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Songs from the Year 1937

Other Years: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

This page lists the top songs of 1937 in the source charts. The way that the various charts are combined to reach this final list is described on the in the site generation page.

Between 1920 and 1940 there are few available charts (at least that we can find). These results should be treated with some caution since, with few exceptions, they are based on fairly subjective charts and biased towards the USA.

During this era music was dominated by a number of "Big Bands" and songs could be attributed to the band leader, the band name, the lead singer or a combination of the them. It is common, for example, to see the same song listed with three different artists. And, just to stop us from getting bored, the success of a song was tied to the sales of sheet music, so a popular song would often be perfomed by many different combinations of singers and bands and the contemporary charts would list the song, without clarifying whose version was the major hit. Where we have found such issues we have attempted to consolidate the entries using the most widely accepted value for the artist in each case.

The top ten song artists of 1937 were:

1:Tommy Dorsey3:Guy Lombardo5:Billie Holiday7:Fred Astaire9:Fats Waller
2:Bing Crosby4:Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra6:Benny Goodman8:Duke Ellington10:Russ Morgan
# Artist Song Title Year Chart Entries
1 Benny Goodman Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing) 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982 (1937), ASCAP song of 1936, US invalid BB 3 of 1938, Peel list 3 of 1937, POP 3 of 1938, nuTsie 4 of 1930s, US Billboard 7 - 1938 (6 weeks), Music Imprint 16 of 1930s, Brazil 54 of 1939, RIAA 205, Acclaimed 526 (1937), WXPN 766
2 Count Basie One O'Clock Jump 1937 US invalid BB 1 of 1937, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1979 (1937), POP 1 of 1937, Library of Congress artifact added 2005 (1937), US Billboard 12 - Jun 1947 (2 weeks), nuTsie 12 of 1930s, Scrobulate 13 of swing, Music Imprint 18 of 1930s, RIAA 211, Acclaimed 824 (1937), RYM 21 of 1937
3 Bing Crosby Sweet Leilani 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (25 weeks), Your Hit Parade 1 of 1937, Oscar in 1937 (film 'Waikiki Wedding'), Australian Nostalgia 2 of 1930-1939, US invalid BB 7 of 1937, POP 7 of 1937, Europe 29 of the 1930s (1937), nuTsie 75 of 1930s
4 Fred Astaire They Can't Take That Away From Me 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (11 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1937), Oscar in 1937 (film 'Shall We Dance') (Nominated), US invalid BB 3 of 1937, POP 3 of 1937, Europe 89 of the 1930s (1937), Acclaimed 2182 (1937), RYM 34 of 1937
5 Duke Ellington Caravan 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009 (1937), US Billboard 4 - 1937 (18 weeks), US invalid BB 9 of 1937, POP 9 of 1937, Jazz Standard 17, Brazil 57 of 1938, nuTsie 58 of 1930s, Scrobulate 88 of jazz, RYM 6 of 1937
6 Tommy Dorsey Marie 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1937), nuTsie 36 of 1930s, Brazil 70 of 1937, Europe 70 of the 1930s (1937)
7 Ella Fitzgerald Goodnight, My Love 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (13 weeks), Your Hit Parade 9 of 1937, US invalid BB 10 of 1937, POP 10 of 1937, Brazil 67 of 1937, Europe 74 of the 1930s (1937), RYM 52 of 1937
8 Tommy Dorsey The Dipsy Doodle 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (15 weeks), Your Hit Parade 3 of 1937, US invalid BB 14 of 1937, POP 14 of 1937, Australian Nostalgia 29 of 1930-1939, Europe 88 of the 1930s (1937)
9 Guy Lombardo Boo Hoo 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (12 weeks), Your Hit Parade 5 of 1937, US invalid BB 18 of 1937, POP 18 of 1937, Australian Nostalgia 39 of 1930-1939, Europe 51 of the 1930s (1937)
10 Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra That Old Feeling 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (14 weeks), Oscar in 1937 (film 'Vogues of 1938') (Nominated), Your Hit Parade 7 of 1937, US invalid BB 13 of 1937, POP 13 of 1937, Brazil 67 of 1938
11 Tommy Dorsey Once in a While 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (14 weeks), Your Hit Parade 2 of 1937, Australian Nostalgia 21 of 1930-1939, nuTsie 50 of 1930s, Europe 68 of the 1930s (1937)
12 Guy Lombardo It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (16 weeks), Your Hit Parade 4 of 1937, US invalid BB 16 of 1937, POP 16 of 1937, Europe 50 of the 1930s (1937), RYM 107 of 1937
13 Guy Lombardo September in the Rain 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (16 weeks), Your Hit Parade 6 of 1937, US invalid BB 11 of 1937, POP 11 of 1937, Europe 46 of the 1930s (1937), RYM 87 of 1937
14 Bing Crosby The Moon Got in My Eyes 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (11 weeks), Your Hit Parade 10 of 1937, US invalid BB 12 of 1937, POP 12 of 1937, Europe 31 of the 1930s (1937)
15 Bob Crosby & his Orchestra Whispers in The Dark 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (13 weeks), Oscar in 1937 (film 'Artists and Models') (Nominated), Your Hit Parade 8 of 1937, US invalid BB 17 of 1937, POP 17 of 1937
16 Eddy Duchin It's De-Lovely 1937 US Billboard 1 - Nov 1936 (13 weeks), US invalid BB 4 of 1937, POP 4 of 1937, Europe 73 of the 1930s (1937)
17 Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy Indian Love Call 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 (1962), US Billboard 8 - Dec 1936 (6 weeks), nuTsie 53 of 1930s, Brazil 64 of 1937
18 Tommy Dorsey Satan takes a Holiday 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (11 weeks), US invalid BB 15 of 1937, POP 15 of 1937, Europe 64 of the 1930s (1937)
19 Margaret McCrae This Year's Kisses 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (10 weeks), US invalid BB 19 of 1937, POP 19 of 1937, Europe 58 of the 1930s (1937)
20 Bing Crosby Remember Me 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (6 weeks), Oscar in 1937 (film 'Mr. Dodd Takes the Air') (Nominated), Europe 30 of the 1930s (1937)
21 Bing Crosby & Jimmy Dorsey Too Marvelous For Words 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (10 weeks), Europe 28 of the 1930s (1937), Brazil 88 of 1937
22 W H Stepp Bonaparte's Retreat 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013 (1937), Library of Congress artifact added 2015 (1937)
23 Hal Kemp This Year's Kisses 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), POP 19 of 1937, Europe 69 of the 1930s (1937)
24 Billie Holiday I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm 1937 US Billboard 4 - 1937 (10 weeks), US invalid BB 6 of 1937, POP 6 of 1937, nuTsie 55 of 1930s, RYM 22 of 1937
25 Hal Kemp Where Or When 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (16 weeks), Europe 63 of the 1930s (1937), nuTsie 98 of 1930s
26 Billie Holiday Carelessly 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (12 weeks), nuTsie 86 of 1930s, Brazil 92 of 1938
27 Frances Langford Harbour Lights 1937 US invalid BB 2 of 1937, POP 2 of 1937, US Billboard 6 - 1937 (6 weeks)
28 Russ Morgan The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (10 weeks), US invalid BB 20 of 1937, POP 20 of 1937
29 Jimmie Lunceford For Dancers Only 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1937), US Billboard 7 - 1937 (3 weeks), RYM 55 of 1937
30 Guy Lombardo So Rare 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), Brazil 21 of 1938
31 Bing Crosby & Connee Boswell Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?) 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (12 weeks), Europe 27 of the 1930s (1937)
32 Guy Lombardo A Sailboat In The Moonlight 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (14 weeks), Europe 49 of the 1930s (1937)
33 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees Vieni Vieni 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (13 weeks), Europe 62 of the 1930s (1937)
34 Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Thanks For the Memory 1937 US Billboard 1 - Dec 1937 (14 weeks), Europe 82 of the 1930s (1938)
35 Sammy Kaye Rosalie 1937 US Billboard 1 - Oct 1937 (15 weeks), Brazil 79 of 1938
36 Robert Johnson Hellhound on My Trail 1937 Peel list 4 of 1937, Acclaimed 630 (1937), Visconti song of 1937, RYM 1 of 1937, one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500
37 Tommy Dorsey Song of India 1937 US Billboard 5 - 1937 (5 weeks), US invalid BB 8 of 1937, POP 8 of 1937, Song of 1937
38 Fred Astaire Let's Call the Whole Thing Off 1937 US Billboard 5 - 1937 (9 weeks), AFI 34, Jazz Standard 766, RYM 12 of 1937, Song of 1937
39 Mildred Bailey Rockin' Chair 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011 (1937), US Billboard 13 - 1937 (2 weeks)
40 Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), POP 20 of 1937
41 Tommy Dorsey The Lady is a Tramp 1937 US invalid BB 5 of 1937, POP 5 of 1937, US Billboard 15 - 1937 (2 weeks)
42 Slim & Slam The Flat Foot Floogie 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1938 (17 weeks), nuTsie 87 of 1930s, Song of 1937
43 Judy Garland (Dear Mr Gable) You Made Me Love You 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1937), RYM 10 of 1937
44 Bing Crosby & Jimmy Dorsey Never in a Million Years 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (12 weeks), Europe 53 of the 1930s (1937)
45 Claude Thornhill & his Orchestra Harbour Lights 1937 POP 2 of 1937, US Billboard 7 - 1937 (8 weeks)
46 Orlando Silva Carinhoso 1937 Brazil 1 of 1937
47 Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys Steel Guitar Stomp 1937 Peel list 1 of 1937
48 Gus Arnheim & his Orchestra So Rare 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (8 weeks), Jazz Standard 946
49 Ray Noble I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (9 weeks), POP 6 of 1937
50 Teddy Wilson (and his Orchestra) You Can't Stop Me from Dreaming 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (7 weeks)
51 Tommy Dorsey Big Apple 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (7 weeks)
52 Henry Busse & his Orchestra With Plenty of Money & You 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (9 weeks)
53 Fats Waller Smarty 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks)
54 Horace Heidt Gone With the Wind 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (9 weeks)
55 Bing Crosby Blue Hawaii 1937 US Billboard 5 - 1937 (13 weeks), Brazil 74 of 1937
56 Eddy Duchin Moonlight & Shadows 1937 US Billboard 5 - 1937 (5 weeks), Brazil 93 of 1937
57 Duke Ellington Azure 1937 US Billboard 13 - 1937 (4 weeks), Jazz Standard 629, RYM 6 of 1937
58 Sophie Tucker The Lady is a Tramp 1937 POP 5 of 1937, US Billboard 19 - 1937 (1 week)
59 Glen Gray I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm 1937 POP 6 of 1937, US Billboard 18 - 1937 (1 week)
60 Adriana Caselotti Someday My Prince Will Come 1937 US Billboard 10 - 1938 (4 weeks), AFI 19
61 Mildred Bailey Thanks For the Memory 1937 US Billboard 11 - 1938 (3 weeks), Jazz Standard 762
62 Larry Clinton At Long Last Love 1937 US Billboard 11 - 1938 (4 weeks), Jazz Standard 909
63 Glen Gray I See Your Face Before Me 1937 US Billboard 13 - 1938 (4 weeks), Jazz Standard 902
64 Lawrence Welk Change Partners 1937 US Billboard 13 - 1938 (3 weeks), Jazz Standard 926
65 Benny Goodman Topsy 1937 US Billboard 14 - 1938 (1 week), Jazz Standard 385
66 Kate Smith Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen 1937 US Billboard 15 - 1938 (2 weeks), Jazz Standard 967
67 Leo Reisman Too Marvelous For Words 1937 US Billboard 16 - 1937 (1 week), Jazz Standard 344
68 Guy Lombardo The Folks Who Live on the Hill 1937 US Billboard 17 - 1937 (1 week), Jazz Standard 471
69 Billie Holiday Nice Work If You Can Get It 1937 US Billboard 20 - 1937 (1 week), Jazz Standard 158
70 Alice Faye There's a Lull in My Life 1937 US Billboard 20 - 1937 (1 week), Jazz Standard 924
71 Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers Shall We Dance 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (6 weeks), RYM 12 of 1937
72 Frances Langford Once in a While 1937 Peel list 2 of 1937
73 Silvio Caldas Chao de Estrelas 1937 Brazil 2 of 1937
74 Guy Lombardo I Know Now 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (12 weeks)
75 Teddy Wilson (and his Orchestra) There's a Lull in My Life 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (10 weeks)
76 Eddy Duchin The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (9 weeks)
77 Abe Lyman & his California Orchestra Little Old Lady 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (8 weeks)
78 Horace Heidt Once in a While 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (7 weeks)
79 Russ Morgan The Dipsy Doodle 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (6 weeks)
80 Tommy Dorsey Have You Got Any Castles, Baby? 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (12 weeks)
81 Bing Crosby It's The Natural Thing To Do 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (6 weeks)
82 Teddy Wilson (and his Orchestra) Remember Me 1937 US Billboard 2 - 1937 (10 weeks)
83 Billie Holiday They Can't Take That Away From Me 1937 US Billboard 12 - 1937 (4 weeks), RYM 24 of 1937, Song of 1937
84 Robert Johnson Me & the Devil Blues 1937 Scrobulate 68 of blues, RYM 4 of 1938, Song of 1937
85 Mildred Bailey Where Are You 1937 US Billboard 5 - 1937 (12 weeks), Song of 1937
86 Louis Armstrong Public Melody Number One 1937 US Billboard 7 - 1937 (3 weeks), RYM 36 of 1937
87 Jimmie Lunceford The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down 1937 US Billboard 7 - 1937 (4 weeks), RYM 56 of 1937
88 Dircinha Batista Periquitinho Verde 1937 Brazil 3 of 1937
89 Mal Hallet & his Orchestra Boo Hoo 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (6 weeks)
90 Billie Holiday Pennies From Heaven 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (6 weeks)
91 Fats Waller Spring Cleaning 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (6 weeks)
92 Wayne King Josephine 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (10 weeks)
93 Tommy Dorsey My Cabin of Dreams 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (15 weeks)
94 Tommy Dorsey Josephine 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (5 weeks)
95 Ozzie Nelson & his Orchestra Roses in December 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (11 weeks)
96 Fred Astaire A Foggy Day (in London Town) 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (10 weeks)
97 Larry Clinton True Confessions 1937 US Billboard 3 - Dec 1937 (11 weeks)
98 Tommy Dorsey In the Still of the Night 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (5 weeks)
99 Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Moonlight & Shadows 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (9 weeks)
100 Fats Waller I'm Sorry I Made You Cry 1937 US Billboard 3 - 1937 (6 weeks)

The comments here are from the the MusicID impact site site. This version is not able to accept comments yet

Previous Comments (newest first)

25 Apr 2020

#42 - Slim & Slam - The Flat Foot Floogie

This particular song, maybe was recorded in 1938, I think. Or not? Whats thecriteria for this inclution in 1937?+

See the FAQ about assigning years to songs

25 Apr 2020

#42 - Slim and Slam - Flat foot floogie

This song was for 1938, I Think. Why is in the list of 1937? Any reason?

See the FAQ about what determines the year a song is listed under.

2 Sep 2019

January 15th, 1937, America

I don't care what position on the charts, or which chart you use (As long asit's a real chart list, not RYM or DDD) Just has to be started charting on or Near-before that day. +Great site you got here, It's helped me with some Documentaries I have done.+

Have a look at the 1937 year chart. Any of the top 20 there would fit your criteria. The listing of which charts should give you enough info to select. For example, Count Basie's "One O'Clock Jump" would be a valid candidate except you may reject it because it relies on recent assessments (such as the "Grammy Hall of Fame" and "Library of Congress" listings). Of course you may see those as supporting it.

13 Nov 2017

Number ones decmeber 1937

What was number one on second December 1937

2 Sep 2017

What was the No.1 record on 8th September 1947

Bing Crosby "Anniversary Song" was number one in Australia for the whole of Sept 1947 (read the FAQ)

1 Aug 2017

What was number one 10 th October 1937

18 Feb 2017

song on the day

what was the number one song on 5th march 1937

9 Feb 2017

#46 - W H Stepp - Bonaparte's Retreat

This was selected for Library Of Congress (National Recording Registry) in 2015.

Added, thanks

7 Aug 2015

Happy Birthday!!

Wonder which of these was "top of the chart" today in 1937?

19 Apr 2015

1st September 1937

Ron O'Neal, Al Geiberger and Allen Jones?

26 Feb 2015

songs

What was the number 1 song on feb9 1937

2 Aug 2014

1937 & 1939

What was the popular song for Nov. 1937 & Feb. 1939. +Thank you, +Nola

That is an impossible question to answer. See the "Number Ones" listing to see why

10 Jun 2014

Duke Ellington

I'm not sure #45 (Crescendo in Blue) should make this 1937 list. There is a1956 recording titled "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue " that was awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame as well as being on the "Acclaimed" list. Perhaps this recording should be moved to 1956?

We don't set the year, that is calculated from the data. In this case the RYM entry for 1937 seems questionable, so we've fixed the Grammy Hall of Fame and "Acclaimed" data. The song should therefore move to 1956

Thanks for the suggestion

14 Apr 2014

Lyrics for "Let's Merry-Go-Round"

I was only a child when I heard this song and always referred to it as "Let's Merry-Go-Round". Some of the lyrics as I remember them are, Let's merry-go-round on the merry-go merry-go round, you you by my side while the merry-go merry-goes round. I haven't a thing but you'll know that we're honeymoon bugs, when I give you the ring that I went on the merry-go merry-go round ......

3 Sep 2013

top song of 1937- Wilma thompson

24 Mar 2013

# 48 & 59

These two songs were performed by Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers in the movie "Shall We Dance" but the studio recordings were solos by Fred just as # 3 which was also from that movie.

Strictly speaking you are correct. However the goal of this list is to consolidate information from various charts, so we want to credit the songs to do that. That is why the film and studio versions have both been assigned to the same artists. Our judgement was that for "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and "Shall We Dance" the film version was more famous, so we assigned that to both, but for "They Can't Take That Away From Me" the studio version had more impact, so we assined that to Fred Astaire.

We realise this is not a perfact solution, but we feel it is good enough to give readers the best feel for the year's top songs, and to allow those who are interested to explore the detail.

14 Jan 2013

@13 & 59

These two are the same recording. It was issued as Victor 25461. I have found no record of Ella making a recording od this independent from the one she made with Goodman.

We are sure you're correct, the data has been fixed. Thanks for the info.

18 Jun 2012

Denny Farrell , I think your site is wonderful

I have been doing a radio show that covers all the great music of the 20's 30's and 40's for over 40 years now. We have listeners from the early teens up to 100 who tune in every week. Music was a big part of everyones life long before 1940. It did matter.

Big Band Hall of Fame Inductee, Denny Farrell

22 Feb 2012

i wish i'd never seen the sunshine ......who wrote it ????? ronnetts/darlene love + early to mid 1960's +phil spector / have a cd/ I WISH I NEVER SAW THE SUN SHINE did not know it was befoe that......+

28 Sep 2011

# 20 This Year's Kisses

This recording is by Benny Goodman with Margaret McCrae doing the vocal.

Songs from the 1930s are often assigned to different combinations of band leader, vocalist and band. We've tried to ensure consistency in our listing even where that conflicts with strict accuracy for a particular market.

In this case we figure it is more valuable to connect the European success with that in the US rather than list the exact name on the US record label.

2 Aug 2011

Goodnight My Love

I'm not as sure on this one, but I think #54 Ella Fitgerald - Goodnight My Love and #16 Benny Goodman - Goodnight My Love may be the same since Ella sang vocal on the Benny Goodman version in 1937.

2 Aug 2011

This Year's Kisses

Thanks for the great work and all the research on this project!

I think that #43 Benny Goodman - This Year's Kisses and #46 Margaret McCrae are the same song. Margaret sang the vocal on the Benny Goodman version in 1937.

We're pretty sure you are right. We've changed the data, thanks for the correction (fix, whatever)

30 Dec 2010

Love it! :)

9 Nov 2010

DO YOU KNOW +THIS SONG 1937/38/36?

the song is called I WISH I'D NEVER SEEN SUNSHINE +- SINGER - JIMMIE DAVIS

11 May 2010

DO YOU KNOW +THIS SONG 1937/38/36?

I WISH THAT I'D NEVER SEEN SUNSHINE AND I WISH THAT I'D NEVER SEEN RAIN... I WISH THAT MY SOUL WOULD NEVER GROW OLD FOR THE TEARS THAT I SHED WERE IN VAIN????????? I WISH THAT SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THAT THE LOVE THAT YOU GAVE WAS UNTRUE OH I WISH THAT I DIED IN MY CRADLE BEFORE I GREW UP TO LOVE YOU

No idea, never heard of it

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