What are some of the "hot songs" of the 1920's?

Question

What are some of the "hot songs" of the 1920's?

Answer 1

I hope the following info helps you.

    Let's start with the biggest of the #1 hits from each year of the 1920s.  Dates in parentheses are for the first time each song hit #1.  They are:

1920- "Dardanella"(1/31)- Ben Selvin's Novelty Orchestra

1921- "Wang Wang Blues"(1/29) and "Cherie"(7/30)- both by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, each spending 6 weeks at #1.

1922- "April Showers"(2/11)- Al Jolson

1923- "Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers"(4/07)- Paul Whiteman Orchestra

1924- "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'"(2/16)- Wendell Hall (ukulele player) and "California, Here I Come!"(5/24)- Al Jolson.  Each spent 6 weeks at #1.

1925- "I'll See You In My Dreams"(4/04)- Isham Jones with Ray Miller's Orchestra and "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby"(9/12)- Gene Austin.  Each spent 7 weeks at #1.

1926- "The Prisoner's Song"(12/26/25)- Vernon Dalhart.  Besides the one week at #1 in '25, the song stayed on top for another 11 weeks in '26... tying it with "Valencia"(7/03)- Paul Whiteman Orchestra

1927- "In A Little Spanish Town"(1/08)- Paul Whiteman Orchestra

1928- "My Blue Heaven"(12/17/27)- Gene Austin.  Besides the two weeks at #1 in '27, the song stayed on top for another 11 weeks in '28... Honorable mention should go to Al Jolson for "Sonny Boy"(10/21) which topped the charts for the last 10 weeks of the year and for another two weeks into 1929.

1929- "Tip Toe Through The Tulips"(10/19)- Nick Lucas

    The all-time best-selling recordings of the 1920s were Dalhart's "The Prisoner's Song"(7+ million copies), followed by Austin's "My Blue Heaven"(5+ million), Selvin's "Dardanella"(5+ million)(the first record to ever sell over 3 million), Whiteman's "Three O'Clock In The Morning"(3+ million)(runner up hit of 1922)& "Whispering"(2+million) and Hall's "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'"(2+ million).

    Record sales stats don't always match hit chart performance.  Imagine a recording that sells a huge amount over a very few weeks, far more than any others, but then quickly fades while the others stay longer on the charts.

    Have fun with these facts.  Wishing you a successful assignment project

Answer 2

Swanee/Al Jolson

When My Baby Smiled At Me/Ted Lewis

Love Nest/ Art Hickman

Hold Me/Art Hickman

Wang Wang Blues/Paul Whiteman

Alice Blue Gown/Edith Day

Dardanella/Ben Selvin

Chilie Bean/Paul Biese Trio

Barefoot Trail/John Mcormack

Girls of My Dreams/John Steele

Actually, Louis Armstrong was big then as a player in a many jazz bands but did not have his own first hit until 1929 a song called the St. Louis Blues.  You must remember that at the time black music was just for blacks and white music was for whites.  Al Jolson sang Swanee in black face as part of his act.  Also, notice the distinct lack of woman performers in the list, only one.

Answer 3

a lot of them were old hyms, like prase God above.   Everyone knew them and everyone were a lot more conservitive back then

Answer 4

Louis Armstrong was huge back then.

And everyone was dancing the "charleston"

http://www.nfo.net/usa/melodya.html

http://www.besmark.com/popular3.html