100 Years of Song

1900-1999

• 1900: When You Were Sweet Sixteen (1900: wm. James Thornton; used in the films Little Miss Broadway [1938]; The Strawberry Blond [1941]; and The Jolson Story [1946]; popularly revived by Perry Como, 1947 ) BBSS
• 1901: Stars and Stripes Forever (1896: wm. John Philip Sousa)
• 1902: Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home (1902: wm. Hughie Cannon; used in the musical film The Five Pennies [1959]; may be based on the real William Godfrey Bailey, trombonist and music teacher; subsequent songs were "I Wonder Why Bill Bailey Don’t Come Home" and "Since Bill Bailey Came Home".) Dixieland 
• 1903: Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider (1903: w. Eddie Leonard; m. Eddie Munson; theme song of Eddie Cantor; sung by Eddie Leonard in the 1919 musical show Roly Boly Eyes)
• 1904: Sweet Adeline (1904: w. Richard H. Gerard [Richard Gerard Husch]; m. Henry Armstrong [originally 1896 instrumental, titled "Down Home in New England"]) BBSS
• 1905: In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree (1905: w. Harry H. Williams; m. Egbert Van Alstein)
• 1906: Wait 'Til the Sun Shines Nellie (1906: w. Andrew B. Sterling; m. Harry von Tilzer; used in the films Birth of the Blues [1941], Rhythm Parade [1942], and In the Good Old Summertime [1949]) BBSS
• 1907: School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids) (1907: W. Will D. Cobb; m. Gus Edwards; title of Gus Edwards's vaudeville act)
• 1908: Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1908: w. Jack Norworth; m. Albert von Tilzer; The "unofficial anthem of baseball")
• 1909: Shine On, Harvest Moon (1908: w. Jack Norworth; m. Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth; from Ziegfeld Follies of 1908)
• 1910: Let Me Call You Sweetheart (1910: wm. Beth Slater Whitson and Leo Friedman)
• 1911: Alexander's Ragtime Band (1911: wm. Irving Berlin; originally titled "Alexander and His Clarinet" [1910])
• 1912: Down By the Old Mill Stream (1912: wm. Tell Taylor) BBSS
• 1913: Danny Boy (w: Frederick Edward Weatherly; m. trad. Irish folk melody)
• 1914: St Louis Blues (1914: wm. W[illiam] C[hristopher] Handy [1873-1958]; used in the films Is Everybody Happy [1929], The Birth of the Blues [1941], Jam Session [1944], Glory Alley [1952], and St Louis Blues [1958, biopic of Handy])
• 1915: It's a Long Way to Tipperary (1914 [?]: wm. Jack Judge & Harry H. Williams)
• 1916: Pretty Baby (1916: w. Gus Kahn; m. Tony Jackson & Egbert Van Alstyne; aka "The Party Pooper Song")
• 1917: Over There (1917: wm. George M. Cohan)
• 1918: Smiles (1918: w. J. Will Calahan; m. Lee S. Roberts)
• 1919: A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody (1919: wm. Irving Berlin; introduced in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1919)
• 1920: Swanee (1920: w. Irving Caesar; m. George Gershwin)
• 1921: Ain't We Got Fun? (1920: wm. Richard A. Whiting, Raymond B. Egan, & Gus Kahn)
• 1922: Carolina in the Morning (1922: w. Gus Kahn; m. Walter Donaldson; introduced in the revue The Passing Show of 1922)
• 1923: Yes! We Have No Bananas (1923: wm. Frank Silver & Irving Cohn)
• 1924: Somebody Loves Me (1924: w. Ballard MacDonald & B. G. DeSylva; m. George Gershwin; introduced in George White's Scandals of 1924)
• 1925: Always (1925: wm. Irving Berlin; written for, but dropped from, the Marx Brothers' show The Cocoanuts)
• 1926: Bye Bye Blackbird (1926: w. Mort Dixon; m. Ray Henderson)
• 1927: My Blue Heaven (1927: w. George Whiting; m. Walter Donaldson)
• 1928: Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (1927: w. Oscar Hammerstein II; m. Jerome Kern; from Show Boat)
• 1929: Ain't Misbehavin' (1929: w. Andy Razaf; m. Thomas "Fats" Waller & Harry Brooks; introduced in the [all-black] revue Hot Chocolates; theme song of Louis Armstrong)
• 1930: Body and Soul (192?: w. Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, & Frank Eyton; m. John Green; introduced in the US in Three's a Crowd [1930])
• 1931: Star Dust (1927-9: w. Mitchell Parish; m. Hoagy Carmichael; tune occurred to Carmichael while walking around at Indiana University.)
• 1932: April in Paris (1932: w. E. Y. "Yip" Harburg; m. Vernon Duke; a case of false advertising: Paris is usually rainy in April)
• 1933: Stormy Weather (1933: w. Ted Koehler; m. Harold Arlen; )
• 1934: Moonglow (wm. Will Hudson, Eddie DeLange, & Irving Mills)
• 1935: Cheek to Cheek (1935: wm. Irving Berlin; arr. Roy Ringwald; MF Top Hat [1935], which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers)
• 1936: Pennies from Heaven (1936: w. Johnny Burke; m. Arthur Johnson; introduced in the film Pennies from Heaven)
• 1937: Stompin' at the Savoy (w. Andy Razaf; m. Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, & Edgar Sampson; music written before words) BB
• 1938: Heart and Soul (1938: w. Frank Loesser; m. Hoagy Carmichael; introduced in the film A Song Is Born)
• 1939: All the Things You Are (1940; w. Oscar Hammerstein II; m. Jerome Kern, from Very Warm for May)
• 1940: In the Mood (1939: w. Andy Razaf; m. Joe Garland; tune usually associated with Glenn Miller and his band) BB
• 1941: Bewitched (1940: w. Lorenz Hart; m. Richard Rodgers; from Pal Joey)
• 1942: A String of Pearls (1942: w. Eddie DeLange; m. Jerry Gray) BB
• 1943: I've Heard That Song Before (1942: w. Sammy Cahn; m. Jule Styne; from the film Youth on Parade; first collaboration of Cahn and Styne)
• 1944: I'll Be Seeing You (1938: w. Irving Kahal; m. Sammy Fain; from Right This Way)
• 1945: Sentimental Journey (1945; w. Bud Green; m. Les Brown & Ben Homer)
• 1946: Come Rain or Come Shine (1946: w. Johnny Mercer; m. Harold Arlen; from St Louis Woman)
• 1947: Old Devil Moon (1947: w. E. Y. "Yip" Harburg; m. Burton Lane; from Finian's Rainbow)
• 1948: Nature Boy (1948: wm. Eden Ahbez; popularized by Nat "King" Cole)
• 1949: Some Enchanted Evening (1949: w. Oscar Hammerstein II; m. Richard Rodgers; from South Pacific)
• 1950: Tennessee Waltz (1950: wm. Redd Stewart & Pee Wee King; made famous by Patti Page; adopted as a state song of Tennessee in 1965) 
• 1951: How High the Moon (1940: w. Nancy Hamilton; m. Morgan Lewis; from the musical show Two for the Show [1940]; popularly revived in 1949 and 1951; theme song of Les Paul and Mary Ford)
• 1952: When I Fall in Love (1951: w. Edward Heyman; m. Victor Young; introduced in the [non-musical] film One Minute to Zero [1951], with Ann Blyth and Robert Mitchum; featured in the [non-musical] film Istanbul [1957] with Errol Flynn; best-selling record by Nat "King" Cole [1951]; revived by The Lettermen [1962]).
• 1953: That's Amore (1953: w. Jack Brooks; m. Harry Warren; from the film The Caddy, which featured Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Donna Reed; song nominated for an oscar)
• 1954: Three Coins in the Fountain (1954: w. Sammy Cahn; m. Jule Styne; from the film Three Coins in the Fountain)
• 1955: Rock Around the Clock (1953: wm. Max C. Freedman & Jimmy de Knight [pseudonym for publisher James E. Myers])
• 1956: Don't Be Cruel (1956: wm. Otis Blackwell & Elvis Presley; on the flip side was "Hound Dog")
• 1957: That'll Be the Day (1957: wm. Jerry Allison, Buddy Holly, & Norman Petty; first hit for Buddy Holly and the Crickets)
• 1958: Witchcraft (1957: w. Carolyn Leigh; m. Cy Coleman; popularized by Frank Sinatra)
• 1959: The Sound of Music (1959: w. Oscar Hammerstein II;  m. Richard Rodgers; from The Sound of Music; last collaboration of Rodgers & Hammerstein; story suggested by Mary Martin, who played the lead on Broadway)
• 1960: Georgia on my Mind (1930: w. Stuart Gorrell; m. Hoagy Carmichael; popularized by Ray Charles, 1959; made a state song of Georgia)
• 1961: Moon River (1961: w. Johnny Mercer; m. Henry Mancini; sung by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's; theme song of Andy Williams's TV show)
• 1962: The Twist (1960: wm. Hank Ballard; covered by Chubby Checker in 1962, and became a hit; one of only two singles to reach #1 on charts twice [the other was Bing Crosby's White Christmas])
• 1963: More (1962: Italian w. Marcello Ciorciolini; English w. Norman Newell; m. Nino Oliviero & Riz Ortolani; theme from the film Mondo Cane; original title Ti guarderò nel cuore)
• 1964: I Want to Hold Your Hand (1963: wm. John Lennon & Paul McCartney; introduced in the US on the "Ed Sullivan Show" February 19, 1964; beginning of the "British invasion")
• 1965: Downtown (1965: wm. Tony Hatch; made a hit by Petula Clark)
• 1966: California Dreamin' (1965: wm. John Phillips & Michelle Gilliam Phillips)
• 1967: All You Need is Love (1967: wm. John Lennon & Paul McCartney; )
• 1968: I Heard it Through the Grapevine (1966: wm. Norman J. Whitefield & Barrett Strong)
• 1969: Leaving on a Jet Plane (1967: wm. John Denver; popularized by Peter, Paul & Mary)
• 1970: (They Long to Be) Close to You (1963: w. Hal David; m. Burt Bacharach; made stars of the Carpenters)
• 1971: You've Got a Friend (1971: wm. Carole King)
• 1972: American Pie (1971: wm. Don McLean)
• 1973: You Are the Sunshine of My Life (1972: wm. Stevie Wonder)
• 1974: The Way We Were (1973: w. Alan & Marilyn Bergman; m. Marvin Hamlisch; original lyric was "The Way We Weren't"; theme song for the 1973 film The Way We Were; sung by Barbra Streisand; the film starred B.S. and Robert Redford; the film story is about two people who had fallen in love and took different sides in the Hollywood blacklist controversy. The song won an oscar for 1973 and a grammy in 1974.)
• 1975: Jive Talkin' (1975: wm. Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, & Robin Gibb; used in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever) DIS
• 1976: I Write the Songs (1970: wm. Bruce Johnston; Barry Manilow's recording won a grammy)
• 1977: You Light Up My Life (1977: wm. Joseph Brooks; Debby Boone's recording won a grammy)
• 1978: Just the Way You Are (1977: wm. Billy Joel)
• 1979: I Will Survive (1978: wm. Dino Frkaris & Freddie Perren) DIS
• 1980: Another One Bites the Dust (1980: wm. John Deacon; recorded by Queen)
• 1981: Endless Love (1981: wm. Lionel Richie; from the film Endless Love; nominated for an oscar)
• 1982: Up Where We Belong (1982: w. Will Jennings; m. Buffy Sainte-Marie & Jack Nitzche; from the film An Officer and a Gentleman)
• 1983: Every Breath You Take (1983: wm. Sting [a.k.a. Gordon Sumner])
• 1984: Footloose (1984: w. Dean Pitchford & Kenny Loggins; m. K. L.; from the film Footloose)
• 1985: Careless Whisper (1984: wm. George Michael & Andrew Ridgeley)
• 1986: Somewhere Out There (1986: wm. James Horner, Barry Mann, & Cynthia Weil; from the animated film An American Tail)
• 1987: (I've Had) The Time of My Life (1987: wm. Franke Previte, John DeNicola, & Donald Markowitz; from the film Dirty Dancing)
• 1988: All I Ask of You (1986: w. Charles Hart or Richard Stilgoe; m. Andrew Lloyd Webber; from The Phantom of the Opera)
• 1989: Don't Know Much (1980: wm. Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, & Tom Snow)
• 1990: From a Distance (1986: wm. Julie Gold)
• 1991: Beauty and the Beast (1991: w. Howard Ashman; m. Alan Menken; from the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast)
• 1992: Tears in Heaven (1992: wm. Eric Clapton & Will Jennings)
• 1993: A Whole New World (1991: w. Tim Rice; m. Alan Menken; from the Disney animated film Aladdin)
• 1994: The Power of Love (1986: w. Mary Susan Applegate & Jennifer Rush; m. Candy DeRouge & Gunther Mende; Celine Dion's first #1 hit in the US)
• 1995: One Sweet Day (1995: wm. Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff, shawn Stockman, Michael McCary, Nathan Morris, & Wanya Morris)
• 1996: I Believe in You and Me (1981-2: wm. David Wolfert & Sandy Linzer; from the film The Preacher's Wife)
• 1997: Candle in the Wind (1997) (1973, 1997: w. Bernie Taupin; m. Elton John; originally written about Marilyn Monroe; rewritten for Princess Diana)
• 1998: My Heart Will Go On (1997: w. Will Jennings; m. James Horner; love theme from the film Titanic; song won an oscar, and an ASCAP award for Most Performed Song for Motion Pictures)
• 1999: Angel (1997: wm. Sarah McLachlan)

Abbreviations:

• BB = Big Band
• BBSS = Barbershop Standard
• DIS = Disco