1930 in music

Events

• February 16 - Nicolas Slonimsky conducts the first performance of Charles Ives's Three Places in New England.
• February 17 - The Technicolor musical film, The Vagabond King, is released. Dennis King recreates his original London and Broadway stage role as Villon in this film, and records two songs from the film for Victor Records.
• April 1 - Brunswick-Balke-Collender sells Brunswick Records to Warner Brothers, who are hopeful that the move will enable them to make bigger profits from their musicals by enabling them to profit from the sale of records. They also acquire four music publishers to profit from sales in sheet music.
• May 10
  • Metropolitan Opera baritone Lawrence Tibbett's first film The Rogue Song, a lavish Technicolor musical, is released to rave reviews. Lawrence Tibbett records the songs he sang in the film for Victor Records.
  • The film version of the stage hit Hold Everything is released. Winnie Lightner and Joe E. Brown star in this Technicolor musical which opens to rave reviews. Of the film's song, "When the Little Red Roses Get the Blues for You", becomes a hit. Al Jolson records this song from the picture for Brunswick Records.
• May 25 - The all Technicolor musical film, Song of the Flame, based on the 1925 Broadway musical of the same name, is released to rave reviews. The film stars Noah Beery and Bernice Claire and is nominated for an Oscar for "Best Sound Recording". Noah Beery records his song from the picture for Brunswick Records.
• August 24 - Festival Puccini is launched at Torre del Lago.
• October 29 - Bing Crosby makes his first recording with the Gus Arnheim orchestra as a solo vocalist. His new type of singing voice, a low baritone, becomes a sensation and will gradually displace (by around 1935) the standard tenor voice that had characterized the vocals of popular music in the 1920s.
• December 10 - First performance of Bertolt Brecht's play The Decision, with music by Hanns Eisler.
• December 13 – Ernest Ansermet conducts the world premiere of Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, in Brussels.
• The BBC Symphony Orchestra is formed in London.
• The song "Body and Soul" is written by Johnny Green with lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton in New York City for the British actress Gertrude Lawrence who first performs in London (where it is also first published). Libby Holman introduces it to the United States in the Broadway revue Three's a Crowd and Louis Armstrong is the first jazz musician to record it. There are at least 11 recordings by the end of the year and it becomes the all-time most recorded jazz standard.^[1]
• Frankie Laine sings to an audience of 5,000 at The Merry Garden Ballroom.
• Bukka White makes his first recording.

Published popular songs

• "Across the Breakfast Table (Looking at You)" w.m. Irving Berlin, Featured in the Warner Bros. musical Mammy
• "After a Million Dreams" w.Edgar Leslie m. Walter Donaldson, Featured in the William Fox musical film Cameo Kirby
• "All I Want is Just One Girl" w. Leo Robin m. Richard A. Whiting, Featured in the Paramount musical film Paramount on Parade
• "Alone in the Rain" w.m. Dan Dougherty and Edmund Goulding, Featured in the Pathe musical film The Grand Parade
• "Alone with My Dreams" w. Gus Kahn m. Harry Archer
• "Always in All Ways" w. Leo Robin m. Richard A. Whiting & W. Franke Harling. Introduced by Jeanette MacDonald in the Paramount musical film Monte Carlo.
• "Any Time's the Time to Fall in Love" w.m. Elsie Janis and Jack King, Featured in the Paramount musical film Paramount on Parade
• "A Bench in the Park" w. Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager, Featured in the Universal musical film King of Jazz
• "Betty Co-Ed" w.m. J. Paul Fogarty & Rudy Vallee
• "Beware of Love" m.w. William Kernell, Featured in the William Fox musical film Women Everywhere
• "Beyond the Blue Horizon" w. Leo Robin m. Richard A. Whiting & W. Franke Harling. Introduced by Jeanette MacDonald in the Paramount musical film Monte Carlo.
• "Blue Again" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Evelyn Hoey in The Vanderbilt Revue.
• "Blue is the Night" w.m. Fred Fisher, from the MGM musical film Their Own Desire
• "Body and Soul" w. Robert Sour, Edward Heyman & Frank Eyton m. Johnny Green
• "Bye Bye Blues" w.m. Bert Lown, Chauncey Gray, Fred Hamm & Dave Bennett (songwriter)|Dave Bennett
• "Can This Be Love?" w. Paul James m. Kay Swift. Introduced by Alice Boulden in the musical Fine and Dandy (musical)|Fine and Dandy.
• "Can't We Talk It Over?" w. Ned Washington m. Victor Young
• "Caribbean Love Song" w.m. Eugene Berton, Featured in the United Artists film Hell Harbor
• "Cheerful Little Earful" w. Ira Gershwin & Billy Rose m. Harry Warren
• "Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love" w. Billy Rose m. Henry Tobias
• "A Cottage for Sale" w. Larry Conley m. Willard Robison
• "Dancing on the Ceiling" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" w. Al Dubin m. Joe Burke, Featured in the Warner Bros. musical Dancing Sweeties
• "Dangerous Nan McGrew" w. Dan Hartman m. Al Goodhart
• "Don't Tell Him What Happened to Me" w. B. G. De Sylva & Lew Brown m. Ray Henderson
• "Down the River of Golden Dreams" w. John Klenner m. Nathaniel Shilkret
• "Embraceable You" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin
• "Exactly Like You" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jimmy McHugh
• "Falling in Love Again" w. (Eng) Sammy Lerner m. Frederick Hollander
• "Fine and Dandy" w. Paul James (pseudonym for James Warburg) m. Kay Swift
• "For You" w. Al Dubin m. Joe Burke
• "Gee, But I'd Like to Make You Happy" w.m. Larry Shay, Ward & Montgomery
• "Georgia on My Mind" w. Stuart Gorrell m. Hoagy Carmichael
• "Get Happy" w. Ted Koehler m. Harold Arlen
• "Goofus" w. Gus Kahn m. Wayne King & William Harold
• "Happy Feet" w. Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager
• "I Am Only Human After All" w. Ira Gershwin & E. Y. Harburg m. Vernon Duke
• "I Bring a Love Song" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Sigmund Romberg from the musical film Viennese Nights
• "I Got Rhythm" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin
• "I Love You So Much" w. Bert Kalmar m. Harry Ruby
• "If Your Kisses Can't Hold the Man You Love" w. Jack Yellen m. Vivian Ellis
• "I'm Confessin' That I Love You" w. Al J. Neiburg m. Doc Daugherty & Ellis Reynolds
• "I'm Glad I Waited" w.m. Vincent Youmans
• "I'm In the Market for You" w. Joseph McCarthy m. James F. Hanley
• "Into My Heart" w. Roy Turk m. Fred Ahlert. Introduced by Ramón Novarro in the film In Gay Madrid
• "It Happened In Monterey" w. Billy Rose m. Mabel Wayne
• "It Must Be True" w.m. Gus Arnheim, Harry Barris & Gordon Clifford
• "J'ai Deux Amours" w. Georges Koger & H. Varna m. Vincent Scotto
• "Just a Gigolo" w. (Eng) Irving Caesar (Ger) Julius Brammer m. Leonello Casucci
• "The Kiss Waltz" w. Al Dubin m. Joe Burke
• "Lady, Play Your Mandolin" w. Irving Caesar m. Oscar Levant
• "The Little Things in Life" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Little White Lies" w.m. Walter Donaldson
• "Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight" w. Al Lewis m. Al Sherman. Introduced by Maurice Chevalier in the film The Big Pond
• "Love for Sale" w.m. Cole Porter
• "Lucky Seven" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz
• "Memories of You" w. Andy Razaf m. Eubie Blake
• "My Future Just Passed" w. George Marion Jr m. Richard A. Whiting
• "Nina Rosa" m. Irving Caesar
• "Nine Little Miles From Ten-Ten-Tennessee" w.m. Al Sherman & Al Lewis & Con Conrad
• "Ninety-Nine Out of a Hundred (Wanna Be Loved) w.m. Al Sherman & Al Lewis
• "On the Sunny Side of the Street" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jimmy McHugh
• "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" w. Sidney Clare m. Sam H. Stept
• "Send for Me" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "Sing, You Sinners" w.m. W. Franke Harling & Sam Coslow. Introduced by Lillian Roth in the film Honey
• "Someday I'll Find You" w.m. Noël Coward
• "Something to Remember You By" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz
• "The Song of the Dawn" w. Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager from the film King of Jazz
• "Sweepin' the Clouds Away" w.m. Sam Coslow
• "Sweet Jennie Lee" w.m. Walter Donaldson
• "Telling it to the Daisies" w. Joe Young m. Harry Warren
• "Ten Cents a Dance" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "Them There Eyes" w.m. Maceo Pinkard, William Tracey & Doris Tauber
• "They All Fall in Love" w.m. Cole Porter
• "Three Little Words" w. Bert Kalmar m. Harry Ruby
• "Time on My Hands" w. Harold Adamson & Mack Gordon m. Vincent Youmans
• "Two Loves Have I" w. (Eng) J. P. Murray & Barry Trivers m. Vincent Scotto
• "Walking My Baby Back Home" w.m. Roy Turk & Fred Ahlert
• "The Waltz You Saved for Me" w. Gus Kahn m. Wayne King & Emil Flindt
• "When I'm Looking At You" w. Clifford Grey m. Herbert Stothart. Introduced by Lawrence Tibbett in the film The Rogue Song
• "When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver" w. Charles Tobias m. Peter De Rose
• "The White Dove" w. Clifford Grey m. Franz Lehár
• "Why Am I So Romantic?" w. Bert Kalmar m. Harry Ruby
• "Would You Like to Take a Walk?" w. Mort Dixon & Billy Rose m. Harry Warren
• "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" w.m. Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal and Pierre Norman. Introduced by Maurice Chevalier in the film The Big Pond.
• "You Will Remember Vienna" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Sigmund Romberg
• "You're Driving Me Crazy" w.m. Walter Donaldson

Biggest hit songs

The following songs achieved the highest sales in 1930 on the major record labels in the United States (i.e. Victor, Brunswick and Columbia). Record sales continued at 1929 levels up until July 1930. In the autumn 1930 the Great Depression began in earnest for the majority of the public who finally began to feel the economic downturn. This caused record sales to plummet in August and they would remain low for the remainder of the year.

Month	Artist	Title	Record Label	Country	Notes
January	Helen Morgan	Why Was I Born? and Don't Ever Leave Me	Victor		Helen Morgan sings her songs from the hit show Sweet Adeline.
January	Dick Robertson (singer)	Singin' in the Bathtub and Lady Luck	Brunswick		From the film The Show of Shows.
January	Leo Reisman Orchestra	Why Was I Born? and Here I Am	Victor		Written by Jerome Kern for the show Sweet Adeline.
January	Roger Wolfe Kahn Orchestra	Why Was I Born? and Here I Am	Brunswick		Written by Jerome Kern for the show Sweet Adeline.
January	Nat Shilkret Orchestra	Don't Ever Leave Me and Twas Not Long Ago	Victor		Written by Jerome Kern for the show Sweet Adeline.
January	Paul Whiteman Orchestra	Great Day and Without a Song	Columbia		From the Broadway show Great Day.
January	Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra	Why? and It's You I Love	Victor		From the 1929-30 Broadway musical Sons o' Guns.
January	Rudy Vallee Orchestra	A Little Kiss Each Morning and I'll Be Reminded of You	Victor		From the musical film starring Rudy Vallee: The Vagabond Lover.
January	Meyer Davis and Earl Burtnett Orchestras	My Fate Is In Your Hands and Look What You've Done to Me	Brunswick
January	Guy Lombardo Orchestra	My Fate Is In Your Hands and A Little Kiss Each Morning	Columbia		Second song from the musical film: The Vagabond Lover.
February	The Revelers	Chant of the Jungle and Waiting at the End of the Road	Victor		From the musical films: Untamed and Hallelujah.
February	Marion Harris	Nobody's Using It Now and Funny, Dear, What Love Can Do	Brunswick		First song from the musical film: Playboy of Paris.
February	Marion Harris	Nobody's Sweetheart and My Fate Is in Your Hands	Brunswick
February	Leo Reisman Orchestra	Shepherd's Serenade and Charming	Victor		From the musical film: Devil-May-Care.
February	Leo Reisman Orchestra	I'll See You Again and If Love Were All	Victor		From Noël Coward's musical comedy Bitter Sweet.
February	Roger Wolfe Kahn Orchestra	Don't Ever Leave Me and Twas Not Long Ago	Victor		Written by Jerome Kern for the show Sweet Adeline.
February	Leo Reisman Orchestra	You Do Something to Me and You've Got That Thing	Victor		Written by Cole Porter for the show Fifty Million Frenchmen.
February	A. & P. Gypsies Orchestra	South Sea Rose and Only The Girl	Brunswick		Orchestra conducted by Harry Horlick.
February	Nat Shilkret Orchestra	Rogue Song and When I'm Looking At You	Victor		From the musical film: The Rogue Song.
February	Ben Bernie Orchestra	Crying for the Carolines and Have a Little Faith in Me	Brunswick		From the musical film: Spring Is Here.
February	Waring's Pennsylvanians	Crying for the Carolines and Have a Little Faith in Me	Victor		From the musical film: Spring Is Here.
February	Guy Lombardo Orchestra	Crying for the Carolines and Have a Little Faith in Me	Columbia		From the musical film: Spring Is Here.
February	Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra	Should I? and A Bundle of Old Love Letters	Victor		From the musical film: Lord Byron of Broadway.
February	Jesse Stafford Orchestra	The Woman in the Shoe and A Bundle of Old Love Letters	Brunswick		From the musical film: Lord Byron of Broadway.
February	Paul Specht Orchestra	I'm Following You and I'm Sailing on a Sunbeam	Columbia		From the musical film: It's a Great Life.
February	Rudy Vallee Orchestra	Gypsy Dream Rose and Mary, I Love Y-O-U	Victor
March	Lawrence Tibbett	The White Dove and When I'm Looking at You	Victor		Lawrence Tibbett sings his songs from the musical film: The Rogue Song; both songs accompanied orchestra directed Nathaniel (Nat) Shillkret .
March	Lawrence Tibbett	The Rogue Song and The Narrative	Victor		Lawrence Tibbett sings his songs from the musical film: The Rogue Song; both songs accompanied orchestra directed Nathaniel (Nat) Shilkret .
March	Ruth Etting	If He Cared and Crying for the Carolines	Columbia		From the musical films: Devil-May-Care and Spring Is Here.
March	Paul Whiteman	Song of India and Liebestraum	Columbia		Modern "up to date" versions of oldtime classics.
March	Ipana Troubadours	I Want to be Happy and Tea for Two	Columbia		From the musical film: No No Nanette.
March	Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra	Strike Up the Band and Soon	Victor		Composed by George Gershwin for the musical: Strike Up the Band.
March	Leo Reisman Orchestra	What Is This Thing Called Love? and She's Such a Comfort to Me	Victor		From the musical: Wake Up and Dream.
March	Ben Selvin Orchestra	Why? and Cross Your Fingers	Columbia		From the Broadway musical Sons o' Guns.
March	George Olsen Orchestra	T'aint No Sin and Can't You Understand?	Victor		First composed by Walter Donaldson.
April	John McCormack	A Pair of Blue Eyes and I Feel You Near Me	Victor		From the musical film Song o' My Heart.
April	John McCormack	The Rose of Tralee and Ireland, Mother Ireland	Victor		From the musical film Song o' My Heart; both songs accompanied orchestra directed Nathaniel (Nat Shilkret).
April	Al Jolson	To My Mammy and When the Little Red Roses Get the Blues for You	Brunswick		From the musical films Mammy and Hold Everything.
April	Al Jolson	Across The Breakfast Table, Looking At You and Let Me Sing and I'm Happy	Brunswick		From the musical film Mammy.
April	Brevities Male Quartet	The Woman in the Shoe and Wrapped in a Red, Red Rose	Brunswick		From the musical films Lord Byron of Broadway and Blaze o' Glory.
April	Chester Gaylord	Under a Texas Moon and When I'm Looking at You	Brunswick		From the musical films Under a Texas Moon and The Rogue Song.
April	Fannie Brice	Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love and When a Woman Loves a Man	Victor		From the musical film Be Yourself!.
April	Tom Gerun Orchestra	Sing, You Sinners and In My Little Hope Chest	Brunswick		From the musical film Honey.
April	Bernie Cummins Orchestra	Everybody Tap and Lucky Little Devil	Victor		First song from the musical film Chasing Rainbows.
April	Ben Bernie Orchestra	Song of the Bayou and Black Eyes	Victor		First song won the Victor Company's $5,000 prize for best short jazz composition.
April	Ben Bernie Orchestra	Thank Your Father and Good for You, Bad for Me	Victor		From the Musical Comedy Flying High.
April	Guy Lombardo Orchestra	Lazy Lou'siana Moon and The Moon is Low	Columbia		Second song from the musical film Montana Moon.
April	Ipana Troubadours Orchestra	Kickin' a Hole in the Sky and Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love	Columbia		Second song from the musical film Be Yourself!.
May	Ruth Etting	Ten Cents a Dance and Funny, Dear, What Love Can Do	Columbia
May	The Rondoliers	Lazy Lou'siana Moon and Should I?	Columbia		Second song from the musical film Lord Byron of Broadway.
May	The High Hatters	Send for Me and Ten Cents a Dance	Victor		Orchestra conducted by Leonard Joy. RCA Victor's best selling record for May 1930.
May	George Olsen Orchestra	It Happened in Monterey and Song of the Dawn	Victor		From the musical film The King of Jazz.
May	Ben Bernie Orchestra	To My Mammy and Across The Breakfast Table, Looking At You	Brunswick		From the musical film Mammy.
May	Waring's Pennsylvanians	Thank Your Father and Good for You, Bad for Me	Victor		From the musical comedy Flying High.
June	Ruth Etting	Let Me Sing and I'm Happy and A Cottage for Sale	Columbia		First song from the musical film Mammy.
June	Grace Hayes	My Lover and I Like to Do Things for You	Victor		From the musical film The King of Jazz.
June	Harry Richman	Thank Your Father and Without Love	Brunswick		From the musical Flying High.
June	Wayne King Orchestra	On a Blue and Moonless Night and Promises	Victor		RCA Victor's best selling record for June 1930.
June	Paul Whiteman Orchestra	You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me and Livin' in the Sunlight	Columbia		From the musical film The Big Pond.
June	George Olsen Orchestra	Montana Call and The Moon is Low	Victor		From the musical film Montana Moon.
June	Abe Lyman Orchestra	You Will Come Back to Me and Worryin' Over You	Brunswick
June	Ipana Troubadours	Blue Is the Night and Whippoorwill	Columbia		Fist song from the musical film Their Own Desire.
June	Leo Reisman Orchestra	Happy Feet and I Like to Do Things for You	Victor		From the musical film The King of Jazz.
July	The Revelers	Sing, You Sinners and Across the Breakfast Table Looking at You	Victor		From the musical films Honey and Mammy.
July	Grace Hayes	On the Sunny Side of the Street and Exactly Like You	Victor		From Lew Leslie's International Revue.
July	Ruth Etting	On the Sunny Side of the Street and It Happened in Monterey	Columbia		From Lew Leslie's International Revue and the musical film The King Of Jazz.
July	Harry Richman	Ro-Ro-Rollin' Along and Dream Avenue	Columbia		The second song was composed by Harry Richman himself.
July	Leo Reisman Orchestra	Rollin' down the River and Mia Cara	Victor		RCA Victor's best selling record for July 1930. Second song from the musical film The Big Pond.
July	Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra	Ro-Ro-Rollin' Along and Kiss Me With Your Eyes	Victor		Second tune played by Nat Shilkret Orchestra.
July	Fred Rich Orchestra	For You and Dream Avenue	Columbia
July	Isham Jones Orchestra	What's The Use? and The Song Without a Name	Brunswick
July	Lloyd Huntley and his Isle o' Blues Orchestra	On a Blue and Moonless Night and Promises	Brunswick
July	Ben Selvin Orchestra	Kiss Me With Your Eyes and You Darlin'	Columbia
August	Noah Beery	One Little Drink and The Whip	Brunswick		From the musical films Song of the Flame and Golden Dawn.
August	Ethel Waters	You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me and My Kind of a Man	Columbia		From the musical films The Big Pond and The Florodora Girl.
August	Colonial Club Orchestra	Out of Breath and I Am Only Human After All	Brunswick		From the Garrick Gaieties. Orchestra conducted by Bob Haring.
August	Rudy Vallee Orchestra	Old New England Moon and How Come You Do Me Like You Do?	Victor
August	Henry Thies Orchestra	June Kisses and Under Vesuvian Skies	Victor
August	Leo Reisman Orchestra	Around the Corner and Bye-Bye Blues	Victor
September	Richard Crooks	L'Amour, Toujours, L'Amour and Serenade	Victor		From The Student Prince
September	Bob Haring Orchestra	All Through the Night and Swingin' in a Hammock	Brunswick
September	Bert Lown Orchestra	Under the Sun It's Anyone Under the Moon It's You and Bye Bye Blues	Brunswick
September	Waring's Pennsylvanians	Little White Lies and Gee, But I'd Like to Make You Happy	Victor		Second song from the musical film Good News
October	Ruth Etting	Don't Tell Her What's Happened to Me and The Kiss Waltz	Columbia		Second song from the musical film Dancing Sweeties.
October	Guy Lombardo Orchestra	Go Home and Tell Your Mother and I'm Doin' That Thing	Victor		From the musical film Love in the Rough
October	Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra	On a Little Street in Honolulu and All Through the Night	Victor		Orchestra conducted by Nat Shilkret. RCA Victor's best selling record for October 1930.
October	Paul Whiteman Orchestra	Nola and New Tiger Rag	Columbia
October	Tom Gerun Orchestra	A Big Bouquet for You and If I Could Be with You	Brunswick
October	Ozzie Nelson Orchestra	I Still Get a Thrill and Don't Mind Walking in the Rain	Brunswick
November	Libby Holman	Body and Soul and Something to Remember You By	Brunswick		From the musical Three's a Crowd.
November	Aileen Stanley	Wasn't it Nice? and I'll Be Blue Just Thinking of You	Victor
November	Jacques Renard Orchestra	Sing Something Simple and Lucky Seven	Brunswick		From the musical The Little Show.
November	Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra	Fine and Dandy and Can This Be Love?	Victor		From Joe Cook's musical show Fine and Dandy.
November	Leo Reisman Orchestra	Body and Soul and Something to Remember You By	Victor		From the Libby Holman musical Three's a Crowd.
November	Nat Shilkret Orchestra	Moonlight on the Colorado and Don't Tell Her What's Happened to Me	Victor		RCA Victor's best selling record for November 1930.
December	The Revelers	Sing Something Simple and Happy Feet	Victor		Second song from the musical film King of Jazz.
December	Jack Hylton Orchestra	Body and Soul and With a Song in My Heart	Victor		Second song from the musical film Spring Is Here. First from the Libby Holman musical Three's a Crowd.
December	Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra	Embraceable You and I Got Rhythm	Victor		From the George Gershwin musical Girl Crazy.
December	Ipana Troubadours	Can This Be Love? and Three Little Words	Columbia		Second song from the musical film Check and Double Check. First from the musical Fine and Dandy.
December	Tom Gerun Orchestra	What a Fool I've Been and After All, You're All I'm After	Victor
December	Nat Shilkret Orchestra	Bolero and La Seduccion	Brunswick		RCA Victor's best selling record for December 1930.

Top hits on record

1930 Ted Lewis record label

• "After a Million Dreams", recorded by John Boles and by George Olsen
• "All I Want Is Just One Girl" by Maurice Chevalier
• "Alone In the Rain" by Donald Novis
• "Alone With My Dreams", recorded by Nat Shilkret Orchestra and by Charles Lawman
• "Always In All Ways", recorded by Jeanette MacDonald and by George Olsen Orchestra
• "Any Time's the Time to Fall In Love" by Charles Buddy Rogers
• "Beyond the Blue Horizon", recorded by Jeanette MacDonald, by George Olsen & His Music, and by Phil Spitalny Orchestra
• "Beware of Love" by J. Harold Murray
• "Blue Is the Night", recorded by James Melton, by Nat Shilkret Orchestra
• "Body and Soul" by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
• "Betty Coed" by Rudy Vallee
• "Caribbean Love Song", recorded by Nat Shilkret and by Colonial Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
• "Charming" by Frank Munn
• "Cryin' for the Carolines" by Johnny Marvin
• "Dancing with Tears In My Eyes" by The Nat Shilkret Orchestra
• "Dark Night" by Nat Shilkret
• "Dream Lover", recorded by Nat Shilkret Orchestra and by Jeanette MacDonald
• "For You" by John Boles
• "Gone", recorded by Nat Shilkret Orchestra and by Charles Lawman
• "He's My Secret Passion" by Jacques Renard Orchestra
• "Happy Days Are Here Again" by Charles King
• "Here Comes the Sun" by Charles King
• "I Bring A Love Song" by Leo Reisman Orchestra
• "I Never Dreamt (You'd Fall In Love With Me)", recorded by Chester Gaylord and by Ruth Etting
• "I Still Get a Thrill", recorded by Ozzie Nelson Orchestra, by Phil Spitalny Orchestra, and by Chester Gaylord
• "I'd Like to Be a Bee In Your Boudoir" by Charles Buddy Rogers
• "I'll See You In My Dreams" by Cliff Edwards
• "I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)", recorded by Chester Gaylord and by Rudy Vallee
• "Into My Heart" by Nat Shilkret
• "It Happened In Monterey", recorded by John Boles, by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
• "It's a Great Life" by Maurice Chevalier
• "June Kisses" by Dick Powell
• "Just a Little Closer", recorded by Nick Lucas and by Rudy Vallee
• "Just a Little While", recorded by The Troubadours (conducted by Nat Shilkret) and by The Regent Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
• "Leave a Little Smile" by Charles King
• "Leave It That Way", recorded by Lawrence Gray and by Jack Denny Orchestra
• "The Little Things In Life", recorded by Lewis James and by Gus Arnheim Orchestra with Bing Crosby
• "Little White Lies", recorded by Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians and by Johnny Marvin
• "Looking for Lovelight In the Dark" by Jackie Taylor Orchestra
• "Maybe It's Love", recorded by Nick Lucas and Kate Smith
• "Memories of You" by Chester Gaylord
• "My Future Just Passed", recorded by Charles Buddy Rogers and by Chester Gaylord
• "My Ideal" by Maurice Chevalier
• "Night Winds" by Bebe Daniels
• "Ninety-Nine Out of a Hundred (Wanna Be Loved) by Rudy Vallee
• "On the Sunny Side of the Street" by Ted Lewis & His Band
• "One More Waltz", recorded by Ted Fiorito Orchestra and The Regent Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
• "The One Girl" by John Boles
• "One Little Drink" by Noah Beery
• Puttin' on the Ritz by Harry Richman
• "The Rogue Song" by Nat Shilkret Orchestra
• "Romance" by John Boles
• "The Stein Song" by Rudy Vallee
• "Sally" by James Melton
• "Should I?" by Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra
• "Singing a Song to the Stars", recorded by Lewis James and Cliff Edwards
• "So Beats My Heart for You" by Chester Gaylord
• "Song of the Dawn" by John Boles
• "Something To Remember You By" by Helen Morgan
• "Ten Cents A Dance" by Ruth Etting
• "The Whole Darned Thing's For You" by Lawrence Gray
• "There's Something About An Old Fashioned Girl" by Abe Lyman Orchestra
• "Three Little Words", recorded by Nick Lucas, by Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys, and by Duke Ellington & His Jungle Band
• "Through (How Can You Say We're T`rough?) " by Franklyn Baur
• "Tomorrow Is Another Day" by Ted Fiorito Orchestra and by Ben Bernie Orchestra
• "Under A Texas Moon" by Chester Gaylord and by Ted Fiorito Orchestra
• "Under The Spell Of Your Kiss" by Lewis James
• "Until Love Comes Along", recorded by Bebe Daniels, by Nat Shilkret Orchestra
• "Were You Just Pretending?" by James Melton
• "West Wind" by John Boles
• "What Do I Care?" by Charles Lawman
• "What's The Use?" by Chester Gaylord
• "When I'm Looking At You", recorded by Lawrence Tibbett, Chester Gaylord, and Nat Shilkret Orchestra
• "When Love Comes In The Moonlight", recorded by Charles King and Jackie Taylor Orchestra
• "When The Little Red Roses Get The Blues For You", recorded by Al Jolson, George Olsen and Earl Burtnett
• "With My Guitar And You", recorded by Lewis James and Dick Powell
• "Whippoorwill", by The Ipana Troubadors
• "With A Song In My Heart" by Franklyn Baur
• "You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me" by Maurice Chevalier
• "You, You Alone" by John Boles
• "You Will Come Back To Me" by Abe Lyman Orchestra
• "You Will Remember Vienna", recorded by Leo Reisman Orchestra, and Regent Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
• "You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?)" by Nick Lucas
• "You're Lucky To Me" by Chester Gaylord

Top blues records

• "Sitting on Top of the World" - Mississippi Sheiks
• "Preachin' Blues" - Son House
• "Clarksdale Moan" - Son House
• "Razor Ball" - Blind Willie McTell
• "Somebody's Been Using That Thing" - Big Bill Broonzy
• "Skoodle Do Do" - Big Bill Broonzy

Classical music

• William Alwyn - Piano Concerto No. 1
• Arthur Bliss - Morning Heroes (oratorio)
• Aaron Copland - Piano Variations
• Arthur De Greef - Piano Concerto No. 2
• Alexander Glazunov - String Quartet No. 7
• Reynaldo Hahn - Piano Concerto in E
• Howard Hanson - Symphony No. 2, Romantic
• Paul Hindemith –
  • Des kleinen Elektromusikers Lieblinge, for three trautoniums
  • Konzertmusik, Op. 48, for viola and chamber orchestra
  • Konzertmusik, Op. 49, for piano, brass, and two harps
  • Konzertmusik, Op. 50, for brass and strings
  • Triosatz (aka Rondo) for three guitars (date uncertain: possibly 1925)
• Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov - Turkish Fragments
• John Ireland -
  • Legend for piano and orchestra
  • Piano Concerto in E flat
• Paul Juon - Quintet for Winds in B-flat major
• Zoltán Kodály - Dances of Marosszék
• Ernst Krenek –
  • Fiedellieder, for voice and piano, Op. 64
  • String Quartet No. 5, Op. 65
• Igor Markevitch - Concerto Grosso
• Maurice Ravel – Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
• Silvestre Revueltas – String Quartet No. 1
• Arnold Schoenberg –
  • Begleitungsmusik zu einer Lichtspielszene, for orchestra, op. 34
  • Sechs Stücke, for male choir, op. 35
• Igor Stravinsky – Symphony of Psalms
• Heitor Villa-Lobos -
  • Bachianas brasileiras No. 1, for orchestra of cellos
  • Bachianas brasileiras No. 2, for small orchestra
• Anton Webern - Quartet, for tenor saxophone, violin, cello, and piano, op. 22

Opera

• Ralph Benatzky - Im weissen Rössl
• Leoš Janáček - From the House of the Dead
• Ernst Krenek – Leben des Orest (first performance); Kehraus um St Stephan (composed 1930; first performance 1990)
• Kurt Weill - The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny

Musical theater

• Darling, I Love You London production openead at the Gaiety Theatre on January 22 and ran for 147 performances
• Eldorado London production opened at Daly's Theatre on September 3 and ran for 93 performances
• Ever Green London production opened at the Adelphi Theatre on December 3 and ran for 254 performances
• Fine and Dandy Broadway musical opened at the Erlanger's Theatre on September 23 and ran for 246 performances.
• Follow a Star London production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 17 and ran for 118 performances
• Girl Crazy Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on October 14 and ran for 272 performances
• Here Comes the Bride London production opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on February 20 and ran for 175 performances
• Das Land Des Lächelns Vienna production opened at the Theater an der Wien on September 26 and ran for 105 performances
• Little Tommy Tucker London production opened at Daly's Theatre on November 19 and ran for 83 performances
• The Love Race London production opened at the Gaiety Theatre on June 25 and ran for 237 performances
• The New Yorkers (Book by Herbert Fields, Lyrics & Music by Cole Porter) Broadway revue opened at the Broadway Theatre on December 8 and ran for 168 performances
• Nippy London production opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on October 30 and ran for 137 performances
• Rio Rita London production opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on April 3 and ran for 59 performances
• The Second Little Show Broadway revue opened at the Royale Theatre on September 2 and ran for 63 performances
• Silver Wings London production opened at the Dominion Theatre on February 14 and ran for 120 performances
• Sons o' Guns London production opened at the Hippodrome on June 26 and ran for 211 performances
• Sweet and Low Broadway revue opened at Chanin's 46th Street Theatre on November 17 and ran for 184 performances
• The Three Musketeers London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on March 28 and ran for 240 performances
• Three's a Crowd Broadway revue opened at the Selwyn Theatre on October 15 and ran for 271 performances
• The Vanderbilt Revue Broadway revue opened at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 5 and ran for 13 performances
• Viktoria und ihr Husar Vienna production opened at the Theater an der Wien on December 23 and ran for 121 performances
• Im Weissen Rössl aka White Horse Inn - Ralph Benatzky. First performed at the Grosses Schauspielhaus in Berlin on November 8.
• Wonder Bar London production opened at the Savoy Theatre on December 5 and ran for 210 performances

Musical films

• Along Came Youth starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Frances Dee and Stuart Erwin. Directed by Lloyd Corrigan and Norman McLeod.
• Animal Crackers starring The Marx Brothers, Lillian Roth and Margaret Dumont. Directed by Victor Heerman.
• Be Yourself! starring Fanny Brice, Harry Green and Robert Armstrong. Directed by Thornton Freeland.
• Big Boy starring Al Jolson and Claudia Dell. Directed by Alan Crosland.
• The Big Pond starring Maurice Chevalier and Claudette Colbert. Directed by Hobart Henley.
• Bride of the Regiment, starring Walter Pidgeon and Vivienne Segal
• Bright Lights starring Dorothy Mackaill, Frank Fay, Noah Beery, Inez Courtney and Eddie Nugent. Directed by Michael Curtiz.
• Chasing Rainbows starring Bessie Love, Charles King, Jack Benny and Marie Dressler
• Children of Pleasure starring Lawrence Gray
• The Cuckoos starring Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey
• Dancing Sweeties starring Grant Withers, Sue Carol and Edna Murphy
• Dixiana starring Bebe Daniels and Everett Marshall
• Follow Thru starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Nancy Carroll, Zelma O'Neal, Jack Haley, Eugene Pallette and Thelma Todd
• Going Wild starring Joe E. Brown and Ona Munson
• Golden Dawn released on June 14 starring Walter Woolf King, Vivienne Segal, Noah Beery, Alice Gentle and Lupino Lane
• Good News starring Bessie Love, Cliff Edwards and Penny Singleton and featuring Abe Lyman & his Band
• Heads Up starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers and Helen Kane. Directed by Victor Schertzinger.
• High Society Blues starring Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell and Louise Fazenda
• Hit the Deck starring Jack Oakie, Polly Walker and June Clyde
• Hold Everything starring Winnie Lightner and Joe E. Brown
• Honey starring Nancy Carroll, Lillian Roth and Mitzi Green
• In Gay Madrid starring Ramón Novarro and Dorothy Jordan
• King of Jazz starring Paul Whiteman and John Boles and featuring The Rhythm Boys and The Brox Sisters
• Leathernecking starring Irene Dunne
• Let's Go Native starring Jack Oakie, Jeanette MacDonald and James Hall
• Life of the Party starring Winnie Lightner
• The Lottery Bride starring Jeanette MacDonald, Zasu Pitts, Joe E. Brown and John Garrick. Directed by Paul L. Stein.
• Love Comes Along starring Bebe Daniels
• Madam Satan starring Kay Johnson and Reginald Denny
• Mammy starring Al Jolson
• Maybe It's Love starring Joe E. Brown, James Hall and Joan Bennett
• Monte Carlo starring Jeanette MacDonald and Jack Buchanan. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch.
• New Moon starring Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore
• New Movietone Follies of 1930 starring El Brendel and Marjorie White
• No, No Nanette starring ZaSu Pitts, Louise Fazenda, Lilyan Tashman and Mildred Harris
• Oh Sailor Behave starring Charles King and[ Irene Delroy
• Paramount on Parade featuring Maurice Chevalier and Clara Bow
• Puttin' on the Ritz starring Harry Richman, Joan Bennett and James Gleason
• The Rogue Song released May 10 starring Lawrence Tibbett and Catherine Dale Owen and featuring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy
• She Couldn't Say No starring Winnie Lightner
• Show Girl In Hollywood starring Alice White
• Song o' My Heart released September 7 starring John McCormack.
• Song of the Flame starring Bernice Claire and Noah Beery
• Song of the West starring John Boles and Vivienne Segal
• Spring Is Here starring Lawrence Gray, Bernice Claire, Inez Courtney, Frank Albertson and The Brox Sisters.
• Sunny starring Marilyn Miller, Lawrence Gray and Joe Donahue.
• Sunny Skies starring Benny Rubin, Marceline Day, Rex Lease and Marjorie Kane
• Sweet Kitty Bellairs starring Claudia Dell and Walter Pidgeon
• Swing High starring Helen Twelvetress and Fred Scott
• Top Speed starring Bernice Claire, Jack Whiting and Joe E. Brown
• Under a Texas Moon starring Frank Fay, Myrna Loy and Noah Beery
• The Vagabond King starring Dennis King, Jeanette MacDonald and Lillian Roth
• Viennese Nights released November 26 starring Vivienne Segal, Jean Hersholt, Walter Pidgeon and Louise Fazenda.
• What a Widow! starring Gloria Swanson
• Whoopee! starring Eddie Cantor, Ethel Shutta and featuring George Olsen & his Orchestra and Betty Grable
• Young Man of Manhattan starring Claudette Colbert, Ginger Rogers, Norman Foster and Charles Ruggles. Directed by Monta Bell.

Births

• January 12 - Glenn Yarbrough (The Limelighters)
• January 13 - Bobby Lester (The Moonglows)
• January 27 - Bobby Blue Bland, blues and soul singer
• January 29 - Derek Bailey, English guitarist (d. 2005)
• February 22 - Marni Nixon, soprano, best known for film voice-overs (d. 2016)
• February 26 - Chic Hetti (The Playmates)
• March 6 - Lorin Maazel, conductor (d. 2014)
• March 9 - Ornette Coleman, jazz saxophonist (d. 2015)
• March 13 - Jan Howard, country singer
• March 17 - Paul Horn, jazz and new age flautist
• March 22 - Stephen Sondheim, composer and songwriter
• March 28 - Robert Ashley, composer
• March 29 - Donny Conn (The Playmates)
• April 8 - Jean Guillou, French composer, organist, pianist, and pedagogue
• April 16 - Herbie Mann, jazz musician (d. 2003)
• May 1 - Little Walter, blues musician (d. 1968)
• May 16 - Friedrich Gulda, Austrian pianist and composer (d. 2000)
• May 28 - Julian Slade, musical theatre writer (d. 2006)
• June 3 - Dakota Staton, jazz vocalist (d. 2007)
• June 9 - Monique Serf, singer ("Barbara") (d. 1997)
• July 9 - Buddy Bregman, American composer and conductor
• July 10 - Josephine Veasey, operatic mezzo-soprano
• July 16 - Guy Béart, singer and songwriter
• July 20 - Sally Ann Howes, English actress and singer
• July 27 - Andy White, Scottish-born session drummer (d. 2015)
• August 1
  • Lionel Bart, English composer and lyricist (d. 1999)
  • Walter Jagiello, polka musician and songwriter (d. 2006)
• August 7 - Veljo Tormis, Estonian composer
• September 7 - Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist
• September 23 - Ray Charles, soul musician (d. 2004)
• October 5 - John Carmichael, pianist, composer and music therapist
• October 8 - Tōru Takemitsu, composer (d. 1996)
• October 12 - Cyril Tawney, traditional singer (d. 2005)
• October 24 - The Big Bopper, DJ and singer (d. 1957)
• October 30 - Clifford Brown, jazz trumpeter (d. 1956)
• November 20 - Curly Putman, songwriter (d. 2016)
• December 31 - Odetta, singer, songwriter and civil rights activist (d. 2008)

Deaths

• January 2 - Therese Malten, operatic soprano, 74
• January 16 - Art Hickman, US bandleader, 43 (Banti's syndrome)
• January 17 - Gauhar Jaan, Indian singer and dancer, 56
• January 24 - Mario Sammarco, operatic baritone, 61
• January 28 - Emmy Destinn Czech operatic soprano, 51 (stroke)
• February 12 - Eva Dell'Acqua, Belgian singer and composer, 73
• February 13 - Conrad Ansorge, German pianist, teacher and composer, 67
• February 17 - Louise Kirkby Lunn, operatic contralto, 56
• March 7 - A. L. Erlanger, theatrical impresario, 70
• April 1 - Cosima Wagner, daughter of Franz Liszt and widow of Richard Wagner, 92
• April 3 - Emma Albani, operatic soprano, 82
• April 5 - Gene Greene, singer and composer ("The Ragtime King"), 48
• April 9 - Rose Caron, operatic soprano, 72
• April 24 - Adele Ritchie, singer, comic opera, musical comedy and vaudeville, 55
• April 26 - Beth Slater Whitson, US lyric writer, 50
• May 1 - Emil Genetz, composer, 77
• May 29 - Tivadar Nachéz, violinist and composer, 71
• June 5 - Irma Reichová, operatic soprano, 71
• June 7 - Nahan Franko, violinist and conductor, 68
• June 22 - Mary Davies, singer, 75
• July 15 - Leopold Auer, violinist, 85
• August 4 - Siegfried Wagner, German composer and conductor, son of Richard Wagner, 61
• October 1 - Riccardo Drigo, composer and conductor, 84
• October 14 - Henry Creamer, US songwriter, 51
• October 27 - Evan Stephens, Mormon composer and hymn-writer, 76
• November 13 - Thomas Bulch, musician and composer, 67
• November 14 - Jacques Isnardon, operatic bass-baritone, 70
• December 17 - Peter Warlock, composer, 36
• December 22 - Charles K. Harris, US songwriter and publisher, 63
• December 23 - Marie Fillunger, singer, 80
• December 24 - Oskar Nedbal, violist, conductor and composer, 56
• December 29 - Oscar Borg, composer, 79
• date unknown - Johnny Burke, singer and songwriter (b. 1851)

References