1929 Music – Pop Standards and Artists

1929 Pop Standards and Artists

Bert Ambrose
Tip Toe Through The Tulips

Written by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Joe Burke (music), the song was recorded by Nick Lucas in May of 1929. Lucas introduced the song in the 1929 talkie Gold Deggirs of Broadway. The song would stay at number one for 10 weeks on the charts. In 1969 Tiny Tim would bring this song back to charts with his recording. The song became popular again after Tiny Tim performed it on Rowan and Martins Laugh-In.

Cliff Edwards
Singin’ in the Rain

Not many songs have as varied a history as Singin in the Rain. It’s up-tempo music with lyrics full of hope that would continue to be remembered throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. The song was turned into a film in 1952 starring Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly. The film is considered by many as one of the best movies ever made.

The song was originally written by Arthur Freed lyrics and music by Nacio Herb Brown, and published in 1929. There are suggestions that the song was written and performed as early as 1927. Cliff Edwards would perform the song in the 1929 film musical The Hollywood Revue of 1929. This performance would be the opening of the film That’s Entertainment a retrospective of MGM musicals. The song would again be used in the film Speak Easily starring Jimmy Durante and again by Judy Garland in the film Little Nellie Kellie.

The song was used in the second season of GLEE as a mash-up with Umbrella. The song was sung by Mathew Morrison and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Eddie Cantor
Makin Whoopie
First popularized by Eddie Cantor in the 1928 musical Whoopee!. Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn( lyrics) for the song as well as for the entire musical. The song would go on to be recorded by Frank Sinatra, and as a duet by Danny Thomas and Doris Day. The song is about sexual intimacy both its good and its bad sides.

Johnny Hamp’s Kentucky Serenaders
If I Had A Talking Picture of You
If I Had a Talking Picture of You was by Lew Brown, B.G. Desilva, Ray Henderson. This song was probably inspired by the introduction of talking movies in 1929. It would later be sung as a period song for Peter Davidson’s title character of Campion in the BBC series.

Fats Waller
Ain’t Misbehavin
Fats Waller was a composer and songwriter that left a large library of great music that will live on forever after his much too short a life. Waller would be the first to record the song but he also performed the song in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. The song would go on to be recorded by such different artists as Johnny Ray and Bill Haley and The Comets. The song would also be the title of a musical revue in 1978 that showcased the jazz songs on the period.

Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees
Marie
This song was written by the great Irving Berlin in 1929. It would go on to be recorded by such artists as The Mills Brothers and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra. One reason this recording is particularly memorable is because it is the first time Rudy Vallee would make his mark on the charts. Vallee would go on to make quite an impression on American culture as many would enjoy his songs as well as his personal style. One of the big crazes he started was the full-length raccoon coat.

Louis Armstrong
The Basin Street Blues
This song was originally written and published in 1926 but made its hit when Louis Armstrong made his recording in 1929. The song is actually about the Red Light District in The French Quarter of New Orleans.

Top Artists and Songs of 1929

Al Jolson
I’m In Seventh Heaven
Little Pal
Liza (All The Clouds’ll Roll)
Arnold Johnson and his Orchestra
Breakaway
Ben Selvin
My Sin
Bert Ambrose and his Orchestra
Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips With Me
Bessie Smith
Nobody Knows When You’re Down and Out
Take It Right Back
Bob Harring and the Copley Plaza Orchestra
Pagan Love Song
Charley Patton
Pony Blues
Clarence Smith
Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie
Cliff Edwards (Ukelele Ike)
Singin’ In The Rain
Coon-Sanders Orchestra
Little Orphan Annie
Eddie Cantor
Makin’ Whoopee
Ethel Waters
Am I Blue?
Fats Waller
Ain’t Misbehaving
Handful of Keys
Gene Austin
Carolina Moon
Wedding Bells Are Breaking Uo That Old Gang of Mine
George Olson
A Precious Little Thing Called Love
Gus Arnheim and his Orchestra
Sleepy Valley
Guy Lombardo
Sweethearts on Parade
Jimmy Rogers
Waiting For A Train
Johnny Hamp’s Kentucky Serenaders
If I Had A talking Picture of You
Leo Reisman
Ain’t Misbehavin’
The Wedding of the Painted Doll
Louis Armstrong
Basin Street Blues
St James Infirmary
When You’re Smiling
Marion Harris
Nobody’s Using It Now
Maurice Chevalier
Louise
Meade Lux Lewis
Honky Tonk Train Blues
Nat Shilkret
You Were Meant For Me
Nick Lucas
Painting the Clouds With Sunshine
Tip Toe Thru The Tulips With Me
Paul Whiteman
Great Day
Peter Dawson
The Admiral’s Room
Rudy Valley and his Connecticut Yankees
Coquette
Deep Night
Honey
Lonely Troubador
Marie
Ruth Etting
Exactly Like You
Stanley Lupino
I Lift Up My Finger and I Say Tweet Tweet
The Carter Family
I’m Thinking Tonight of Two Blue Eyes