1934 Popular Music, Songs and Artists

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 Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler sang it. 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 100. 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 become 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 ship’s stowaway that falls in love with an heiress on the ship. The song was hit at the time especially when sung by its 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 artists 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 sung 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 finally recorded it in 1934, and this recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong recorded it and featured it 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 with 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 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. It was also 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, Irene Dunne would perform the song 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 Gene Autry sang it in his movie of the same name.

Rudy Vallee And His Connecticut Yankees
You Oughta Be In Pictures
Written by Dana Seuss 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.

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