1934 Music – Pop Standards and Artists

1934 Pop Standards 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 it was sung by 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 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 would finally record the song in 1934 and this recording would be inducted into 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 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 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 song 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 sung by Gene Autry 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.

Top Artists and Songs of 1934

Ben Selvin
I Only Have Eyes For You
Benny Goodman
Moon Glow
Bessie Smith
Gimme 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