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The Songs Of 1920

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Songs of 1920 Sheet Music

Sheet music from a few of the songs of 1920 (Public Domain Images)

All this month on the program, we’re going to be turning back the clock 100 years, to explore the songs of the 1920s. This week, a special focus on the songs of the year that kicked off the roaring decade: 1920. Many of the songs from this year did not withstand the test of time, for reasons we’ll get into. But this hour, we’ll hear a few of the songs that did, including “Avalon,” “Whispering,” and “Look For The Silver Lining.”


The Songs of 1920

1920 was a pivotal year in American history. It marked the end of World War I and the end of the Spanish Flu pandemic. But 1920 also marked the beginning of prohibition, the beginning of women’s suffrage, the first licensed commercial radio station, and the establishment of some key institutions in modern American life, from the ACLU to the NFL.

From a musical perspective, 1920 was a year where genres like blues and ragtime continued to be popular. Many of the popular songs from this era also came from the stage, which had its own complicated history. The minstrel stage shows of the 19th century had mostly fallen out of favor by 1920, replaced by the more popular vaudeville. However, many of the tropes of minstrelsy remained. One of the most popular American entertainers in the year 1920, in fact, was Al Jolson, a Jewish-American actor and singer who made a name for himself performing in blackface.

Jolson had been a vaudeville and Broadway star throughout the 1910s, dubbed “The World’s Greatest Entertainer.” At the end of the decade, he was successfully performing in one of the top Broadway shows, and new songs were being added to the show all the time, so Jolson could give them a showcase. One such song was the song “Swanee” written by lyricist Irving Caesar and a young composer just starting out by the name of George Gershwin.

“Swanee” is, in and of itself, a very dated song, evoking an idyllic southern landscape, imagery that is derived straight from minstrelsy. However, it’s an important song, historically, because it was the first megahit song for Gershwin, one of America’s most noted songwriters. Jolson’s recording of “Swanee” was one of the best selling songs in 1920. And the song continued to reverberate across the decades, being incorporated into the live and film work of the great entertainer Judy Garland

1920 was the year Prohibition went into effect, banning the production and sale of alcohol in the United States. As you might imagine, such a consequential decision was no doubt reflected in the music of the day. One such song that addressed the new law was another Irving Berlin song called “I’ll See You In C-U-B-A.” This song is a fascinating time capsule of 1920: not only is it about Americans seeking out alcohol in a foreign country during Prohibition, but it also highlights a time in American History when foreign relations between the U.S. and Cuba were friendly. In the 1920s, Cuba was not some communist threat, but rather just an exciting, rum-soaked island 90 miles off the coast of Florida that attracted tens of thousands of visitors every year.

One of the more popular songs from 1920 was the John Schoenberger song “Whispering.” The song was a hit for Paul Whiteman in 1920, remaining on the top of Billboard charts for 11 weeks. However, it’s probably best known today by jazz fans as the contrafact for the 1945 Dizzy Gillespie bebop song “Groovin’ High,” meaning that both songs share the same chord progression.

1920 is also the year of an important recording in American music history. On August 10, 1920, the singer Mamie Smith recorded the song “Crazy Blues” for Okeh Records, The song, written by Perry Bradford, is about the rage a woman felt over being mistreated, and it became quite popular in its day. More than 75,000 copies were sold in the first month, and more than a million copies were sold in the first year, making it the first major blues record ever. “Crazy Blues” kicked off the blues craze across the country, and jump-started the so-called “race record” industry, showcasing the talents of black artists.

Although Mamie Smith’s “Crazy Blues” was a pivotal and historical recording—it’s in the Grammy Hall Of Fame and the National Recording Registry—the song itself hasn’t necessarily been a long-lasting hit. It’s only been recorded a few dozen times over the years, including by the eccentric Canadian song historian Leon Redbone.

The year 1920 was a much different time in American culture. There was an “othering” of any culture that was not mainstream white America, and that even included the cultures of American minorities, like Black, Hispanic or Native Americans. This fascination with and stereotyping of other cultures shows up quite a bit in music. Several of the songs from 1920 make reference to some other culture. 

Most of these songs I’m not going to feature, because they contain so many stereotypes they are borderline, if not, downright offensive. I’m thinking of songs like “In A Persian Market,” “The Japanese Sandman,” “Kalua” (a Hawaiian song by Jerome Kern), or “Tell Me Little Gypsy” (by Irving Berlin)—all songs that were big hits in their day.

Thankfully, few of these songs were recorded again beyond the decade, but some notable artists did record some of these "exotic" songs later in the 20th century. For instance, Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra recorded the Jesse Glick and Frederick Logan song “Pale Moon (An Indian Love Song)” in 1941, a song about that paints Native American culture and music with a very broad brush.

A few of the songs from 1920 could rightly be considered standards. For instance, the Jerome Kern and Buddy DeSylva song “Look For The Silver Lining” has continued to be part of the Great American Songbook well into the 21st century. This song first appeared in the popular 1920 musical Sally, all about a lowly dishwasher who longs for fame as a dancer.

Another enduring standard from the year 1920 is the Buddy DeSylva, Al Jolson and Vincent Rose song “Avalon,” a song about the Avalon Bay in Los Angeles. The tune was popularized by Jolson that year. For whatever reason, the song has turned into a showcase of speed. Multiple artists have used “Avalon” to pick up the tempo and make the point quickly. Versions of this song by Sarah Vaughan, Dakota Staton, Nat King Cole, Anita O’Day, and others barely clock in at two minutes.

Music Heard On This Episode

ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
Oscar PetersonMoonglow [Excerpt]Pastel MoodsBuy on Amazon
The Nat King Cole TrioBaby, Won't You Please Come HomeThe MacGregor Years, 1941-1945Buy on Amazon
Dean MartinBaby, Won't You Please Come HomeDream With Dean / Everybody Loves SomebodyBuy on Amazon
Eddie Condon & His Dixieland All StarsSwanee [Excerpt]Dixieland All-StarsBuy on Amazon
Judy GarlandSwaneeJudy At Carnegie HallBuy on Amazon
Judy GarlandI Never Knew (I Could Love Anybody Like I'm Loving You)Judy Garland: The Complete Decca Masters (Plus)Buy on Amazon
The Nat King Cole TrioAfter You Get What You Want, You Don't Want ItThe Complete Capitol Recordings of The King Cole TrioBuy on Amazon
The Nat King Cole TrioI Used To Love You (But It's All Over Now)The Complete Capitol Recordings of The King Cole TrioBuy on Amazon
Bing Crosby and Trudy Erwin(I'll See You In) C-U-B-ABlue SkiesBuy on Amazon
Bing CrosbyWhisperingBing With A BeatBuy on Amazon
Dizzy GillespieGroovin' High [Excerpt]Yardbird Suite: The Ultimate Charlie ParkerBuy on Amazon
Dave McKennaMargie [Excerpt]My Friend The PianoBuy on Amazon
Mamie SmithCrazy Blues [Excerpt]Mamie Smith, Vol. 1 (1920-1921)Buy on Amazon
Leon RedboneCrazy BluesDouble TimeBuy on Amazon
Louis Armstrong & His All StarsAunt Hagar's BluesLouis Armstrong Plays W.C. HandyBuy on Amazon
Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey and His OrchestraPale Moon (An Indian Love Song)The Song Is YouBuy on Amazon
Bing Crosby and Louis ArmstrongDardanellaBing & SatchmoBuy on Amazon
Jo Stafford with Paul Weston and His OrchestraI'll Be With You In Apple Blossom TimeYes, Indeed!Buy on Amazon
Tony Bennett and Bill CharlapLook For The Silver LiningThe Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome KernBuy on Amazon
Sarah VaughanAvalon¡Viva! VaughanBuy on Amazon
Paul Whiteman and His OrchestraWhispering [Excerpt]The Famous Paul Whiteman "Jazz A La King" (1920-1936)Buy on Amazon
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