Ben Selvin I Only Have Eyes For You Composed by Harry Warren with lyrics by Al Dubin, the song written in 1934 for the film Dames where it was sung Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. The song would continue to be recorded throughout the century by such artists as Frank Sinatra the Temptations and in 1959 by The Flamingos. This recording would make it to #11 on Bill Boards Top !00. The song was used in such movies as American Graffiti, The Right Stuff and Warner Brothers Merrie Melody Cartoons.Don Bestor 42nd Street
42nd St. is the title and the title song of a 1933 movie musical Starring Ruby Keeler. The song would go on to be popular the movie would end up as two major Broadway productions and many songs from the show would be come standard. Ethel Merman You're The Top
The song comes from the 1934 musical Anything Goes whose score was written by the great Cole Porter and told the story of a ships stowaway that falls in love with an heiress on the ship. The song was hit at the time especially when song by it's original performer Ethel Merman. This would be the first time Miss Merman would be on the charts but her popularity on Broadway would make her a star not soon to be forgotten. You're The Top would be used in many other shows and be recorded by many arties such as Barbara Streisand and John Barrowman The show would be revived many times and continues to be performed in the 21st century. Recently the song was song by Rachel Berry's two dads in GLEE.
Fats Waller Honey Suckle Rose The song was originally composed in 1928 by Fats Waller, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. Waller would finally record the song in 1934 and this recording would be inducted in to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song would be recorded by Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong and be featured in an MGM Musical. Jimmy Durante Inka Dinka Doo Inka Dinka Doo was written by Ben Ryan, with music composed by James Francis "Jimmy" Durante. The song debuted in the 1934 movie Palooka. Durante's song would become a hit for him but it also would become his signature song. He would begin and end his radio program it. One of the truly interesting facts about the song is one of the other top songs of the year, You're The Top, would mention Durante's name in the lyrics. Leo Reisman The Continental The song was written by Con Conrad with lyrics by Herb Magidson, and was introduced by Ginger Rogers in the 1934 film, The Gay Divorcee, Co-starring Fred Astaire."The Continental" was the first song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song . The would also be used in an episode of I Love Lucy. Ruth Etting Smoke Gets In Your Eyes This song was written by composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical Roberta. It was performed in the show by Tamara Drasin. In 1935 the song would be performed by Irene Dunne for the film adaptation of the Broadway hit. The film co-starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The song would continue to be performed throughout the 20th century by such artists as Nat King Cole, Jody Garland and Eartha Kitt (TVs Catwoman). The song would reach number three on the R&B Charts in 1959 when recorded by The Platters
Sons of the Pioneers Tumbling Tumbleweed The song was composed by Bob Nolan and is probably one of the most popular "cowboy" songs ever written. The interesting point of this song is that it was composed by Nolan while working as a caddy in Los Angeles. The was originally titled "Tumbling Tumble Leaves but the song was reworked and re-named. The song would gain even more success when it was song by Gene Autry in his movie of the same name. Rudy Vallee And His Connecticut Yankees You Oughta Be In Pictures Written by Dana Seusse and Richard Heyman, the song would be first performed in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees who would also record the song. In the same year Looney Toons would use the title in a song starring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck. |
| Top Artists and Songs of 1934 |
| Ben Selvin I Only Have Eyes For You |
| Benny Goodman Moon Glow |
| Bessie Smith Gimma A Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer |
| Bing Crosby Love In Bloom, June In January, Two Cigarettes In The Dark, Little Dutch Mill, Love Is Just Around The Corner, Straight From The Shoulder |
| Cab Calloway and his Orchestra (Hep Hep!) The Jumpin Jive, Chinese Rhythm |
| Carmen Miranda Na Batucada da Vida |
| Chick Webb I Can't Dance (I Got Ants In My Pants), What a Shuffle, Stompin' At The Savoy |
| Don Bestor Forty-Second Street |
| Duke Ellington Cocktails For Two, Solitude, Delta Serenade, The Saddest Tale |
| Eddie Duchin Let's Fall In Love, I Only Have Eyes For You |
| Emil Velasco Old Spinning Wheel |
| Enric Madriguera The Carioca |
| Ethel Merman You're The Top |
| Fats Waller Honeysuckle Rose |
| Fred Astaire Flying Down To Rio |
| Freddy Martin April In Paris, I Saw Stars |
| Glen Gray Champagne Waltz |
| Grace Moore One Night of Love |
| Guy Lombardo Stars Fell on Alabama |
| Harry Sosnick and the Edgewater Beach Orchestra The Carioca |
| Henry King April In Paris |
| Henry Rose Hot Lips |
| Isham Jones For All We Know |
| Jan Garber All I Do Is Dream Of You |
| Jane Froman I Only Have Eyes For You |
| Jimmie Lunceford Stratosphere |
| Jimmy Durante Inka Dinka Dpp |
| Jimmy Greer and his Orchestra Stay As Sweet as You Are, The Object of my Affection |
| Leo Reisman The Continental (You Kiss While You're Dancing) |
| Lucienne Boyer Hands Across The Table |
| Mario Reis Agora & Cinza |
| Paul Whiteman I Get A Kick Out Of You, You're The Top, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Wagon Wheels |
| Ray Noble The Very Thought Of You, Old Spinning Wheel |
| Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees You Outta Be In Pictures |
| Ruth Etting Smoke Gets In Your eyes |
| Scott Wood and His Orchestra I Only Have Eyes For You |
| Sons of the Pioneers Tumbling Tumbleweeds |
| Ted Fio Rito My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua Hawaii, I'll String Along With You |