Year by Year in Popular Song: 1940

I have always believed that the 1930s were the best decade ever for both movies and for music. My ten posts on the music of the 1930s were my attempt to both demonstrate that fact and to enjoy some incredible tunes.

I wasn't sure I would move on to the 40s. Although I'm fond of much music from that period, it's not nearly as exciting to me as the previous decade. The Big Band sound begins to decline. Crooners take center stage. The great songwriters are still turning out marvelous songs, but in this decade the jazziness fades away. Or so it has always seemed to me.

But let's find out for sure. In 1940 Bill Munroe is defining Bluegrass music. Country music is still bluesy and swinging. There's some crazy Boogie Woogie music out there, and the great songsmiths are still providing the songbook for amazing interpreters like Ella Fitzgerald.

Let's start on the Country side of things. I knew nothing about Jimmie Davis before I started researching for this post. He was twice governor of Louisana! He had a lot of country hits and apparently wrote some Gospel music as well. One of his big hits from 1940 was You Are My Sunshine.

Two other Southern boys were really hitting their stride about this time. Bob Wills had been recording through the latter half of the 30s, but in 1940 he gave us one of his enduring classics with New San Antonio Rose.

And then there was Bill Monroe. His lasting impact on music is rather remarkable. In 1940 he recorded an old-time tune and gave it his unique signature: Mule Skinner Blues.

But before there was Bluegrass music there was "Mountain folk" or what today might be called Old Time music. Frank Proffitt's Tom Dooley is one example. It's a song the Kingston Trio would later make famous. You can read about Proffitt here.

I'm going to include two songs by Will Bradley, good examples of roadhouse Boogie Woogie music of the period. We're hearing the roots of rock n' roll here.

• Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat
• Down the Road Apiece

For Blues music, let's have a little Bukka White: Special Stream Line. I really like that! I didn't know about Bukka White before I started looking for music from 1940. You can read about him here.

Through the early 40s the Big Bands continued doing their thing, and in 1940 Duke Ellington's band produced another enduring jazz classic: In a Melotone. Ella Fitzgerald sang about the 5 o'clock Whistle.

And the Ink Spots sang the praises of coffee with Java Jive.

My song of the year, though, has to be How High the Moon (lyrics by Nancy Hamilton, music by Morgan Lewis). The song became jazz standard of course. The first hit version was by the Benny Goodman Orchestra, with Helen Forrest on vocals. 

There are so many great versions of this song. It's one of those songs that jazz performers and crooners seem to really enjoy. Les Paul and Mary Ford would do an iconic version in 1951. And here is a bit from the old Nat King Cole TV show, featuring June Christie on vocals.