593. 11 January 1936
Tommy Dorsey & His Clambake Seven (vocal refrain by Edythe Wright)
The Music Goes Round And Round
Written by Edward Farley, Mike Riley & Red Hodgson
11 January 1936 No.1 for 3 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
15 January 1936 No.1 for 2 weeks (EFG)
The Music Goes Round And Round was a novelty Dixieland jazz song that gives instructions on how to play music in a certain jazzy way. It features a conversation between Edythe Wright and the band to start the song, Well come over here boys, what do you want girl? play something for me, oh I don’t know how to play that thing, well I’ll show you now, and then she begins the song, giving instructions on how to play, oh you blow through here, the music goes down and around whoa-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho, and it comes out here, now push the first valve down, the music goes down and around whoa-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho, and it comes out here, listen to the jazz come out, you push the other valve down, the music goes round and around. The hit version was credited to Tommy Dorsey & His Clambake Seven, a small select group of musicians from Dorsey’s main orchestra with Edythe Wright given licence to make it sound like a jazz improvisation. This was Tommy Dorsey’s second no.1 within three weeks although the original version was by the composers Mike Riley and Edward Farley performing as the Riley Farley Orchestra in the film The Music Goes Round as the centrepiece of the film when the song becomes a hit for a group of talentless musicians working on a riverboat who are transferred to Broadway as a joke. The audience love it, despite the lack of talent and the song becomes a hit, as also happened in reality.
594. 1 February 1936
Eddy Duchin & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Lew Sherwood)
Moon over Miami
Written by Joe Burke & Edgar Leslie
No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
Eddy Duchin’s sixth no.1 single moving him clear into fourth place of the list of the artists with the most no.1 singles. Moon Over Miami was originally an instrumental by Roy Smeck and His Paradise Serenaders, with a steel guitar the main instrument and sounding like a traditional Hawaiian song, even though Roy Smeck was from Pennsylvania. Eddy Duchin recorded the hit single version as usual with his vocalist Lew Sherwood and it was also his sixth time at the top. It also moved Joe Burke up to six number one singles as a composer, just one behind Mack Gordon with his writing partner Edgar Leslie on four, in fact this was their third chart topper in just six weeks. After the novelty Dixieland jazz of The Music Goes Round And Round, Moon Over Miami returned to a love ballad with the dreamy lyrics, moon over Miami, shine on my love and me, so we can stroll beside the roll, of the rolling sea, moon over Miami, shine on as we begin, a dream or two that may come true, when the tide comes in, hark to the song of the smiling troubadours, hark to the throbbing guitars, hear how the waves offer thunderous applause after each song to the stars, moon over Miami you know we’re waiting for a little love a little kiss on Miami shore.
595. 8 February 1936
Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Cliff Weston)
Alone
Written by Arthur Freed & Nacio Herb Brown
8 February 1936 No.1 for 4 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
14 March 1936 returned to no.1 for 1 week
15 February 1936 No.1 for 2 weeks (EFG)
Continuing the domination of the number one spot in 1936 by Tommy Dorsey was the third no.1 single since December 1935, a love ballad, very different to his previous chart topper and this time using the vocal refrain of Cliff Weston, a jazz vocalist and trumpeter born in New York City in 1913 and one of the original members of Joe Haymes Orchestra inherited by Tommy Dorsey when he took over the band. The song Alone was first heard in the film A Night At The Opera starring the Marx Brothers, although it was the trained opera singers, Kitty Carlisle and Allan Jones who sang the song in the film during the scene where the ship is sailing away, alone with a sky of romance above, alone on a night that was meant for love, there must be someone waiting who feels the way I do, whoever you are are you are you, alone on this night that we two could share, alone with your kiss that could make me care, and when you come I’ll promise to be your very own, alone with a heart meant for you alone. Other music in the film included pieces from I Pagliacci and Il Trovatore, but Alone was the newly written song for the film which was picked up and became a hit for Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, now with three no.1s under his own name and a further three as The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra with his brother Jimmy. This also equalled the number of weeks at the top achieved by the brothers with Tommy both with nine weeks in total at no.1. It was the third no.1 for the writing partnership of Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown although Brown had achieved one more with Leo Reisman’s Paradise.
596. 7 March 1936
Eddy Duchin & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Lew Sherwood)
Lights Out
Written by Billy Hill
7 March 1936 No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
21 March 1936 returned to no.1 for 1 week
Swapping the no.1 spot again was Eddy Duchin, replacing Tommy Dorsey which had become the pattern of the first three months of 1936 and this was the seventh chart topper for Duchin along with vocalist Lew Sherwood, most of them written by different composers, Lights Out coming from Billy Hill who had already written no.1 hits for George Olsen and Paul Whiteman. This was a cover version of the original by Freddy Martin & His Orchestra with vocals by Elmer Feldkamp. Martin had a popular orchestra and peaked at no.1 in 1933 with April In Paris, but he was no match for Eddy Duchin who along with Tommy Dorsey and Guy Lombardo was proving to be the most successful bandleader of the mid-1930s, Duchin moving up to equal Bing Crosby’s total of seven no.1 hits. Lights Out only contained eight lines of lyrics, as to be expected, what happens to a couple at the end of a day, Lights out sweetheart, one more perfect day is through, lights out sweetheart, one more perfect dream come true, we’ve reached the hour of parting, so kiss me tenderly, lights out sweetheart, close your eyes and dream of me.
597. 28 March 1936
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Helen Ward)
Goody Goody
Written by Matty Malneck & Johnny Mercer
28 March 1936 No.1 for 3 weeks (EFG)
28 March 1936 No.1 for 4 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
At last, the man whom they referred to as the King Of Swing broke through to the upper regions of the charts. Benny Goodman was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1909 and had a big break on the New York radio show Let’s Dance which built a big following on the west coast due to its late-night slot in New York, translated to Prime-time evening in California. When the band toured the west in 1935, they found a large enthusiastic crowd. His principle female vocalist was Helen Ward, born in New York City in 1913. He had a few minor hits during 1935 but in 1936, the band covered the song Goody Goody, originally by Ted Wallace & His Swing Kings, a very fast tempo danceable number with feel good lyrics, so you met someone who set you back on your heels, goody goody, so you met someone and now you know how it feels, goody goody, so you gave her your heart too just as I gave mine to you, and she broke it in little pieces now how do you do, so you lie awake just singin the blues all night goody goody, so you think that love’s a barrel of dynamite, hooray and hallelujah you had it coming to ya, goody goody for her goody goody for me, and I hope you’re satisfied you rascal you. As Goody Goody moved up to the top, Benny Goodman also occupied the number two position with the song It’s Been So Long. It was the first number one for composer Johnny Mercer since his collaboration with Hoagy Carmichael on Lazybones in 1933.
598. 25 April 1936
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (vocal refrain by Carmen Lombardo)
Lost
Written by Phil Ohman, Johnny Mercer & Macy O Teetor
25 April 1936 No.1 for 3 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
30 May 1936 returned to no.1 for 1 week
1 May 1936 No.1 for 1 week (EFG)
The second consecutive number one single written by Johnny Mercer, this time a song called Lost, the fifth number one by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians, all five with his brother Carmen on vocals. His co-composer Phil Ohman had appeared as an artist at no.2 with the joint orchestras leading the band together with Victor Arden on the 1931 hit You’re My Everything. Lost was a song that spoke about losing parts of the body, but in a lovesick rather than a macabre way, Lost a heart as good as new, lost the moment I met you, lost or strayed or stolen away, finders keepers losers weepers, lost two lips that look like mine, found two lips that look divine, lost my heart but I was lucky too, because I lost my heart to you. So all ended well as Carmen Lombardo sang about losing his heart and because of that, he found two lips that look divine. Guy Lombardo would remain the only artist not born in the USA, to achieve a number one single in 1936.
599. 15 May 1936
Jan Garber & His Orchestra (vocal chorus by Lee Bennett)
Melody From The Sky
Written by Louis Alter & Sidney Mitchell
15 May 1936 No.1 for 1 week (EFG)
16 May 1936 No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
Melody From The Sky was a song written for the film The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine which was the third version of a film featuring the feud between the families, the Tollivers and the Falins, the previous two versions both made in the silent film era. The other songs in the film were Twilight On The Trail and during the opening credits, the 1911 song with the same title The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine is played, that was originally inspired by the book of 1908. In the film, A Melody From The Sky is sung by Fuzzy Knight with Henry Fonda whistling but the hit single version was by Jan Garber & His Orchestra, born Jacob Charles Garber in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1894 and was hit the band’s only no.1 hit. His vocalist was Lee Bennett, born in Nebraska in 1911 and was also his only chart topper. The composers never topped the charts again either although Louis Alter came close with Bing Crosby’s Dolores, a no.2 in the USA and a no.1 hit in the UK. It was this film that inspired Laurel & Hardy to include the song The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine in their film Way Out West, the following year. Jan Garber had a few more hits during the 1930s but this was his only no.1. He died in 1977 aged 82.
600. 23 May 1936
Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Edythe Wright)
You
Written by Harold Adamson & Walter Donaldson
No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
After the no.2 hit It’s Been So Long by Benny Goodman which was one of the new songs written for the film The Great Ziegfeld, came another major hit written specifically for the film, this time with the song You. In the film it is led by William Powell as Florenz Ziegfeld who is then joined by a chorus of ladies who sing the number while dancing an extravagant Busby Berkeley routine on a set of stairs, weaving his intricate circular patterns, particularly with overhead shots and then for a second verse, they are joined by the gentlemen. The hit version was yet another no.1 for Tommy Dorsey and vocalist Edythe Wright, putting the bandleader ahead of his collaboration with his brother in the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, now with four number ones. It was the second time at no.1 for the composer Harold Adamson following Smith Ballew’s Time On My Hands You In My Arms in 1930 and also Walter Donaldson who also wrote a 1930 no.1 single, Little White Lies. As for what the song was about, well it was simply saying how wonderful you are, You keep up your wonderful you lovely you, you completely satisfy there’s nobody like you, you so much depends on you, with somebody like you.
601. 1 June 1936
Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra (vocal chorus by Bob Eberle)
Is It True What They Say About Dixie
Written by Irving Caesar, Sammy Lerner & Gerald Marks
1 June 1936 No.1 for 3 weeks (EFG)
6 June 1936 No.1 for 4 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
11 July 1936 returned to no.1 for 1 week
Dixie is the name given to the southern states of the USA that broke away to form the Confederate States Of America in the 1860s and sparked the civil war. So it probably isn’t true that the sun shines all the time, nor that sweet magnolias blossom at ev’rybody’s door, nor that folks keep eating possum till they can’t eat no more. Nevertheless, the song written by Irving Caesar, Sammy Lerner & Gerald Marks asks these questions because if it is true, that’s where they belong according to the final line, although none of the three were born in any of the southern states. Only Marks had previously composed a number single, All Of Me by Paul Whiteman in 1931. Some sources state that the original version was by Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees who came from Vermont and the hit single was by Jimmy Dorsey from Pennsylvania. Tommy Dorsey had to this point already achieved eight top 10 hits including four number ones but this was the first hit for elder brother Jimmy since the acrimonious split of the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. On vocals was Bob Eberle, who had remained with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and was still using the original spelling of his name on this record before changing the spelling to Eberly.
602. 4 July 1936
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Helen Ward)
The Glory Of Love
Written by Billy Hill
No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
The Glory Of Love was the fourth no.1 hit for the composer Billy Hill following George Olsen’s The Last Round Up, Paul Whiteman’s Wagon Wheels and Eddy Duchin’s Lights out and also the second no.1 for Benny Goodman & His Orchestra with Helen Ward on vocals after Goody Goody. The original was by Willie Bryant and His Orchestra, quite a similar version to Benny Goodman’s without the prominent clarinet and Bryant sang it himself. The song tells the story of what comprises The Glory Of Love, You’ve got to give a little take a little, and let your poor heart break a little, that’s the story of that’s the glory of love. You’ve got to laugh a little cry a little, let the clouds roll by a little, that’s the story of that’s the glory of love. You’ve got to win a little lose a little, and have the blues a little, that’s the story of that’s the glory of love.
603. 15 July 1936
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Helen Ward)
These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
Written by Eric Maschwitz & Jack Strachey
No.1 for 2 weeks (EFG)
1 August 1936 No.1 for 2 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You) was written in the UK by Eric Maschwitz and Jack Strachey, their only chart topper together although Maschwitz who was head of variety at the BBC would go on to write the lyrics for a couple of no.2 singles in the early 1940s. It was first used in the London revue show Spread It Around sung by Dorothy Dickson and the first known recording was by Turner Layton, who although originally from the USA was based in Britain. When the song crossed over to America, it was picked up by Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra with Billie Holiday on vocals but that version was beaten to the charts by Benny Goodman with his vocalist Helen Ward for their third no.1 single. This is a song with long list of foolish things that remind me of you, A cigarette that bears a lipstick’s traces, an airline ticket to romantic places, these foolish things remind me of you, a tinkling piano in the next apartment, those stumbling words that told you what my heart meant, the winds of March that make my heart a dancer, a telephone that rings but who’s to answer, these foolish things remind me of you and loads of other lines that the Benny Goodman version doesn’t include. In the UK, the song would go on to become a number one single in 1946 by Frank Sinatra.
604. 18 July 1936
Eddy Duchin & His Orchestra (featuring Jerry Cooper vocalist)
Take My Heart
Written by Joe Young & Fred E Ahlert
1 August 1936 No.1 for 2 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
Take My Heart was a piano led song written by Joe Young and Fred E Ahlert who had first collaborated on the no.1 hit Life Is A Song by Ruth Etting and then on the very different I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter by the Boswell Sisters which was kept from no.1 by Eddy Duchin. So when they wanted another chart topper, they gave the song to Duchin to record, although the original had been by Nat Brandwynne & His Stork Club Orchestra with Buddy Clark as vocalist. On his previous seven number ones, Eddy Duchin had used Lew Sherwood as vocalist but for this one, his eighth, putting him in a tie for second place with Paul Whiteman, Jerry Cooper took over. Cooper was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1909. The melody of Take My Heart bears a resemblance to the 1928 song by Eddie Cantor, Making Whoopee but the lyrics are a throwaway invitation to do what you like with his heart, Take my heart see if I care what you do with it, go on go thru’ with it, do with it what you please, take my heart even if only to play with it, go on be gay with it, do with it what you please, take my heart I’ll never ask what you’ve done with it, go on have fun with it, take it and leave it at ease, and do with it what you please.
605. 15 August 1936
Hal Kemp & His Orchestra (vocal chorus Skinnay Ennis)
When I’m With You
Written by Mack Gordon & Harry Revel
No.1 for 2 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
The third no.1 single by Hal Kemp & His Orchestra with the vocalist Skinnay Ennis following last year’s In The Middle Of A Kiss and Shuffle Off To Buffalo from 1933 and also the sixth no.1 for the writing partnership of Mack Gordon and Harry Revel with Mack Gordon writing two further chart toppers to keep him at the top of the list of composers with eight no.1s, two more than his partner Revel and Joe Burke. There were two very different versions of the lyrics to When I’m With You, firstly sung by Tony Martin in the Shirley Temple film Poor Little Rich Girl as well as the hit single version by Hal Kemp, Every street I walk on becomes a lover’s lane when I’m with you, I can see the sun though we’re out in the rain when I’m with you, to lose you would be tragic here is my heart unfurled, you have the certain magic you are the seven wonders of the world, snow is on the ground but the leaves are on the trees when I’m with you, flowers sing a love song there’s music in the breeze when I’m with you, please let me make this confession you are my magnificent obsession, the world is all in rhyme lovely one when I’m with you. Shirley Temple sings the song in the film with the lyrics, An ordinary day becomes a holiday when I’m with you, I have lots of toys but I don’t want to play when I’m with you, oh daddy how I miss you you’re busy all your life, I want to hug and kiss you marry me and let me be your wife, every word I hear sounds like a lullaby when I’m with you, even funny spinach tastes like pumpkin pie when I’m with you, in every dream I caress you every night I pray the Lord will bless you, the worlds a nursery rhyme daddy dear when I’m with you. Later in the film, Alice Faye takes a turn and reverts to the original lyrics.
606. 15 August 1936
Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra (vocal refrain by Charles Chester)
Did I Remember
Written by Harold Adamson & Walter Donaldson
15 August 1936 No.1 for 4 weeks (EFG)
29 August 1936 No.1 for 6 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
The longest running no.1 of 1936 with six weeks at the top was the song Did I Remember by Shep Fields, born Saul Feldman in Brooklyn, New York in 1910 and came up with his trademark soda fountain bubble blowing after hearing the sound of bubbles being blown by his wife, the actress Zook Kline. He recreated the sound with his band using the viola, accordion, temple-blocks, violins and flute, plus he also blew through glass straws into a bowl of water, in tune with the music and to go with this unusual sound, he named his band The Rippling Rhythm Orchestra. His first hit was Did I Remember, a song originally recorded by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra with the female vocalist Edythe Wright but was first heard in the film Suzy, sung by Jean Harlow, dubbed by Eadie Adams and spoken by Cary Grant in response. The song spoke of remembering to say wonderful things and not taking them for granted unspoken, Did I remember to tell you I adore you, and I am living for you alone, did I remember to say I’m lost without you, and just how mad about you I’ve grown, you were in my arms and that was all I knew, we were alone we two what did I say to you, did I remember to tell you I adore you, and pray forever more you are mine. Did I Remember was the second no.1 for the writers Harold Adamson and Walter Donaldson together, following You by Tommy Dorsey although both had previously also written one no.1 single each separately.
607. 10 October 1936
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (vocal refrain by Carmen Lombardo)
When Did You Leave Heaven
Written by Walter Bullock & Richard A Whiting
10 October 1936 No.1 for 2 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
15 October 1936 No.1 for 2 weeks (EFG)
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians now moved onto six no.1 singles, all of them with Carmen Lombardo on vocals which placed him only one behind Lew Sherwood. When Did You Leave Heaven was a song originally from the film Sing Baby Sing and sung on screen by Tony Martin. Carmen Lombardo again takes the vocals as he had done on all of his brother’s chart toppers and although a song in the style of sweet jazz music, the Tony Martin original is more powerful and operatic and also includes an introductory verse and repeats the chorus whereas Guy Lombardo gives more time on the record to the music of the Royal Canadians. The song asks about an angel coming down from heaven and why she did it to return to the mundane life back on earth, When did you leave heaven how could they let you go, how’s ev’ry thing in heaven I’d like to know, why did you trade heaven for all these earthly things, where did you hide your halo where did you leave your wings, have they missed you can you get back in, if I kissed you would it be a sin, I am only human but you are so divine, when did you leave Heaven angel mine. It was the second time at the top for the co-composer Richard A Whiting who had previously hit no.1 with George Olsen’s Beyond The Blue Horizon in 1930 as well as six monthly no.1 singles prior to 1930.
608. 24 October 1936
Fred Astaire (with Johnny Green & His Orchestra)
The Way You Look Tonight
Written by Jerome Kern & Dorothy Fields
24 October 1936 No.1 for 6 weeks (Your Hit Parade)
15 November 1936 No.1 for 1 week (EFG)
Fred Astaire returned to the top of the charts for the 2nd time with the song The Way You Look Tonight from his most recent film with Ginger Rogers, Swing Time which also included the songs Pick Yourself Up and A Fine Romance which peaked at no.3 in Your Hit Parade during the long run at the top for The Way You Look Tonight. As with the no.2 hits Top Hat White Tie And Tails and I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket, he is backed by the Johnny Green Orchestra with Green prominent on the piano although in the film it was Astaire at the piano singing to Ginger Rogers in another room, washing her hair, just telling her in his own way how much he loves her, Some day when I’m awfully low, when the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking of you, and the way you look tonight, oh but you’re lovely with your smile so warm, and your cheeks so soft, there is nothing for me but to love you, just the way you look tonight. With six weeks at the top, this song equalled the longest runner to date alongside Did I Remember from just a few weeks previously. Now with six no.1 singles each but only three of them written together were the composers Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields It was during the final week at no.1 for The Way You Look Tonight that Your Hit Parade was reduced from a top 15 to a weekly top 7 only.
609. 1 December 1936
Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra
In The Chapel In The Moonlight
Written by Billy Hill
1 December 1936 No.1 for 2 weeks (EFG)
12 December 1936 No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
26 December 1936 returned to no.1 for 2 weeks
Another distinctive recording from Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra, In The Chapel In the Moonlight which begins with the sound of bubbles being blown into a glass of water before the orchestra joins in the introduction. As with his previous no.1 Did I Remember, he also makes use of pizzicato strings stopping suddenly at the end of each verse of the instrumental refrain. The vocalist on this song was Bob Goday but he did not receive a credit on the label, it simply said with vocal refrain which was in contrast to Did I Remember where Charles Chester was specifically mentioned as the vocalist on the record label. In The Chapel In The Moonlight was the fifth no.1 single written by Billy Hill and the song indicates that the chapel in the moonlight is a romantic place where he thinks of love and marriage, How I’d love to hear the organ, in the chapel in the moonlight, while we’re strolling down the aisle, where roses entwine, how I’d love to hear you whisper, in the chapel in the moonlight, that the love light in your eyes, forever will shine, ’til the roses turn to ashes ’til the organ turns to rust, if you never come I’ll still be there ’til the moonlight turns to dust, how I’d love to hear the choir in the chapel in the moonlight, as they sing Oh Promise Me forever be mine.
610. 5 December 1936
Eddy Duchin & His Orchestra (vocal refrain by Jimmy Newell)
I’ll Sing You A Thousand Love Songs
Written by Al Dubin & Harry Warren
No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
Eddy Duchin & His Orchestra moved ahead of Paul Whiteman and was now enjoying his ninth no.1s single. seven of which had been with the vocalist Lew Sherwood, his previous chart topper had been Jerry Cooper and now he used Jimmy Newell, born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1911. The song was first heard in the film Cain And Mabel starring Clark Gable and Marion Davies and sung on screen by Robert Paige, but as with many of the songs of the mid-1930s, the hit version on record was by an established dance band, in this case Eddy Duchin. I’ll Sing You A Thousand Love Songs also moved its composers Al Dubin and Harry Warren into joint second place each with six chart topping singles. The lyrics tell how he needs so many love songs and so many voices to convey his love, I’ll sing you a thousand love songs, and still they’ll seem so few, I need a thousand voices, to tell you how I love you, I’ve only one heart to give you, one voice to listen to, I’ll bring you a thousand love songs, and I’ll sing everyone dear for you.
611. 19 December 1936
Bing Crosby (with George Stoll & His Orchestra)
Pennies From Heaven
Written by Johnny Burke & Arthur Johnston
19 December 1936 No.1 for 1 week (Your Hit Parade)
9 January 1937 returned to no.1 for 1 week
23 January 1937 Returned to no.1 for 2 weeks
1 January 1937 No.1 for 3 weeks (EFG)
Bing Crosby had his 31st chart hit on USA Weekly or Your Hit Parade and his eighth no.1 and for the third time he was backed by George Stoll & His Orchestra. This put him level with Paul Whiteman both with the number of chart toppers and also the total number of weeks at the top, twenty-six, ten behind Leo Reisman. The song Pennies From Heaven came from the film of the same name, starring Bing Crosby and in the film he sings it to a sleepy Edith Fellows who is the young girl of the family he promises to help after he is released from prison. The song is an optimistic look at finding the good things in the bad and he sang an introduction that described how in times a long time ago, maybe one million years BC, it was very different and everything was free, but no-one appreciated the blue sky and a moon that was always new, so it was planned that they would vanish now and them and you must pay before you get them back again, that’s what storms were made for and you shouldn’t be afraid for, every time it rains it rains pennies from heaven, don’t you know each cloud contains pennies from heaven, you’ll find your fortune falling all over town, be sure that your umbrella is upside down, trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers, if you want the things you love you must have showers, so when you hear it thunder don’t run under a tree, there’ll be pennies from heaven for you and me. Pennies From Heaven had three separate visits to the top and was the final number one of 1936.
The pop music charts 