1939 in music

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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

Publication of Music Here and Now, book by Ernst Krenek
March 23 - BÃÂ©la BartÃÂ³k's Violin Concerto No. 2 (the only violin concerto known to be by him at the time) is premiered by ZoltÃÂ¡n SzÃÂ©kely and the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Willem Mengelberg
June 21 - Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto is premiered in Paris
Harry James forms his own band
Frank Sinatra joins the Harry James orchestra
Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers join the Tommy Dorsey orchestra
Charlie Christian's musical career begins

Top hits on record

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

Published popular music

"Address Unknown" w.m. Carmen Lombardo, Johnny Marks & Dedette Lee Hill

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

Classical music

Joaquin Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez

Opera

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

Musical theater

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

Musical films

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

Births

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