See also: 1938 in music, other events of 1939, 1940 in music and the list of 'years in music'.

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 - Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2 (the only violin concerto known to be by him at the time) is premiered by Zoltán Székely 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
• In Italy, "Se potessi avere mille lire al mese"

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. Noël 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
• Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 6 B minor, Op. 54

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 9 - Ileana Cotrubas, opera singer
• 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 4 – Freddy Cannon, American Rock musician
• December 15 - Cindy Birdsong, The Supremes
• December 17 - Eddie Kendricks, The Temptations
• December 25 - Bob James

Deaths

• February 11 - Franz Schmidt, composer
• April 21 - Joe Young, US lyricist
• June 4 - Tommy Ladnier
• December 22 - Ma Rainey