1939 in music

See also: \n1938 in music, \nother events of 1939, \n1940 in music and the \nlist of 'years in music'.

Table of contents

1 Events 2 Top hits on record 3 Published popular music 4 Classical music 5 Opera 6 Musical theater 7 Musical films 8 Births 9 Deaths

Events

\n*Publication of Music Here and Now, book by Ernst Krenek\n*March 23 - Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2 (the only violin concerto known to be by him at the time) is premiered by Zoltán Székely and the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Willem Mengelberg\n*June 21 - Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto is premiered in Paris\n*Harry James forms his own band\n*Frank Sinatra joins the Harry James orchestra\n*Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers join the Tommy Dorsey orchestra\n*Charlie Christian\'s musical career begins

Top hits on record

\n*"And the Angels Sing" by Martha Tilton with Benny Goodman & his orchestra\n*"Beer Barrel Polka" by Will Glahe\n*"Deep Purple" by Larry Clinton\n*"Jeepers Creepers" by Al Donohue\n*"Moon Love" by Glenn Miller\n*"Over the Rainbow" by Glenn Miller, also Judy Garland\n*"Scatter-Brain" by Frankie Masters\n*"South of the Border" by Shep Fields\n*"Stairway to the Stars" by Glenn Miller\n*"Wishing (Will Make It So)" by Glenn Miller

Published popular music

• "Address Unknown" w.m. Carmen Lombardo, Johnny Marks & Dedette Lee Hill \n* "All In Fun" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern Introduced by Frances Mercer and Jack Whiting in the musical Very Warm For May\n* "All Or Nothing At All" w. Jack Lawrence m. Arthur Altman \n* "All The Things You Are" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern from the musical Very Warm For May\n* "Anatole (Of Paris)" w.m. Sylvia Fine Introduced by Danny Kaye in the revue The Straw Hat Revue\n* "An Apple For The Teacher" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "Are You Havin' Any Fun?" w. Jack Yellen m. Sammy Fain \n* "The Army Air Corps" w.m. Robert M. Crawford \n* "At The Woodchoppers' Ball" m. Woody Herman & Joe Bishop \n* "Back In The Saddle Again" w.m. Gene Autry & Ray Whitley \n* "Between Eighteenth And Nineteenth On Chestnut Street" w.m. Will Osborne & Dick Rodgers \n* "Bless You" w.m. Don Baker & Eddie Lane \n* "Blue Orchids" w.m. Hoagy Carmichael \n* "Bluebirds In The Moonlight" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger \n* "The Boys In The Back Room" w. Frank Loesser m. Frederick Hollander \n* "Brazil" w. (Eng) Bob Russell m. Ary Baroso \n* "Careless" w.m. Lew Quadling, Eddy Howard & Dick Jurgens \n* "Comes Love" w.m. Sam H. Stept, Charles Tobius & Lew Brown \n* "Cuckoo In The Clock" w. Johnny Mercer m. Walter Donaldson \n* "Darn That Dream" w. Eddie De lange m. James Van Heusen \n* "Day In - Day Out" w. Johnny Mercer m. Rube Bloom \n* "Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen \n* "Do I Love You?" w.m. Cole Porter \n* "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" w. Ted Koehler m. Rube Bloom \n* "Faithful Forever" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger \n* "Flyin' Home" w. Sid Robin m. Lionel Hampton & Benny Goodman \n* "Frenesi" w. (Eng) Ray Charles & Bob Russell m. Alberto Dominguez \n* "The Gaucho Serenade" w.m. James Cavanaugh, John Redmond & Nat Simon \n* "Give A Little Whistle" w. Ned Washington m. Leigh Harline \n* "Give Him The Ooh-La-La" w.m. Cole Porter \n* "Give It Back To The Indians" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers \n* "Go Fly A Kite" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "God Bless America" w.m. Irving Berlin \n* "Good Morning" w. Arthur Freed m. Nacio Herb Brown \n* "Goodnight, Children Ev'rywhere" w.m. Gabby Rogers & Harry Phillips \n* "Hang Your Heart On A Hickory Limb" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "Heaven Can Wait" w. Eddie De Lange m. James Van Heusen \n* "Honey Hush" Fats Waller, Ed Kirkeby \n* "Huckleberry Duck" w. Jack Lawrence m. Raymond Scott \n* "I Concentrate On You" w.m. Cole Porter \n* "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers \n* "I Get Along Without You Very Well" w.m. Hoagy Carmichael \n* "I Like To Recognize The Tune" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers \n* "I Miss You In The Morning" w. Edgar Leslie m. Joe Burke \n* "I Never Knew Heaven Could Speak" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel \n* "I Poured My Heart Into A Song" w.m. Irving Berlin \n* "I Thought About You" w. Johnny Burke m. James Van Heusen \n* "I Want My Mama" w. (Port) Jararaca & Vincente Paiva (Eng) Al Stillman m. Jararaca & Vincente Paiva \n* "If A Grey Haired Lady Says "How's Yer Father?"" w.m. Ted Waite \n* "If I Didn't Care" w.m. Jack Lawrence \n* "If I Only Had A Brain" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen \n* "If I Only Had Wings" w.m. Sid Colin & Ronnie Aldrich \n* "I'll Never Smile Again" w.m. Ruth Lowe \n* "I'll Walk Beside You" w.m. Alan Murray & Edward Lockton \n* "I'm Building A Sailboat Of Dreams" Cliff Friend, Dave Franklin \n* "In An Eighteenth Century Drawing Room" m. Raymond Scott \n* "In The Mood" w. Andy Razaf m. Joe Garland \n* "Is 'E An Aussie, Lizzie, Is 'E?" w.m. B. C. Hilliam & Malcolm McEachern \n* "It's A Hap - Hap - Happy Day" w.m. Sammy Timberg, Winston Sharples & Al J. Neiburg \n* "I've Got My Eyes On You" w.m. Cole Porter \n* "J'Attendrai" w. (Fr) Louis Poterat (Eng) Anna Sosenko m. Dino Olivieri \n* "The Jumpin' Jive" w.m. Cab Calloway, Frank Froeba & Jack Palmer \n* "Katie Went To Haiti" w.m. Cole Porter \n* "Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant-Major" Noel, Pelosi \n* "The Lady's In Love With You" w. Frank Loesser m. Burton Lane \n* "The Lamp Is Low" w. Mitchell Parish m. Peter De Rose & Bert Shefter \n* "Leanin' On The Ole Top Rail" w.m. Charles Kenny & Nick Kenny\n* "Lili Marlene" w. (Ger) Hans Leip (Eng) Tommy Connor m. Norbert Schultze \n* "Love Never Went To College" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers \n* "A Lover Is Blue" w.m. Charles Carpenter, James R. Mundy & Trummy Young \n* "Lydia, The Tattooed Lady" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen \n* "A Man And His Dream" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "The Man With The Mandolin" w. James Cavanaugh & John Redmond m. Frank Weldon \n* "A Marvellous Party" w.m. Noël Coward \n* "The Masquerade Is Over" w. Herb Magidson m. Allie Wrubel \n* "La Mer" w.m. Charles Trenet \n* "The Moon And The Willow Tree" w. Johnny Burke m. Victor Schertzinger \n* "Moon Love" w.m. Mack David, Mack Davis & Andre Kostelanetz \n* "Moonlight Serenade" w. Mitchell Parish m. Glenn Miller \n* "My Dearest Dear" w.m. Ivor Novello & Christopher Hassall \n* "My Prayer" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Georges Boulanger & Jimmy Kennedy \n* "On A Little Street In Singapore" w.m. Peter DeRose & Billy Hill \n* "On The Outside Always Lookin' In" w.m. Michael Carr \n* "Over The Rainbow" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen \n* "Pennsylvania 6-5000" w. Carl Sigman m. Jerry Gray \n* "Perfidia" w. (Eng) Milton Leeds m. Alberto Dominguez \n* "Run, Rabbit, Run" w. Noel Gay & Ralph T. Butler m. Noel Gay \n* "Scatterbrain" w.m. Johnny Burke, Carl Bean, Kahn Keene & Frankie Masters \n* "She Had To Go And Lose It At The Astor" w.m. Don Raye & Hugh Prince \n* "Sing A Song Of Sunbeams" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "Somewhere In France With You" w.m. Michael Carr \n* "South American Way" w. Al Dubin m. Jimmy McHugh \n* "South Of The Border" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr \n* "Stairway To The Stars" w. Mitchell Parish m. Matty Malneck \n* "Start The Day Right" w.m. Al Lewis, Maurice Spitalny & Charles Tobias \n* "Strange Fruit" w.m. Lewis Allan \n* "Sunrise Serenade" w. Jack Lawrence m. Frankie Carle \n* "Sweet Potato Piper" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "'Tain't What You Do" w.m. Sy Oliver & Trummy Young \n* "Tara's Theme" m. Max Steiner \n* "That Sentimental Sandwich" w. Frank Loesser m. Frederick Hollander \n* "That Sly Old Gentleman" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "There'll Always Be An England" w.m. Ross Parker & Hugh Charles \n* "They Would Wind Him Up And He Would Whistle" Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby \n* "This Is It" w. Dorothy Fields m. Arthur Schwartz \n* "Three Little Fishes" w.m. Saxie Dowell \n* "Till The Lights Of London Shine Again" w.m. Tommie Connor, Eddie Pola \n* "Too Romantic" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco \n* "Traffic Jam" m. Teddy McRae & Artie Shaw \n* "Tuxedo Junction" w. Buddy Feyne m. Erskine Hawkins, Williams Johnson & Julian Dash \n* "Two Blind Loves" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen \n* "Two O'Clock Jump" m. Harry James, Count Basie & Benny Goodman \n* "The Washing On The Siegfried Line" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr \n* "We'll Meet Again" w. Hugh Charles m. Albert Rostron Parker \n* "What's New?" w. Johnny Burke m. Bob Haggart \n* "When You Wish Upon A Star" w. Ned Washington m. Leigh Harline \n* "Who's Taking You Home Tonight?" w.m. Manning Sherwin & Tommy Connor \n* "Wish Me Luck" w.m. Harry Parr-Davies & Phil Park \n* "Wishing (Will Make It So)" w.m. B. G. De Sylva \n* "You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams" Al Hoffman, Al Goodhart, Manny Kurtz\n* "You've Got That Look" w. Frank Loesser m. Frederick Hollander from the film Destry Rides Again

Classical music

\n*Joaquin Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez

Opera

\n*Gian-Carlo Menotti - The Old Maid and the Thief (radio opera)\n*Tolibjon Sadikov - Leili and Mejnun (opera) \n

Musical theater

\n* Black Velvet London revue opened at the Hippodrome Theatre on November 14 and ran for 620 performances\n* The Dancing Years London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on March 23 and ran for 187 performances\n* Du Barry Was A Lady Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on December 6 and ran for 408 performances\n* George White's Scandals Of 1939 Broadway revue opened at the Alvin Theatre on August 28 and ran for 120 performances\n* The Little Revue London revue opened at the Little Theatre on April 21 and ran for 415 performances\n* New Pins And Needles Broadway revue (a renamed version of Pins and Needles which opened in 1937)\n*The Straw Hat Revue opened at the Ambassador Theatre on September 29 and ran for 75 performances\n*Very Warm For May Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on November 17 and ran for 59 performances

Musical films

• Babes In Arms\n* Balalaika released on December 15 starring Nelson Eddy and Illona Massey \n* The Broadway Melody Of 1940\n* The Lambeth Walk\n* The Mikado\n*The Star Maker released on August 25 starring Bing Crosby\n* The Wizard Of Oz

Births

\n*January 10 - Scott McKenzie\n*January 12 - William Lee Golden, The Oakridge Boys\n*February 11 - Gerry Goffin, songwriter\n*February 12 - Ray Manzarek, keyboard player\n*February 28 - John Fahey, Tommy Tune\n*March 1 - Warren Davis, The Monotones\n*March 13 - Neil Sedaka\n*March 17 - Clarence Collins, Little Anthony & the Imperials\n*April 1 - Rudolph Isley, The Isley Brothers\n*April 2 - Marvin Gaye\n*April 3 - Jeff Barry\n*April 5 - Ronnie White, The Miracles\n*April 16 - Dusty Springfield\n*April 18 - Glen Hardin, The Crickets\n*April 20 - Johnny Tillotson\n*April 21 - Ernie Maresca\n*April 23 - Ray Peterson\n*May 1 - Judy Collins\n*May 7 - Johnny Maestro, The Crests, Brooklyn Bridge\n*May 7 - Jimmy Ruffin\n*May 9 - Nokie Edwards, The Ventures\n*June 6 - Gary U.S. Bonds\n*June 6 - Louis Andriessen, composer\n*June 16 - Billy Crash Craddock\n*July 1 - Delaney Bramlett, Delaney & Bonnie\n*July 2 - Paul Williams, The Temptations\n*July 18 - Dion DiMucci\n*July 18 - Brian Auger, Trinity\n*July 31 - John West, Gary Lewis & the Playboys\n*August 4 - Frankie Ford\n*August 9 - Billy Henderson, The Spinners\n*August 10 - Sal Cuomo, The Regents\n*August 17 - Ed Saunders, The Fugs\n*August 19 - Ginger Baker of Cream and Blind Faith\n*August 22 - Fred Milano, The Belmonts\n*August 24 - Ernie Wright, Little Anthony & the Imperials\n*August 31 - Jerry Allison, The Crickets\n*September 2 - Sam Gooden, The Impressions\n*September 2 - Bobby Lee Dickey, James & Bobby Purify\n*September 5 - John Stewart\n*September 23 - Roy Buchanan\n*September 25 - Jesse Russell, The Persuasions\n*October 20 - Jay Siegel, The Tokens\n*October 22 - Ray Jones, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas\n*October 23 - Ellie Greenwich, songwriter\n*October 30 - Eddie Holland, Holland/Dozier/Holland\n*October 30 - Otis Williams, The Temptations\n*October 30 - Grace Slick, Jefferson Airplane\n*November 11 - Albee Galione, The Passions\n*November 12 - Ruby Nash Curtis, Ruby & the Romantics\n*November 19 - Pete Moore, The Miracles\n*November 26 - Tina Turner\n*November 28 - Gary Troxel, The Fleetwoods\n*November 29 - Jerry Yester, The Association\n*December 15 - Cindy Birdsong, The Supremes\n*December 17 - Eddie Kendricks, The Temptations\n*December 25 - Bob James

Deaths

\n*February 11 - Franz Schmidt, composer\n*April 21 - Joe Young, US lyricist\n*June 4 - Tommy Ladnier\n*December 22 - Ma Rainey