1942 in Popular Song

 Well, it's 1942 and America is at war. The Merry Macs had some advice: Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition. Sammy Kaye suggested we Remember Pearl Harbor (which sounds like nothing more than a school fight song). Meanwhile, Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in Ireland, according to Kay Kyser. We can't forget Glenn Miller's American Patrol. Dinah Shore sang He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings. And meanwhile, Spike Jones was highly unflattering about Der Fuhrer's Face.

Country music got into the same theme: We'll have a rodeo down in Tokyo, and a roundup in old Berlin.

I could go on and on with these patriotic tunes from 1942, but for a capper here's Goodbye Mama, I'm off to Yokohama:

But not every song had a wartime theme. 1942 produced one of my favorite pop songs ever: Glenn Miller's I've Got a Gal (in Kalamazoo). 

For more Big Band dazzle, there's Benny Goodman's Jersy Bounce, Glen Miller's Juke Box Saturday Night (again with the Mondernaires), and Jimmy Lunceford's sultry Blues in the Night (this is a really great version of this oft-recorded tune). Oh, and there was Freddie Slack's Cow Cow Boogie:

What are my favorite songs from 1942? Well, undoubtedly Vera Lynn's Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover has to be one them. Woody Hermann's I'll Remember April, and Glen Miller's Skylark (written by Carmichael & Mercer, sung by Ray Eberle). Harry James' I Remember You (sung by Helen Forrest). Lionel Hampton's delightful Flyin' Home. And Paul Whiteman and Billie Holiday's collaboration on Travelin' Light.

 

More? How about Dizzy's Night in Tunisia. And Duke's C Jam Blues?

For my feature song from 1942 I choose "There Will Never Be Another You," which has been recorded countless times over the years by jazz musicians and crooners. The lyrics are by Mack Gordon (who also gave us I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo & Chattanooga Choo Choo) and music by Harry Warren (who is probably responsible for as many great tunes as anyone in 20th century popular music). The song was introduced by Teddy Powell and His Orchestra in '42, with Peggy Mann on vocals. I really love that version. 

And here's a more recent take (in a Swedish accent!).