Your Hit Parade

Hit Song show (1935 - 59)

Freddie Rich

America is a big country and has many big musical traditions. Folk and traditional music have always been with us. Urban theatres grew from the early 1800's into Broadway and the Great American. Jazz blossomed into the Big Bands and their hits. And American music had "Tin Pan Alley," where many of the greats of American Song got their starts. Song "pluggers" in the "Tin Pan Alley" tradition made "Popular Music," the songs and tunes that seemed to "came out of nowhere" to soar to the top of the hits. "Your Hit Parade" was the old time radio show that highlighted the rise and fall of those American pop hits for a generation.

It began in the mid-30s in New York, and was sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes in 1936. The catchy #1 tune concept was a "hit" of its own right from the start. "Goody Goody" was the first anniversary #1 tune…a perfect example of what a pop hit is. Al Goodman's orchestra played through the rest of the 1930s, with Mark Warnow's taking over in the 1940s. In July of 1941, the "Hut Sut Song" was a biggie. In July of '42, "Sleepy Lagoon." By this time, New York radio personality Martin Block took the host microphone, and introduced the singers and the songs. A chorus called The Hit Paraders were always ready to backup the featured singers. At first the regulars were Barry Wood and Joan Edwards. In the spring of '43, a skinny New Jersey kid named Frank came on the show to stay for a while. Sinatra was probably the biggest draw that Lucky Strikes ever had! The bobbie-soxers had swooned over this guy, and listened avidly as he crooned the tunes. The show went on without

Al Goodman, orchestra leader (1935-1938)

Frankie in 1945, with Lawrence Tibbett, then Dick Todd, and then Andy Russell doing the hits. Dinah Shore was on for a while, too. Then in 1947, Sinatra was back, and Beryl Davis took over the girl's part. Axel Stordahl and His Orchestra backed up. Sinatra fans will remember the wonderful records of Frankie made with Stordahl's arrangements and accompaniment. Many consider these among the very best, for it certainly was the most romantic and intimate of Sinatra's oeuvre. This collection of shows draws mainly from the 1940s, which was a very good time for this show, the heydays of the popular tune that drew on strong melodies and poetic lyrics…except for the occasional novelty tune like "The Woody Woodpecker Song."

Gogo Delys (singer)

Though Your Hit Parade went on into the 50s decade, America's youth culture had, by then, decided "Your Hit Parade" was passe. The kids wanted to "ROCK." By now, both Tin Pan Alley and Network Radio were essentially over. It was now time for a sharp, young DJ in Philadelphia named Dick Clark to use the new medium to promote a new hit parade…with dancing.

For more music, see also Your All Time Hit Parade, Glenn Miller, Bing Crosby, Command Performance, Sealtest Hour, The Railroad Hour, and the Dinah Shore Collection.

Some shows have great music in some of their segments, such as Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show (two tunes per show), Burns and Allen, Red Skelton, and Fibber McGee and Molly. Cavalcade of America has some great historic music shows, and even the World Adventurer's Club has a men's chorus selection in every show! If your tastes run to great Western Swing, you'll want to check out All Star Western Theater.