Music Lists Are Us: Favorite '40s Songs by Year, with brief comments

1940

Falling in Love Again by Billie Holiday

I'll Be Seeing You by by Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey

Laughing at Life by Billie Holiday

Fools Rush In by The Glenn Miller Orchestra with Ray Eberle

St. Louis Blues by Billie Holiday

Cotton Tail by Duke Ellington

Do Re Mi by Woody Guthrie

Loveless Love by Billie Holiday

I'll Never Smile Again by The Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra

Java Jive by The Ink Spots

Don't Take Your Love from Me by Mildred Bailey

Tuxedo Junction by the Glenn Miller Orchestra

I Hear Music by Billie Holiday

When You Wish Upon a Star by Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards

Body and Soul by Billie Holiday

I Ain't Got No Home in This World Anymore by Woody Guthrie

Concerto for Cootie by Duke Ellington

You Are My Sunshine by Jimmie Davis

Never No Lament by Duke Ellington

Wham (Re Bop Boom Bam) by Mildred Bailey

Stardust by Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

Time on My Hands by Billie Holiday

New San Antonio Rose by Bob Wills

I'm All for You by Billie Holiday

Frenesi by Artie Shaw

1941

All of Me by Billie Holiday

Take the 'A' Train by Duke Ellington

The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy by The Andrews Sisters

Chelsea Bridge by Duke Ellington

I Take to You by Gene Krupa and Anita O'Day

Solitude by Billie Holiday

Cool Water by The Sons of the Pioneers

I Love to Georgia Brown So Slow by Bea Booze

Kick It by Gene Krupa and Anita O'Day

Time's Windin' Up by the Golden Gate Quartet

I Cover the Waterfront by Billie Holiday

Chattanooga Choo Choo by The Glenn Miller Orchestra

Georgia on My Mind by Billie Holiday

Let Me Off Uptown by Gene Krupa, Anita O'Day and Roy Eldridge

Walking the Floor Over You by Ernest Tubb

Rock Me by Rosetta Tharp

Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) by Peggy Lee

See See Rider by Bea Booze

Thanks for the Boogie Ride by Gene Krupa, Anita O'Day and Roy Eldridge

I Got it Bad and That Ain't Good by Duke Ellington

Am I Blue by Billie Holiday

Mule Skinner Blues by Bill Monroe

Pass the Bounce by Gene Krupa and Anita O'Day

Toll the Bell Easy by the Golden Gate Quartet

Stardust by Artie Shaw

Romance in the Dark by Billie Holiday

Skylark by Gene Krupa and Anita O'Day

You are My Sunshine by Gene Autry

Let's Do It by Billie Holiday

You Made Me Love You by Harry James

Let's Be Friends by Bea Booze

It's So Peaceful in the Country by Mildred Bailey

Daniel Saw the Stone by the Golden Gate Quartet

Apple Blossom Time by the Andrews Sisters

1942

God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday

Paper Doll by The Mills Brothers

Night and Day by Frank Sinatra

On the Sunny Side of the Street by Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman

I'm Gonna Leave You on the Outskirts of Town by Louis Jordan

Massachusetts by Gene Krupa and Anita O'Day

A String of Pearls by Glenn Miller

That Ain't Right by Nat King Cole

The Way You Look Tonight by Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman

Skylark by Glenn Miller

Run On by The Golden Gate Quartet

We'll Meet Again by Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman

I Want a Tall Skinny Papa by Rosetta Tharp

Fireball Mail by Roy Acuff

Side By Side by Gene Krupa and Anita O'Day

I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me by Ella Fitzgerald

(I've Got a Gal in ) Kalamazoo by Glenn Miller

How Long Has This Been Going On by Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman

My Man by Ella Fitzgerald

Skylark by Bing Crosby

I'm Gettin' Mighty Lonesome by Ella Fitzgerald

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree by The Andrews Sisters

All I Need is You by Ella Fitzgerald

I Hung My Head and Cried by Elton Britt

1943

Don't Cry Baby by Erskine Hawkins

Stormy Weather by Lena Horne

Don't Get Around Much Anymore by Duke Ellington

All for You by Nat King Cole

Linger Awhile by Lester Young

Night Train to Memphis by Roy Acuff

That'll Just 'Bout Knock Me Out by Louis Jordan

Apollo Jump by Lucky Millander

For Me and My Gal by Judy Garland & Gene Kelly

Five Guys Named Moe by Louis Jordan

Hello Babe by Lester Young

Rosalita by Al Dexter

Trav'lin' Light by Billie Holiday & Paul Whiteman

Comin' In on a Wing and a Prayer by the Golden Gate Quartet

1944

Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby by Louis Jordan

Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be) by Billie Holiday

Straighten Up and Fly Right by Nat King Cole

Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall by Ella Fitzgerald and The Ink Spots

Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me by Duke Ellington

Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week) by Frank Sinatra

G.I. Jive by Louis Jordan

I'm Making Believe by Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots

Don't Fence Me In by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

One for My Baby (And One More for the Road) by Lena Horne

You Always Hurt the Ones You Love by The Mills Brothers

You're From Texas by Bob Wills

Hampton's Boogie Woogie by Lionel Hampton

I'll Be Seeing You by Bing Crosby

1945

It's Only a Paper Moon by Ella Fitzgerald

Lover Man, (Oh Where Can You Be?) by Billie Holiday

Blue Moon of Kentucky by Bill Monroe

Caravan by Duke Ellington

I'm Beginning to See the Light by Ella Fitzgerald and The Ink Spots

How High the Moon by Django Reinhardt

Accentuate the Positive by Johnny Mercer or Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters

Caldonia by Louis Jordan

Strange Things Happening Every Day by Rosetta Tharpe

Tippin' In by Erskine Hawkins

It's Been a Long Long Time by Bing Crosby and Les Paul

Beulah's Boogie by Lionel Hampton

Don't Fence Me In by Gene Autry

Your Socks Don't Match by Louis Jordan and Bing Crosby

1946

(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 by Nat King Cole

I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You by Frank Sinatra

(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons by Ella Fitzgerald

Willow Weep for Me by Stan Kenton & June Christy

(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons by Nat King Cole

Someone to Watch Over Me by Frank Sinatra

Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans by Louis Armstrong

Rumors are Flying by the Andrews Sisters

Come to Baby, Do by Duke Ellington and Joya Sherrill

Detour by Spade Cooley

Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin' by Stan Kenton and June Christy

From Fram Sauce by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

Don't Explain by Billie Holiday

Hey Ba Ba Re-Bop by Lionel Hampton

Choo Choo Ch'Boogie by Louis Jordan

The Gypsy by the Ink Spots

Them That Has Gets by the Andrews Sisters

1947

La Vie en rose by Edith Piaf

This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie

Let the Good Times Roll by Louis Jordan

Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk

Move it on Over by Hank Williams

Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens by Louis Jordan

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette) by Tex Williams

Early in the Morning by Louis Jordan

There'll Be Some Changes Made by Peggy Lee

Steel Guitar Rag by Merle Travis

Blow-Top Blues by Dinah Washington and Lionel Hampton

Honky Tonkin' by Hank Williams

Boogie Woogie Blue Plate by Louis Jordan

Wabash Cannonball by Roy Acuff

Near You by the Andrews Sisters

Hawk's Boogie by Erskine Hawkins

Oakie Boogie by Jack Guthrie

Texas and Pacific by Louis Jordan

Jole Blon by Roy Acuff

It's So Easy by Louis Jordan

Oh Lady Be Good by Ella Fitzgerald

What is This Thing Called Love? By Anita O'Day

Those Things Money Can't Buy by Nat King Cole

1948

Nature Boy by Nat King Cole

I Love You So Much It Hurts Me by The Mills Brothers

Blue Shadows on the Trail by Roy Rogers & The Sons of the Pioneers

A Little Bird Told Me by Paula Watson

Tomorrow Night by Lonnie Johnson

Twelfth Street Rag by Pee Wee Hunt

Run Joe by Louis Jordan

Up Above My Head I Hear Music in the Air by Rosetta Tharpe

Long Gone by Sonny Thompson

Am I Asking Too Much by Dinah Washington

Messin' Around by Memphis Slim

Chicken Shack Boogie by Amos Milburn

Come Rain or Come Shine by Stan Kenton and June Christy

Send for Me if You Need Me by The Ravens

On a Slow Boat to China by Kay Kyser

I Can't Go On Without You by Bullmoose Jackson

Late Freight by Sonny Thompson

Pretty Mamma Blues by Ivory Joe Hunter

Beg Your Pardon by Frankie Carole and Marjorie Hughes

Move On Up a Little Higher by Mahalia Jackson

Good Rockin' Tonight by Wynonie Harris

King Size Papa by Julia Lee

Texarkana Baby by Eddy Arnold

Bewildered by the Red Miller Trio

1949

Rock Awhile by Goree Carter

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry by Hank Williams

Saturday Night Fish Fry by Louis Jordan

All the Things You Are by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli

Baby Get Lost by Dinah Washington

I'm in the Mood for Love (Moody's Mood for Love) by James Moody

Lovesick Blues by Hank Williams Sr.

Baby Won't You Please Come Home by Sidney Bechet

Someday You'll Want Me to Want You by The Mills Brothers

Tennessee Saturday Night by Red Foley

Ain't She/He Sweet by Pearl Bailey & Hot Lips Page

Mind Your Own Business by Hank Williams Sr

I'll Send You by Goree Carter

Ain't Nobody's Business by Jimmy Witherspoon with The Jay McShann Band

Your Gonna Change (Or I'm-a-Gonna Leave) by Hank Williams Sr

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Doris Day

Dust My Broom by Arthur Crudup

My Bucket's Got a Hole in It by Hank Williams Sr

The Fat Man by Fats Domino

Tennessee Border by Red Foley

Bye Bye Blues by Dinah Shore

Anticipation Blues by Tennessee Ernie Ford

I Can Dream Can't I by the Andrews Sisters

Beans and Cornbread by Louis Jordan

On Springfield Mountain by Burl Ives

Tennessee Polka by Red Foley

Slipping Around by Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely

Blues Stay Away from Me by the Delmore Brothers

(Ghost) Riders in the Sky by Vaughn Monroe