1947 Billboard Year End Chart

1947 Billboard Year End Chart

It's 1947, year of the Black Dahlia murder, Jackie Robinson's first major league appearance, Chuck Yeager's historic flight and the Roswell incident.  On Earth and specifically in America nothing much has changed musically from the previous year, crooners are still crooning and there is nary a sign in the charts of the musical adventures that are headed down the line in a few short years.

So let's get on with it:


Bing Crosby – Whiffenpoof Song  The Whiffenpoof's are a singing troupe from Yale University, basically Yale's version of Glee's Warblers and this is their traditional closing number.  This song has been recorded by Elvis Presley, Count Basie, Perry Como, and the Statler Brothers, but it was a hit for Bing Crosby.

Bing Crosby – White Christmas Speaking of Bing Crosby what would the Christmas season be without Bing's rendition of White Christmas?  Now most people know this song was a hit in 1941 during the height of World War 2 as the American troops were first being deployed overseas and were about to face their first Christmas away from home.  Well that recording was so well received that the original master became ruined and so it needed to be refreshed.  Bing re-recorded the song in March of 1947 and it became a hit again, and this is the version that is most played now, not the 1941 version.

Guy Lombardo – Managua, Nicaragua

Eddy Howard – My Adobe Hacienda

Perry Como – Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go To Sleep)

For whatever reason during this period the American public seemed to be infatuated with foreign locales, especially Latin America.  Maybe it was daydreaming of travel to exotic locations, or the fantasy of just living a relaxing life on the beach, I don't know, but these three songs exemplify the love affair America was having with all points "South of the Border."

Hoagy Carmichael – Huggin' & Chalkin'

Arthur Godfrey – Too Fat Polka

Americans have long had an obesity problem, these songs just point it out in a "not so PC" kind of way.  "Huggin' and Chalkin'" describes one man's relationship to his girl and his fear of getting lost while hugging her so he has to leave himself a chalk trail to find his way back.  In fact, while he's exploring her he runs into another man, does this count as a threesome?

Tex Williams – Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) As a non-smoker myself I could really relate to the message of this song: No matter what is going on smokers will call a "Time Out" to have a smoke.  The singer is annoyed that it seems to be happening everywhere he goes, from a high-stake poker game, to a make-out session with his girl, even to the gates of Heaven.

Buddy Clark – Linda 17 years before The Beatles would land on the Billboard charts this song already has a Beatles' connection.  The writer of this song, Jack Lawrence, titled the song after his attorney's daughter, Linda Eastman, who would later become Mrs. Paul McCartney.

 The Harmonicats – Peg O´My Heart Finally I wanted to focus on this song which is an instrumental by an all-harmonica group which reached number 2 on the year end chart.  If that's not proof of what a simple time it was in America in 1947, nothing is.

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47. Ol' Buttermilk Sky » Kay Kyser 46. Golden Earrings » Peggy Lee 45. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons » Eddy Howard 44. Open The Door, Richard » Dusty Fletcher 43. How Soon » Vaughn Monroe 42. The Whiffenpoof Song » Bing Crosby 41. Anniversary Song » Tex Beneke & The Glenn Miller Orchestra 40. Managua, Nicaragua » Guy Lombardo

39. Linda » Charlie Spivak*

38. Feudin' And Fightin' » Dorothy Shay

37. You Do » Margaret Whiting

36. Peg O' My Heart » Art Lund

35. Open The Door, Richard » Count Basie

34. The Old Lamplighter » Kay Kyser

33. Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo) » Andrews Sisters & Danny Kaye

32. Across The Alley From The Alamo » Mills Brothers

31. White Christmas » Bing Crosby

30. Anniversary Song » Dinah Shore

29. Anniversary Song » Guy Lombardo

28. You Do » Vaughn Monroe

27. Mam'selle » Dick Haymes

26. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons » The Nat King Cole Trio

25. Ol' Buttermilk Sky » Hoagy Carmichael

24. Huggin' And Chalkin' » Hoagy Carmichael

22. My Adobe Hacienda » Eddy Howard

22. I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder » Eddy Howard

21. Too Fat Polka » Arthur Godfrey

20. How Soon » Jack Owens

19. When You Were Sweet Sixteen » Perry Como

18. The Old Lamplighter » Sammy Kaye

17. Near You » The Andrews Sisters

16. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now » Ted Weems & Perry Como

15. Timtayshun » Red Ingle & Jo Stafford

14. Chi-Baba,   Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go To Sleep) » Perry Como

13. Managua, Nicaragua » Freddy Martin

12. Mam'selle » Art Lund

11. Ballerina » Vaughn Monroe

10. That's My Desire » Sammy Kaye

09. Near You » Larry Green

08. Anniversary Song » Al Jolson

07. Peg O' My Heart » The Three Suns

06. I Wish I Didn't Love You So » Vaughn Monroe

05. Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette » Tex Williams

04. Linda » Ray Noble & Buddy Clark

03. Heartaches » Ted Weems

02. Peg O' My Heart » The Harmonicats

01. Near You » Francis Craig *not available in Spotify Chart courtesy of http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1947