Music of the pre-rock era takes some adjustment to properly hear – the long instrumental sections, trilling vocals, and emphasis on the dominant crooning voices over melodies can be jarring. The 1930s were dominated by big bands lead by hit producers like Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Tommy Dorsey. Binge listening can make much of the music sound similar and big hits were often covered quickly by a multitude of artists. Bing Crosby, the Ink Spots, and the Andrew Sisters provided the safe pop fare, while Duke Ellington and Count Basie played sophisticated jazz pop for white and black audiences. My choices reflect my own bias towards pop melodies and traditional country; I claim no special knowledge of early jazz and blues material. I’m sure this listing misses a number of worthy entries, but this is a good starting point for the music that made your grandparent’s pre-indoor plumbing life slightly more bearable.
1930
Alabama Song, Lotte Lenya & The Three Admirals with Theo Mackaben’s Jazz Orchestra
Blue Yodel #9 (Standing on the Corner), Jimmie Rodgers
Bring it With You When You Come, Cannon’s Jug Stompers
Chinatown, My Chinatown, Fletcher Henderson
Cocaine Habit Blues, Memphis Jug Band
Crying for the Carolines, Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians
Falling in Love Again, Marlene Dietrich
Georgia on My Mind, Hoagy Carmichael
Happy Days Are Here Again, Leo Reisman and His Orchestra
I Got Rhythm, Ethel Merman
If the River Was Whiskey, Charlie Poole
I’m a Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas, Louis Armstrong
John Hardy Was a Desperate Man, The Carter Family
John the Revelator, Blind Willie Johnson
A Lazy Farmer Boy, Buster Carter & Preston Young
Motherless Children, Bessemer Melody Boys
Puttin’ on the Ritz, Fred Astaire
Razor Ball, Blind Willie McTell
Sitting on Top of the World, Mississippi Shieks
Somebody’s Been Using That Thing, Big Bill Broonzy,
Sweet Sixteen, Charlie Poole
Ten Cents a Dance, Ruth Etting
What is This Thing Called Love, Leo Reisman,
1931
As Time Goes By, Rudy Vallee
Dallas Blues, Ted Lewis & His Band
Dream A Little Dream of Me, Wayne King
Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues, Skip James
Lazy River, Louis Armstrong
Minnie the Moocher, Cab Calloway & His Cotton Club Orchestra
Mood Indigo, Duke Ellington
Mule Skinner Blues (Blues Yodel No. 8), Jimmie Rodgers
The Peanut Vendor, The California Ramblers
Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone, Gene Austin
St. James Infirmary, Cab Calloway
Stardust, Louis Armstrong
1932
All of Me, Louis Armstrong
Brother, Can You Spare Me a Dime?, Bing Crosby
Chinatown, My Chinatown, The Mills Brothers
Diga Diga Doo, The Mills Brothers
It Don’t Mean a Thing (If Ain’t Got That Swing), Duke Ellington
Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Noel Coward
Night and Day, Fred Astaire & Leo Reisman
Sweet Georgia Brown, Bing Crosby
1933
The Easter Parade, Gene Austin
Gimme A Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer, Bessie Smith
Gold Digger’s Song (We’re in the Money), Ginger Rogers
I’ve Got the Big River Blues, The Delmore Brothers
Sophisticated Lady, Duke Ellington
Stormy Weather, Ethel Waters
You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me, Bing Crosby
1934
The Continental, Ginger Rogers
Honeysuckle Rose, Fats Waller
I Get a Kick Out of You, Ethel Merman
Inka Dinka Doo, Jimmy Durante
Patsy Montana, Montana Plains
Memphis Shakedown, Memphis Jug Band
The Object of My Affection, Pinky Tomlin
Rhythm Is Our Business, The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra
Tiger Rag, The Mills Brothers
Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Sons of the Pioneers
What A Difference A Day Makes, Freddy Martin Orchestra,
You’re the Top, Ethel Merman
1935
Baby Please Don’t Go, Big Joe Williams
Can the Circle be Unbroken (By and By), Carter Family
Cheek to Cheek, Fred Astaire
I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart, Patsy Montana,
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, Fats Waller
King Porter (Stomp), Benny Goodman
The Lady in Red, Louis Prima and His New Orleans Gang
Limehouse Blues, Django Reinhardt
Lullaby of Broadway, Dorsey Brothers
Midnight Special, Big Bill Broonzy
Nine Pound Hammer is Too Heavy, Monroe Brothers
O’ Molly Dear, B.F. Shelton,
Sing Sing Sing, Benny Goodman
The Way You Look Tonight, Fred Astaire
What a Little Moonlight Can Do, Ted Wilson featuring Billie Holiday
1936
Benny Goodman, Dinah
Billie Holiday, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
Billie Holiday, Summertime
Robert Johnson, Cross Road Blues
Fats Waller, It’s a Sin to Tell a Lie
No Depression in Heaven, The Carter Family
Ol’ Man River, Paul Robeson with Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
Pennies from Heaven, Bing Crosby
The Way You Look Tonight, Fred Astaire with Johnny Green & His Orchestra
Billie Holiday, These Foolish Things
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, Right or Wrong
Wabash Cannonball, Roy Acuff
1937
Caravan, Duke Ellington
Diminuendo in Blue, Duke Ellington
Dust, Gene Autry & His String Band
Good Morning Little School Girl, Sonny Boy Williamson
Goodnight, My Love, Benny Goodman with Ella Fitzgerald
Hellhound on My Trail, Robert Johnson
The Lady is a Tramp, Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra
Loch Lomond, Maxine Sullivan & The Claude Thornhill Orchestra
Mean to Me, Billie Holiday
One O’ Clock Jump, Count Basie
1938
A-Tisket, A Tasket, Chick Webb & His Orchestra with Ella Fitzgerald
Begin the Beguine, Artie Shaw and His Orchestra
The Flat Foot Floogie, Slim & SLam
Hoosier Hot Shots, Girlfriend of the Whirling Dervish
Jumpin’ at the Woodside, Count Basie
Roll ‘Em Peter, Joe Turner & Pete Johnson
September Song, Walter Huston
Thanks for the Memory, Bob Hope/Shirley Ross
Them There Eyes, Freddy Green
When the Saints Come Marching In, Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
W.P.A. Rag, Big Bill Broonzy
1939
All or Nothing at All, Frank Sinatra
Back in the Saddle Again, Gene Autry
Back on the Montana Plaines, Patsy Montana & the Prairie Ramblers
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Count Basie & His Orchestra with Helen Humes
Body and Soul, Coleman Hawkins
Ida Red, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys
In the Mood, Glenn Miller
Lester Leaps In, Count Basie’s Kansas City Seven
Mbube, Solomon Linda’s Evening Birds
Moonlight Serenade, Glenn Miller
Over the Rainbow, Judy Garland
Roll ‘Em Pete, Joe Turner and Pete Johnson
Strange Fruit, Billie Holiday
This Train, Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Cliff Bruner’s Texas Wanderers, Truck Driver’s Blues
