] [ 5] [ 6] [ 17]
1954
"Misty "
Erroll Garner Johnny Burke
1950
"Mona Lisa "
Jay Livingston Ray Evans
1930
"Mood Indigo "
Duke Ellington Irving Mills
1961
"Moon River "
Henry Mancini Johnny Mercer
1934
"Moonglow "
Will Hudson and Irving Mills Eddie DeLange
1942
"Moonlight Becomes You "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke
1944
"Moonlight in Vermont "
John Blackburn Karl Suessdorf
1939
"Moonlight Serenade "
Glenn Miller Mitchell Parish
1929
"More Than You Know "
Vincent Youmans Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu
1945
"The More I See You " Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1935
"The Most Beautiful Girl in the World " Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1925
"Mountain Greenery "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1930
"My Baby Just Cares for Me "
Walter Donaldson Gus Kahn
1927
"My Blue Heaven "
Walter Donaldson George A. Whiting
1949
"My Dream Is Yours "
Harry Warren Ralph Blane [ 19] [ 17] [ 13]
1959
"My Favorite Things "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1949
"My Foolish Heart "
Victor Young Ned Washington
1937
"My Funny Valentine "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1938
"My Heart Belongs to Daddy "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1927
"My Heart Stood Still "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1918
"My Mammy "
Walter Donaldson Joe Young and Sam M. Lewis
1953
"My One and Only Love "
Guy Wood Robert Mellin
1935
"My Romance "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1925
"My Yiddishe Momme "
Lew Pollack Jack Yellen
1928
Nagasaki "Harry Warren Mort Dixon
1938
"The Nearness of You " Hoagy Carmichael Ned Washington
1967
"Never My Love "
Don Addrisi Dick Addrisi
1931
"Nevertheless "
Harry Ruby Bert Kalmar
1944
"New York, New York "
Leonard Bernstein Betty Comden and Adolph Green
1937
"Nice Work if You Can Get it "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1932
"Night and Day "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1931
Of Thee I Sing "George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1918
"Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1943
"Oh What a Beautiful Mornin' "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1911
"Oh, You Beautiful Doll "
Seymour Brown Nat D. Ayer
1927
"Ol' Man River "
Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein II
1946
"The Old Lamp-Lighter "
Nat Simon Charles Tobias
1946
"Ole Buttermilk Sky "
Hoagy Carmichael Jack Brooks
1965
"On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) "
Burton Lane Alan Jay Lerner
1947
"On Green Dolphin Street "
Bronisław Kaper Ned Washington
1945
"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe "
Harry Warren Johnny Mercer
1934
"On the Good Ship Lollipop "
Richard A. Whiting Sidney Clare [ 19]
1956
"On the Street Where You Live "
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner
1930
"On the Sunny Side of the Street "
Jimmy McHugh Dorothy Fields
1943
"One for My Baby "
Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer
1962
"Our Day Will Come "
Mort Garson Bob Hilliard
1944
"Out of This World "
Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer
1939
"Over the Rainbow "
Harold Arlen E.Y. Harburg
1929
"Pagan Love Song "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1931
"Paradise "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1956
"The Party's Over " Jule Styne Betty Comden and Adolph Green
1936
"Pennies From Heaven "
Arthur Johnston Johnny Burke
1964
"People "
Jule Styne Bob Merrill
1943
"People Will Say We're in Love "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1936
"Pick Yourself Up "
Jerome Kern Dorothy Fields
1940
"Polka Dots and Moonbeams "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke
1942
"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition "
Frank Loesser Frank Loesser
1919
"A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody " Irving Berlin Irving Berlin [ 18] [ 3] [ 5] [ 6] [ 19]
1930
"Puttin' on the Ritz "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1953
Rags to Riches "Richard Adler Jerry Ross
1962
"Ramblin' Rose "
Joe Sherman Noel Sherman
1929
"Rockin' Chair "
Hoagy Carmichael Hoagy Carmichael
1944
"'Round Midnight "
Thelonious Monk Bernie Hanighen
1944
"Rum and Coca-Cola "
Lionel Belasco Morey Amsterdam
1927
'S Wonderful "George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1934
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town "
J. Fred Coots Haven Gillespie
1953
"Satin Doll "
Duke Ellington Johnny Mercer
1944
"Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week) "
Jule Styne Sammy Cahn
1932
"Say It Isn't So "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1922
"Second Hand Rose "
Grant Clarke James F. Hanley
1944
"Sentimental Journey "
Les Brown and Ben Homer Bud Green
1935
"September in the Rain "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1938
"September Song "
Kurt Weill Maxwell Anderson
1942
"Serenade in Blue "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1965
"The Shadow of Your Smile " Johnny Mandel Paul Francis Webster
1951
"Shall We Dance? "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1935
"She's a Latin from Manhattan"
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1929
"She's (He's) Funny That Way "
Neil Moret Richard A. Whiting
1929
"A Ship Without a Sail " Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart [ 18] [ 19] [ 17] [ 6] [ 7]
1929
"Singin' in the Rain "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1941
"Skylark "
Hoagy Carmichael Johnny Mercer
1937
"Slap That Bass "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1948
"Slow Boat to China
Frank Loesser Frank Loesser
1933
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes "
Jerome Kern Otto Harbach
1948
"So in Love "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1949
"Some Enchanted Evening "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1924
"Somebody Loves Me "
George Gershwin Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva
1937
"Someday My Prince Will Come "
Frank Churchill Larry Morey
1926
"Someone to Watch Over Me "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1951
"Something Wonderful "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1954
"Something's Gotta Give "
Johnny Mercer Johnny Mercer
1927
"Sometimes I'm Happy "
Vincent Youmans Irving Caesar
1932
"The Song Is You " Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein II
1928
"Sonny Boy "
Ray Henderson Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown
1932
"Sophisticated Lady "
Duke Ellington Irving Mills
1959
"The Sound of Music " Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1939
"South American Way "
Jimmy McHugh Al Dubin
1930
"Spring Is Here "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1925
"Squeeze Me "
Fats Waller Andy Razaf
1922
"Stairway to Paradise "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin and Buddy DeSylva
1939
"Stairway to the Stars "
Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli Mitchell Parish
1956
"Standing on the Corner "
Frank Loesser Frank Loesser
1927
"Stardust "
Hoagy Carmichael Mitchell Parish
1934
"Stars Fell on Alabama "
Frank Perkins Mitchell Parish
1944
"Stella by Starlight "
Victor Young Ned Washington
1948
"Steppin' Out with My Baby "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1933
"Stormy Weather "
Harold Arlen Ted Koehler
1944
"Straighten Up and Fly Right "
Nat King Cole and Irving Mills Johnny Mercer
1927
"Strike Up the Band "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin and Millie Raush
1941
"A String of Pearls "
Jerry Gray Eddie DeLange
1934
"Summertime "
George Gershwin DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin
1943
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top " Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1925
"Sweet Georgia Brown "
Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard Kenneth Casey
1937
"Sweet Leilani "
Harry Owens Harry Owens
1928
"Sweet Lorraine "
Cliff Burwell Mitchell Parish
1944
"Swinging on a Star "
Jimmy Van Heusen Johnny Burke
1939
Take the 'A' Train "Billy Strayhorn Joya Sherrill
1940
"Taking a Chance on Love "
Vernon Duke John La Touche and Ted Fetter
1941
"Tangerine "
Victor Schertzinger Johnny Mercer
1924
"Tea for Two "
Vincent Youmans Irving Caesar
1933
"Temptation "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1962
"Tender is the Night"
Sammy Fain Paul Francis Webster
1955
"(Love Is) The Tender Trap
Jimmy Van Heusen Sammy Cahn
1957
"Thank Heaven for Little Girls "
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner
1938
"Thanks for the Memory "
Ralph Rainger Leo Robin
1925
"That Certain Feeling "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1942
"That Old Black Magic "
Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer
1937
"That Old Feeling "
Sammy Fain Lew Brown [ 13]
1952
"That's All "
Bob Haymes Alan Brandt
1953
"That's Amore "
Harry Warren Jack Brooks
1952
"That's Entertainment! "
Arthur Schwartz Howard Dietz
1942
"There Will Never Be Another You "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1936
"There's a Small Hotel "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1946
"There's No Business Like Show Business "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1936
"These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You) "
Jack Strachey Eric Maschwitz
1951
"They Call the Wind Maria "
Frederick Loewe Alan Jay Lerner
1937
"They Can't Take That Away from Me "
George Gershwin Ira Gershwin
1946
"The Things We Did Last Summer " Jule Styne Sammy Cahn
1927
"Thinking of You "
Harry Ruby Bert Kalmar
1938
"This Can't Be Love "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1968
"This Guy's in Love with You "
Burt Bacharach Hal David
1946
"This Heart of Mine "
Harry Warren Arthur Freed
1941
"This Time the Dream's on Me "
Harold Arlen Johnny Mercer
1927
"Thou Swell "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1930
"Three Little Words "
Harry Ruby Bert Kalmar
1931
"The Thrill is Gone " Ray Henderson Sammy Cahn
1918
"Till We Meet Again "
Richard A. Whiting Raymond B. Egan
1947
"Time After Time "
Jule Styne Sammy Cahn
1930
"Time on My Hands "
Vincent Youmans Harold Adamson and Mack Gordon [ 13]
1929
"Tiptoe Through the Tulips "
Joe Burke Al Dubin
1948
"Too Darn Hot "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1937
"Too Marvelous for Words "
Richard A. Whiting Johnny Mercer
1935
"Top Hat, White Tie and Tails "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1913
"The Trail of the Lonesome Pine " Harry Carroll Ballard MacDonald
1944
"The Trolley Song " Hugh Martin Ralph Blane
1939
"Tuxedo Junction "
Erskine Hawkins , Bill Johnson , and Julian Dash Buddy Feyne
1938
"Two Sleepy People "
Hoagy Carmichael Frank Loesser
1925
Ukulele Lady "Richard A. Whiting Gus Kahn
1955
"Unchained Melody "
Alex North Hy Zaret
1932
"Underneath the Arches "
Bud Flanagan Bud Flanagan and Reg Connelly
1951
"Unforgettable "
Irving Gordon Irving Gordon
1936
"Until the Real Thing Comes Along "
Saul Chaplin Sammy Cahn
1934
"The Very Thought of You " Ray Noble Ray Noble
1963
"Walk On By "
Burt Bacharach Hal David
1936
"The Way You Look Tonight " Jerome Kern Dorothy Fields
1934
"What a Diff'rence a Day Makes "
María Grever Stanley Adams
1926
"What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry? "
Walter Donaldson Abe Lyman
1929
"What Is This Thing Called Love? "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1923
"What'll I Do "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1952
"When I Fall in Love "
Victor Young Edward Heyman
1912
"When I Lost You "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1940
"When You Wish Upon a Star "
Leigh Harline Ned Washington
1937
"Where Are You? "
Jimmy McHugh Harold Adamson
1937
"Where or When "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1937
"Whistle While You Work "
Frank Churchill Larry Morey
1942
"White Christmas "
Irving Berlin Irving Berlin
1923
"Who's Sorry Now? "
Ted Snyder Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar
1968
"Wichita Lineman "
Jimmy Webb Jimmy Webb
1934
"Winter Wonderland "
Felix Bernard Richard Bernhard Smith
1957
"Witchcraft "
Cy Coleman Carolyn Leigh
1930
"With a Song in My Heart "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1937
"With Plenty of Money and You"
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1929
"Without a Song "
Vincent Youmans Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu
1949
"A Wonderful Guy " Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II [ 18] [ 17] [ 6] [ 7]
1930
"Would You Like to Take a Walk? "
Harry Warren Mort Dixon and Billy Rose
1925
Yes Sir, That's My Baby "Walter Donaldson Gus Kahn
1933
"Yesterdays "
Jerome Kern Otto Harbach
1934
"You and the Night and the Music "
Arthur Schwartz Howard Dietz
1935
"You Are My Lucky Star"
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1932
"You Are Too Beautiful "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1929
"You Do Something to Me "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1938
"You Go to My Head "
J. Fred Coots Haven Gillespie [ 24]
1946
"You Make Me Feel So Young "
Josef Myrow Mack Gordon
1938
"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby "
Harry Warren Johnny Mercer
1934
"You Oughta Be in Pictures "
Dana Suesse Edward Heyman
1940
"You Stepped Out of a Dream "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1928
"You Took Advantage of Me "
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
1929
"You Were Meant for Me "
Nacio Herb Brown Arthur Freed
1934
"You'd Be So Easy to Love "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1942
"You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1943
"You'll Never Know "
Harry Warren Mack Gordon
1945
"You'll Never Walk Alone "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1933
"Young and Healthy"
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1953
"Young at Heart "
Johnny Richards Carolyn Leigh
1949
"Younger Than Springtime "
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II
1930
"You're Driving Me Crazy "
Walter Donaldson Gus Kahn
1933
"You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me "
Harry Warren Al Dubin
1931
"You're My Everything "
Harry Warren Mort Dixon and Joe Young
1928
"You're the Cream in My Coffee "
Ray Henderson Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown
1934
"You're the Top "
Cole Porter Cole Porter
1946
Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah "Allie Wrubel Ray Gilbert
Revivals
In 1970, rock musician Ringo Starr surprised the public by releasing an album of Songbook songs from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, Sentimental Journey [ 25] Billboard 200 [ 26] UK Albums Chart ,[ 27] [ 28]
It's a lot of songs that were my initiation to music. It's all the tracks that, when my mother and my father came home from the pub out [of] their heads, they'd sing all these songs.
Other pop singers who established themselves in the 1960s or later followed with albums reviving songs from the Great American Songbook, beginning with Harry Nilsson 's A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night [ 30] [A] Linda Ronstadt (1983 though 1986), Rod Stewart (2002 through 2005), Bob Dylan (2015 through 2017) and Lady Gaga (2014 and 2021) made several such albums. Of Ronstadt's 1983 album, What's New Nelson Riddle , Stephen Holden of The New York Times
What's New isn't the first album by a rock singer to pay tribute to the golden age of pop, but is ... the best and most serious attempt to rehabilitate an idea of pop that Beatlemania and the mass marketing of rock LPs for teen-agers undid in the mid-'60s. During the decade prior to Beatlemania, most of the great band singers and crooners of the '40s and '50s codified a half-century of American pop standards on dozens of albums, many of them now long out-of-print.[ 31]
See also
Notes
References
^ "A Great American Songbook Foundation" . The Center For The Performing Arts .^ Chilton, Martin (April 3, 2020). "Cover To Cover: The Story Of The Great American Songbook | uDiscover" . ^ a b c d Miller, Michael (2008). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History ISBN 9781440636370 ^ "The Center for the Performing Arts" . The Center For The Performing Arts .^ a b c d e f g "After An Education In American Jazz, A Musician Tackles The Turkish Songbook" . NPR.org .^ a b c d e f g h i j k Feinstein, Michael (February 11, 2015). " . The New York Times . Retrieved December 13, 2018 . ^ a b c d e f Friedwald, Will. "Jazz Vocalists" . New York
^ Wilder, Alec (1990). American Popular Song: The Great Innovators 1900–1950 ISBN 0-19-501445-6 ^ Deborah Grace Winer (September 1, 2003). "Girl Singers: From nightclubs and concert halls to recordings, today's best vocalists put a new spin on old favorites" . Town & Country the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2012 . (subscription required) ^ Clodfelter, Tim (September 5, 2010). "Tony Bennett says a key to his continued success is being true to the audience". Winston-Salem Journal ^ a b c d e f Polit, Katherine. "The Great American Songbook In The Classical Voice Studio" . Indiana University Jacobs School of Music . May 2014. p. 73.
^ Murray, Steve. "Michael Feinstein: Crooners" . CabaretScenes.org. May 23, 2017.
^ a b c d e f g h Purdy, Stephen. "Musical Theatre Song: A Comprehensive Course in Selection, Preparation, and Presentation for the Modern Performer" . Bloomsbury Publishing , 2016. pt. 115.
^ a b c "The Great American Songbook – The Composers" . Retrieved July 20, 2015 .^ a b Purdy, Stephen. Musical Theatre Song: A Comprehensive Course in Selection, Preparation, and Presentation for the Modern Performer . Bloomsbury Publishing , 2016. pt. 32.
^ "The Great American Songbook – The Composers" . HalLeonard.com . Retrieved December 20, 2018.^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cole, Clay (2009). Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll, 1953–1968 Morgan James Publishing . ISBN 9781600377686 ^ a b c d e f g h "Great Performances ". "The Great American Songbook: Introduction" . "PBS ". March 11, 2003.
^ a b c d e f g "The Great American Songbook" . The Johnny Mercer Foundation. Retrieved December 20, 2018.^ Dicker, Shira. "Gotta Dance? Swing on Over" . New York Times . December 22, 2011.
^ Venutolo, Anthony. ""Boardwalk Empire" recap: 'Make a promise to you, break another to myself'" . "NJ.com ". November 4, 2013.
^ "The Last Time I Saw Paris" . americanhistory.si.edu .^ "Louisville Lou" . www.loc.gov .^ "J. Fred Coots, songwriter: reference sources (web and print); selected songs; recordings, videos; miscellany" . Greatamericansongbook.net . Retrieved February 24, 2021 .^ James Hall (March 20, 2020). "Ringo Starr's Sentimental Journey: how an 'embarrassing' solo album helped doom the Beatles" . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved July 22, 2020 . To many Beatles fans, Sentimental Journey was awkward... a novelty record. ...John Lennon dismissed it as 'embarrassing'. ...the critics maul[ed] it. (subscription required) Robert Christgau . "Consumer Guide Album – Ringo Starr: Sentimental Journey [Apple, 1970]" . Robertchristgau.com . Retrieved July 22, 2020 . For over-fifties and Ringomaniacs: the reports that he did this collection of standards for his Mums are obviously true. C MINUS. Shaffner, Nicholas (1980). The Boys From Liverpool ISBN 9780416306613 . Retrieved July 22, 2020 . Casting himself as the sort of Frank Sinatra -style singer his mother had always adored, Ringo recorded Sentimental Journey , an album of songs from the twenties, thirties, and forties. This was the last thing Beatlemaniacs wished to hear... Greil Marcus (May 14, 1970). "Ringo Starr" . Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on December 20, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2020 . Sentimental Journey may be horrendous, but at least it's classy. Or is it? Georgiy Starostin . "Ringo Starr" . The Tower of Babel . Retrieved July 22, 2020 . A horrendous bunch of Hollywood tunes - the biggest imaginable blow to a Beatles' reputation. What an odd record to represent the very first true post-Beatles collection of material by any solo Beatle... the record is so grotesquely ridiculous that it isn't even pukey. Jacob Shelton (March 27, 2020). "Ringo Starr Releases His First Ever Solo Album in 1970: How Did That Go?" . Groovy History . Retrieved July 22, 2020 . [Sentimental Journey] received scathing reviews. Starr's singing was mocked as was the maudlin tone of the album. ^ "Chart History: Ringo Starr" . Billboard . Retrieved July 22, 2020 .^ "Ringo Starr" . Official Charts . Retrieved July 22, 2020 .^ Nick Deriso (March 27, 2015). "Why Ringo Starr Began His Solo Career With 'Sentimental Journey' . Ultimate Classic Rock . Townsquare Media. Retrieved July 22, 2020 . ^ James Hall (March 20, 2020). "Ringo Starr's Sentimental Journey: how an 'embarrassing' solo album helped doom the Beatles" . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved July 22, 2020 . (subscription required) ^ Ruhlmann, William. "A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night" . AllMusic ^ Stephen Holden; Dargis, Manohla (September 4, 1983). "Linda Ronstadt Celebrates The Golden Age of Pop" . The New York Times the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2007 . (subscription required) ^ Deusner, Stephen (August 15, 2008). "Willie Nelson Stardust: Legacy Edition" . Pitchfork Media . Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved June 25, 2024 . ^ "Dr. John: In a Sentimental Mood" . Allmusic . Retrieved April 12, 2016 .^ "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin by Brian Wilson" . Metacritic.com .^ Hermes, Will (February 7, 2012). "Kisses on the Bottom | Album Reviews" . Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 1, 2012 . ^ Turner, Gustavo (January 24, 2015). "The secret Sinatra past of Bob Dylan's new album" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 20, 2017 . ^ Petridis, Alexis (January 29, 2015). "Shadows in the Night review – an unalloyed pleasure" . The Guardian . Retrieved February 20, 2017 .^ Brown, Helen (May 13, 2016). "Bob Dylan, Fallen Angels, review -'inhabiting classics with weathered ease' . The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved February 20, 2017 . ^ "Bob Dylan's First Three-Disc Album — Triplicate — Set For March 31 Release" . bobdylan.com. January 31, 2017. Archived from the original on February 1, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2017 .^ Monger, Timothy. "James Taylor – American Standard " . AllMusic
Further reading
Bloom, Ken (2005). The American Songbook: The Singers, the Songwriters, and the Songs . New York: Black Dog & Levental Publishers. ISBN 1-579-12448-8 Furia, Philip (1992). Poets of Tin Pan Alley . New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-195-07473-4 Furia, Philip (2006). (with Michael Lasser) America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley . Routledge. ISBN 0415990521 Furia, Philip (2010). (with Laurie Patterson) The Songs of Hollywood ISBN 978-0195337082 Furia, Philip (2015). (with Laurie Patterson) The American Song Book: The Tin Pan Alley Era . New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199391882 Morath, Max (2002). The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Popular Standards ISBN 978-0-399-52744-9 Yagoda, Ben (2015). The B-Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song . New York: Riverhead Books. ISBN 978-1-594-48849-8 Zinsser, William (2001). Easy to Remember: The Great American Songwriters and Their Songs ISBN 1-567-92147-7
External links
