1946 Music – Pop Standards and Artists

1946 Pop Standards and Artists

Perry Como
They Say It’s Wonderful
Les Brown
I’ve got the Sun in the Morning
Freddy Martin
Doin’ What’s Come Naturally

Annie Get Your Gun was first performed in 1946. The book for the show was written by Dorothy and Herbert Fields and the music by Mr. Irving Berlin. The show was written for and starred Ethel Merman. Rodgers and Hammerstein would be the producers of this Musical whose music would stay part of American culture.

Annie Get Your Gun told a fictional version of the life of Annie Oakley who was a female sharpshooter for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The musical centered on her romance with another star of the show Frank Butler. The show would run on Broadway for 1147 performances. The show would be revived several times with such stars as Mary Martin. Olympic athlete Kathy Rigby, and more than once with Ethel Merman. The movie would be attempted to be made with Judy Garland, but sadly her personal issues did not allow her to complete the project although she had already recorded the soundtrack. Garland was replaced with Betty Hutton.

The three songs above were part of the Irving Berlin score and remain American standards. The one not mentioned on the list for the top songs 0f 1946, but still became part of America’s Theater history if not the anthem for all performers is There’s No Business Like Show Business.

Bing Crosby and the Jesters
McNamara’s Band
Written in 1945 by O’Connor and Stamford this song would go up into the top ten for Bing Crosby in 1956. The song was the story of a small Irish band led of course by McNamara. The song was based on an actual Irish band of the same name. It is another standard that Irish Americans have adopted as their own, especially on St.Patrick’s Day.

Dixie Hummingbirds
Amazing Grace
This song may be as popular as it’s source, which is the Bible. Its author was John Newton a Slave Trader who, one day, was caught in a terrible storm at sea, he prayed for God’s Mercy. God answered Newton’s Prayer. A year or so later Newton gave up the slave trade and began to study theology; he would eventually pastor a church. Newton with his friend William Cowper wrote the lyrics for Newton’s sermon for January 1, 1773. However, it was more than likely chanted and not actually sung. Music would be added and different tunes used. It was in 1835 that the song was married to the tune, New Britain, which is the version we know today. For TV comedy fans the lyrics can be sung exactly to the tune of the theme of Gilligan’s Island. It is estimated that Amazing Grace is performed around 10 million times annually. William Wilberforce, who would be one of the main players in the freeing of the slaves in Britain, was a friend of Newton’s and was influenced and encouraged by him.

Eddie Howard
I Love You For Sentimental Reasons
The song was written in 1945 by William Best. Deek Watson is credited as also being part of the creation of the song, although there is some dispute about this. The song has been recorded and rerecorded throughout the century into the next. Dean Martin, Linda Ronstadt and Kathy Lee Gifford would all record this American Standard.

Judy Garland
On The Atchison Topeka And The Santa Fe
The Harvey Girls is a film that dramatized the life of the women that went west to be waitresses for the Harvey House Restaurants which were expanding by being placed strategically across the United States at Railroad stations to serve hungry travelers going west in the 1800s. The film starred Judy Garland as well as her co-star from The Wizard of Oz Ray Bolger. Angela Lansbury, at the time a part of MGMs Galaxy of Stars, also had a featured role in the film. On The Atchison Topeka and The Santa Fe was a production number sung when the ladies arrive at their new home in the west.

Nat King Cole
Get Your Kicks on Route 66
The song, for the most part, is known by just part of its title, Route 66. It was composed in 1946 by Bobby Troupe and recorded that same year by Nat King Cole. The troupe got his inspiration for the song while driving across the country from Pennsylvania to California. He used Route 66 for most of the journey and lists all the places the road passes thru. The song has been recorded by such artists as different as Natalie Cole and Aerosmith.

Johnny Mercer
Zip a Dee Do Dah
Walt Disney animation has brought to the world many songs. Love songs, fun songs and sad songs. Disney Studios is also responsible for the song” Zip a Dee Do Dah”. The music is by Allie Wrubel and the lyrics by Ray Gilbert. The movie was animated and live-action and was called “Song of The South.” Song of the South told the folk stories of Uncle Remus and was popular for its time, unfortunately for modern movie enthusiasts, the movie is locked in the Disney vaults and not available in this country. Uncle Remus was a slave and told his stories to his owner’s children in the film. It seems that telling his stories, in this way, has become politically incorrect. The film can be purchased in The United Kingdom and other parts of the world.