Songs of the Summer 1900-1959

Songs of the Summer listed are from the ‘Great American Songbook’ and the most popular songs of the first pop music era. While a modern song can streak to the top ten on the charts and disappear a few weeks later, songs from this era were often sung (and charted) by several artists, often within different genres and styles. Prior to the Pop/Rock era, music was very much controlled by the songwriters and/or copyright holders. Artists were often just an instrument to perform the music and sing the lyrics. But it was also less ‘corporate’ – a song was released when it was ready, seldom taking the season (outside of Christmas Songs) into consideration.Purple People Eater was released as a summer novelty song in 1958… today it is a Halloween staple. When Irish Eyes Are Smiling was a summer song inspired by Irish immigrants, now pretty much only played on March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day. These were the most popular songs played during the summer (and usually the year).
1950s and Older Songs of the Summer
1.		Summertime Blues – Eddie Cochran, 1958
2.		Take Me Out To The Ball Game – Billy Murray (or many others), 1908
3.		We’re Gonna Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley & His Comets, 1955
4.		Summertime – Sam Cooke, 1957
5.		Sleepwalk – Santo & Johnny, 1959
6.		Sh-Boom – Crew Cuts, 1954
7.		Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley, 1956
8.		Little Darlin’ – The Diamonds, 1957
9.		School Day – Chuck Berry, 1957
10.		When Irish Eyes Are Smiling – Chauncey Olcott, 1913 (later associated with St. Patrick’s Day)
11.		Summertime – Billy Holiday, 1936
12.		Harbor Lights – Sammy Kaye, Bing Crosby and various others, 1950
13.		There Goes My Baby – The Drifters, 1959
14.		Splish Splash Bobby Darin, 1958
15.		Mona Lisa – Nat ‘King’ Cole, 1950
16.		Teenager In Love – Dion and the Belmonts, 1959
17.		Little Star – The Elegants, 1958
18.		Love Letters In The Sand – Pat Boone, 1957
19.		Yakety Yak – The Coasters, 1958
20.		Stormy Weather – Leo Reisman or Ethel Waters, 1933
21.		Dream Lover – Bobby Darin, 1959
22.		Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White – Perez Prado, 1955
23.		Personality – Lloyd Price, 1959
24.		All I Have To Do Is Dream – The Everly Brothers, 1958
25.		I’m Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover – various, 1927 & 1948
26.		It Had To Be You – variuos artists, 1924 & 1944
27.		Deep In The Heart of Texas – Alvino Rey, Bing Crosby and various others, 1942
28.		Too Young – Nat ‘King’ Cole, 1951
29.		The Happy Organ – Dave ‘Baby’ Cortez, 1959
30.		Kansas City – Wilber Harrison, 1959
31.		Oh! What a Beautiful Morninin’ – Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra
32.		Rag Mop – Ames Brothers, Lionel Hampton, Starlighters and various others, 1950
33.		Swinging On a Star – Bing Crosby, 1944
34.		My Blue Heaven – Fats Domino, 1956 – Gene Austin and others, 1927/28
35.		The Wayard Wind – Gogi Grant, 1956
36.		Beer Barrel Polka – Will Glahe (and others), 1939
37.		On The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe – Johnny Mercer, 1945
38.		Come On-A My House – Rosemary Clooney, 1951
39.		Witch Doctor – David Seville, 1958
40.		Because Of You – Tony Bennett, 1951
41.		Bird Dog – The Everly Brothers, 1958
42.		Blue Skies – Ben Selvin, 1927
43.		I Want You, I Need You, I Love You – Elvis Presley, 1956
44.		Bushel and A Peck – Perry Como, Doris Day and various others, 1950
45.		Sweet Georgia Brown – Ben Bernie, 1925
46.		Lavender Blue – Sammy Turner, 1959
47.		Lonely Boy – Paul Anka, 1959
48.		Moon Glow – Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and others, 1934
49.		Standing On The Corner – The Four Lads, 1956
50.		Peg O’ My Heart – The Harmonicats or Buddy Clark, 1947
51.		Music! Music! Music! – Teresa Brewer and various others, 1950
52.		Rebel ‘Rouser – Duane Eddy, 1958
53.		Some Enchanted Evening – Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford and various others, 1949
54.		A Teenager’s Romace/I’m Walkin’ – Ricky Nelson, 1957
55.		I’ll Never Smile Again – Tommy Dorsey, 1940
56.		Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) – Vaughn Monroe, 1949
57.		Give My Regards To Broadway – Billy Murray, 1905
58.		Purple People Eater – Sheb Wolley, 1958
59.		Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home) – The Impalas, 1959
60.		Big Hunk O’ Love – Elvis Presley, 1959
61.		Cheek To Cheek – Fred Astaire and various others, 1935
62.		Poor Little Fool – Ricky Nelson, 1958
63.		The Gypsy – The Ink Spots, 1946
64.		Cruising Down The River – Blue Barron, Russ Morgan and various others, 1949
65.		A Blossom Fell/If I May – Nat ‘King’ Cole, 1955
66.		The Very Thought Of You – Ray Noble, 1934
67.		Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) – Perry Como, 1956
68.		Nature Boy – Nat ‘King’ Cole, 1948
69.		Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You) – Les Paul and Mary Ford, 1953
70.		When My Baby Smiles At Me – Ted Weems, 1920
71.		Jersey Bounce – Benny Goodman, 1942
72.		Oh! What It Seemed To Be – Frank Sinatra, Frankie Carle and various others, 1946
73.		Casey Jones – Billy Murray, 1910
74.		I Love You For Sentimental Reasons – Nat ‘King’ Cole, Dinah Shore and various others 1946/47
75.		Battle of New Orleans – Johnny Horton, 1955
76.		A Tisket, A Tasket – Ella Fitzgerald, 1938
77.		Goodnight, Irene – Weavers, Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford and various others, 1950
78.		Music, Maestro, Please – Tommy Dorsey
79.		Some Enchanted Evening – Perry Como, 1949
80.		Dancing In The Dark – Bing Crosby, Fred Waring and various others, 1931
81.		Jingle, Jangle, Jingle – Kay Kyser
82.		I Wanna Be Loved – Andrews Sisters, Dinah Washington and various others, 1950
83.		It’a A Sin To Tell a Lie – Fats Waller
84.		Wishing Will Make It So – Glenn Miller, 1939
85.		Intermezzo – Guy LOmbardo, Wayne King, Freddy Martin and various others, 1941
86.		Love In Bloom – Bing Crosby
87.		I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Ice Cream – Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, 1928
88.		Three Coins In The Fountain – Four Aces, 1954
89.		Bluebird of Happiness – Art Mooney, Jo Stafford or Jan Peerce, 1948
90.		The Glory Of Love – Benny Goodman, 1935
91.		By The Light of the Silv’ry Moon – Billy Murray, Ada Jones and various others, 1910
92.		Unchained Melody – Les Baxter or Al Hibbler, 1955
93.		Five Minutes More – Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and various others, 1946
94.		Daddy – Sammy Kaye, 1941
95.		Can Anyone Explain? (No! No! No!) – Ames Brothers, Ray Anthony and various others, 1950
96.		Hiawatha – Harry MacDonough, 1903
97.		Down Yonder – Del Wood, Joe ‘Fingers’ Carr and various others, 1951
98.		Frankie – Connie Francis, 1959
99.		Auf Weiderseh’n Sweetheart – Vera Lynn, 1952
100.		Shine On, Harvest Moon – Ada Jones & Billy Murray, 1909

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