America'S Greatest Hits 1940: First Chart / Var America'S Greatest Hits 1940: First Chart / Var CD

Acrobat's highly popular "America's Greatest Hits" series has so far focused on the 1950s and '60s, but there is a clear demand for collections which address earlier years, and so this collection starts at the very beginning of the 1940s with what was the very first year of the record sales charts. In July 1940, Billboard began to publish the "Best Selling Popular Retail Records" Top 10 on a weekly basis, and this collection comprises every record which appeared in that chart from July through to December of 1940. Inevitably, it includes records by a number of the top swing orchestras of the day including Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw and Charlie Barnet, along with their featured singers, notably Frank Sinatra's early hits with Tommy Dorsey, as well as hits by top vocalists like Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald. Alongside those are doowop records by Ink Spots, and some fine boogie-woogie hits as well, and the 47 titles featured make up a great-value 2-CD set which provide an entertaining snapshot of the dawn of the chart era. Once again, there are detailed background notes on every record in a 5,000 word bookle

1. I'll Never Smile Again (Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra ; the Pied Pipers) - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 2. The Breeze and I (Jimmy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Bob Eberly) - Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra 3. Imagination (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 4. Playmates (Kay Kyser ; His Orchestra with Sully Mason ; His Playmates) - Kay Kyser and His Orchestra 5. Fools Rush in (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 6. Where Was I? (Charlie Barnet ; His Orchestra with Mary Ann McCall) - Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra 7. Pennsylvania 6-5000 (Glenn Millerá; His Orchestra) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 8. Imagination (Tommy Dorsey ; His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra) - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 9. Sierra Sue (Bing Crosbyáwith John Scott Trotter ; His Orchestra) - Bing Crosby 10. Make-Believe Island (Mitchell Ayres ; His Fashions in Music with Mary Ann Mercer) - Mitchell Ayres and His Fashions in Music 11. The Nearness of You (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 12. When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano (Ink Spots) - Ink Spots 13. Make-Believe Island (Jan Savitt ; His Orchestra with Bon Bon) - Jan Savitt and His Orchestra 14. Frenesi (Artie Shaw ; His Orchestra) - Artie Shaw and His Orchestra 15. I'm Nobody's Baby (Judy Garland) - Judy Garland 16. Blueberry Hill (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 17. Six Lessons from Madame la Zonga (Jimmy Dorseyá; His Orchestra with Helen O'Connell) - Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra 18. God Bless America (Kate Smith) - Kate Smith 19. When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 20. Maybe (Ink Spots) - Ink Spots 21. Dolimite (Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra) - Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra 22. Trade Winds (Bing Crosbyáwith Dick McIntyre and His Harmony Hawaiians) - Bing Crosby 23. Trade Winds (Tommy Dorsey ; Frank Sinatra) - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 24. Only Forever (Bing Crosbyáwith John Scott Trotter ; His Orchestra) - Bing Crosby 25. Beat Me Daddy (Eight to the Bar) Pt. 1 (Will Bradley ; His Orchestra Feat. Ray McKinleyá; Freddie Slack) - Will Bradley and His Orchestra 26. Crosstown (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Jack Lathrop) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 27. Whispering Grass (Don't Tell the Trees) (Ink Spots) - Ink Spots 28. Practice Makes Perfect (Bob Chester ; His Orchestra with Al Stuart) - Bob Chester and His Orchestra 29. We Three (Ink Spots) - Ink Spots 30. Only Forever (Tommy Dorseyá; His Orchestra with Allan Storr) - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 31. Pompton Turnpike (Charlie Barnet ; His Orchestra) - Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra 32. Ferry-Boat Serenade (Kay Kyser ; His Orchestra with Ginny, Harry, Jack ; Max) - Kay Kyser and His Orchestra 33. Our Love Affair (Tommy Dorsey ; Frank Sinatra) - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 34. Our Love Affair (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 35. The Call of the Canyon (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 36. Down Argentina Way (Leo Reisman ; His Orchestra with Sara Horn) - Leo Reisman and His Orchestra 37. We Three (Tommy Dorsey ; Frank Sinatra) - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 38. A Handful of Stars (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 39. Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat (Will Bradley ; His Orchestra Feat. Ray McKinley) - Will Bradley and His Orchestra 40. Ferry-Boat Serenade - la Piccinina (Andrews Sistersáwith Vic Schoen ; His Orchestra) - the Andrews Sisters 41. Down Argentina Way (Bob Crosby ; His Orchestra with Bonnie King) - Bob Crosby and His Orchestra 42. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (Glenn Miller ; His Orchestra with Ray Eberle) - Glenn Miller and His Orchestra 43. Down the Road a Piece (Will Bradley Trio with Ray McKinley) - Will Bradley Trio 44. There I Go (Vaughn Monroe ; His Orchestra) - Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra 45. There I Go (Will Bradley ; His Orchestra Feat. Ray McKinley) - Will Bradley and His Orchestra 46. Star Dust (Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra ; the Pied Pipers) - Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra 47. Five O'Clock Whistle (Ella Fitzgeraldá; Her Famous Orchestra) - Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra