Various Artists - America's Greatest Hits 1941 / Various (CD)

We continue our popular and successful series devoted to the biggest chart records of each calendar year in the early chart era as we focus on 1941, the first full year of the Billboard Best Sellers chart - the chart was launched in July 1940. This great value 91-track 4-CD set comprises every record which appeared in the Best Sellers Top 10 during the year, which was the first complete calendar year of the sales chart. The big names of the swing era were very much in evidence, and the year started with Artie Shaw's "Frenesi" at No. 1 and finished with Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo Choo" occupying the top spot. In between, a host of other big names made their presence felt - Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore and others - alongside many highly collectable lesser-known records by some artists we don't hear too much about these days. It makes for an intriguing and very entertaining musical snapshot of a year when the USA was enjoying the calm before the storm of Pearl Harbour in December of that year. It includes a 10,000 word booklet with a commentary on every record as well as full discographical and chart information.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Frenesi - Artie Shaw ; His Orchestra
2. Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat - Will Bradley ; His Orchestra Feat. Ray McKinley
3. A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle
4. We Three - Ink Spots
5. Only Forever - Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter ; His Orchestra
6. Five O'Clock Whistle - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Marion Hutton
7. Down Argentina Way - Bob Crosby ; His Orchestra with Bonnie King
8. Anvil Chorus from 'Il Trovatore' - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra
9. I Hear a Rhapsody - Charlie Barnet ; His Orchestra with Bob Carroll
10. Ferry-Boat Serenade - Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen ; His Orchestra
11. There I Go - Vaughn Monroe ; His Orchestra
12. Star Dust - Artie Shaw ; His Orchestra
13. Along the Santa Fe Trail - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle
14. I Hear a Rhapsody - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly
15. There I Go - Will Bradley ; His Orchestra Feat. Ray McKinley
16. Yes My Darling Daughter - Dinah Shore
17. Perfidia - Xavier Cugat ; His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra
18. You Walk By - Eddy Duchin ; His Orchestra with Johnny Drake
19. Beat Me Daddy (Eight to the Bar) - Will Bradley ; His Orchestra Feat. Ray McKinley
20. High on a Windy Hill - Gene Krupa ; His Orchestra with Howard Dulany
21. Summit Ridge Drive - Artie Shaw ; Gramercy Five
22. Concerto for Clarinet - Artie Shaw ; His Orchestra

Disc: 2

1. It All Comes Back to Me Now - Hal Kemp ; His Orchestra with Bob Allen
2. High on a Windy Hill - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly
3. Song of the Volga Boatman - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra
4. Oh Look at Me Now - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra
5. I Hear a Rhapsody - Dinah Shore
6. Dancing in the Dark - Artie Shaw ; Gramercy Five
7. Amapola - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly ; Helen O'Connell
8. I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra
9. New San Antonio Rose - Bing Crosby with Bob Crosby ; His Orchestra
10. Blue Flame - Woody Herman ; His Orchestra
11. It All Comes Back to Me Now - Gene Krupa ; His Orchestra with Howard Dulany
12. There'll Be Some Changes Made - Benny Goodman ; His Orchestra with Louise Tobin
13. Do I Worry - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra
14. Music Makers - Harry James ; His Orchestra
15. The Wise Old Owl - Al Donahue ; His Orchestra with Dee Keating
16. Intermezzo - Wayne King ; His Orchestra
17. Alexander the Swoose (Half Swan-Half Goose) - Kay Kyser ; His Orchestra with Harry, Ginny, Jack
18. Dolores - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra
19. Dolores - Bing Crosby ; the Merry Macs with Bob Crosby
20. G'bye Now - Horace Heidt ; His Musical Knights with Ronnie
21. I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time - Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen ; His Orchestra
22. Everything Happens to Me - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra
23. My Sister and I - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly

Disc: 3

1. Let's Get Away from It All - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with the Pied Pipers
2. Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes) - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly ; Helen O'Connell
3. The Band Played on - Guy Lombardo ; His Royal Canadians with Kenny
4. Maria Elena - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly
5. Until Tomorrow (Goodnight My Love) - Sammy Kaye ; the Three Kaydets
6. Yours (Quiereme Mucho) - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly ; Helen O'Connell
7. Daddy - Sammy Kaye ; the Choir
8. Maria Elena - Wayne King ; His Orchestra
9. The Hut-Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade) - Freddy Martin ; His Orchestra with Eddie Stone
10. The Hut-Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade) - Horace Heidt ; His Musical Knights with Donna
11. Maria Elena - Tony Pastor ; His Orchestra with Dorsey Anderson
12. Intermezzo - Freddy Martin ; His Orchestra with Clyde Rogers
13. The Things I Love - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly
14. The Hut-Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade) - the Four King Sisters with the Rhythm 'Reys'
15. Yes Indeed! (De Verdad Que Si!) - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra/Jo Stafford ; Sy Oliver
16. Goodbye Dear, I'll Be Back in a Year - Horace Heidt ; His Musical Knights with Ronnie
17. 'Til Reveille - Kay Kyser ; His Orchestra with Harry, Ginny, Jack ; Max
18. Blue Champagne - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly
19. The Booglie Wooglie Piggy - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra/Tex Beneke ; the
20. Just a Little Bit South of North Carolina - Gene Krupa ; His Orchestra with Anita O'Day
21. Intermezzo - Charlie Spivak ; His Orchestra
22. Piano Concerto in B Flat - Freddy Martin ; His Orchestra
23. 'Til Reveille - Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter ; His Orchestra

Disc: 4

1. Lament to Love - Harry James ; His Orchestra with Dick Haymes
2. You and I - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle
3. Let Me Off Uptown - Gene Krupa ; His Orchestra/Anita O'Day ; Roy Elridge
4. You and I - Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter ; His Orchestra
5. Chattanooga Choo Choo - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra/Tex Beneke ; the Modernaires
6. I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire - Tommy Tucker Time/Amy Arnell ; the Voices Three
7. I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire - Horace Heidt ; His Musical Knights/Larry Cotton/Donna
8. Jim - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly ; Helen O'Connell
9. Jim - Dinah Shore
10. Elmer's Tune - Dick Jurgens and His Orchestra
11. I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire - Ink Spots
12. This Love of Mine (Este Amor Mio) - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra
13. Time Was (Duerme) - Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly ; Helen O'Connell
14. You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It) - Harry James ; His Orchestra
15. Elmer's Tune - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra/Ray Eberle ; the Modernaire
16. Tonight We Love (Concerto No. 1 B Flat Minor) - Tony Martin
17. Blues in the Night - Artie Shaw ; His Orchestra with Hot Lips Page
18. Shepherd Serenade - Horace Heidt ; His Musical Knights with Larry Cotton, Fred Lowery ; Glee Club
19. Shepherd Serenade - Bing Crosby
20. Two in Love - Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra
21. Jingle Bells - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Tex Beneke, Ernie Caceras ; the Modernaires
22. This Is No Laughing Matter - Charlie Spivak ; His Orchestra with Garry Stevens ; the Stardusters
23. White Cliffs of Dover - Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle