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Topic: The British Hit Singles Missing Charts January 1940 -1945

25th Sep 2023, 8:14 PM
	Mike Wilson1 Musicologist Member since Dec 2019 26 Points	The Missing Charts January 1940 – October 1952 was a book edited by Steve Walters as part of The British Hit Singles series, that aimed to cover the period of sheet music sales in the UK prior to the institution of the Top Twenty Charts in November 1952. This period covered of course the years of World War II and the progression and ultimate demise of the popular Dance Bands of the era and household names back then would elicit blank stares today. To see what was popular in these pages is an education in itself as many homes had their own piano and no TV sets so an evenings entertainment could be the family getting around the old “Joanna” to try out the latest hits of the day…It was then that a particular idea struck me that this social history should not be forgotten but encouraged and I decided that I would collect EVERY recording mentioned in the tomes pages by the artists attributed to a particular song. I thought that it would be easy but no!.......During the early years of the Second World War of course people had more to think about than the latest band release as bombs were dropping everywhere, rationing was in vogue and entertainment tax was put on records….In some areas you could not buy a new 78rpm disc unless you took an old record as well to be recycled as shellac was in limited supply….Also, many homes were wrecked along with those precious record players and records. Anyway I began with the first printed sheet of popular sheet music issued January 8th 1940 and top of the shop that week was our darling Vera Lynn with “We’ll Meet Again”……Many Dance Bands started to be regular names on each weeks sheets such as Joe Loss, Harry Roy, Nat Gonella and Carroll Gibbons with their respective orchestras…..This was not a one man effort as I was able to contact many collectors and members who were of great assistance in my quest so that by the end of the 1940 lists and many many hundreds of records I had managed to procure all but 5 elusive recordings. 1941 saw an influx of new but welcome names such as Artie Shaw, Jimmy Dorsey, Geraldo and Turner Layton and the hunt continued with a vengeance including George Formby, Gene Autry and more from the lovely Vera…..and who could not recall Billy Cotton, Arthur Askey and one of the first popular groups, The Ink Spots……Also a little bit more success as I obtained all but 2 of the recordings for this whole year. The listings of 1942 began with the epic “Warsaw Concerto” by Louis Kentner at the apex of the first sheet sales which also included the likes of Jay Wilbur, Glenn Miller, Leslie Hutchinson tickling the ivory when he wasn’t tickling someone else and the fruit encrusted Carmen Miranda…..Shops were searched, barns ransacked and Ebay perused which by the end of that 12 month period resulted in there being only 5 records that eluded the “Poirot of The Platters”. Dance bands were very much to the fore in 1943 as there was a small relaxation of the rules of crowds gathering and many did, to hear their heroes of the Dance Hall, Harry James, Victor Silvester, Ambrose and Harry Parry…not forgetting more offerings from many afore mentioned luminaries…It was a many & varied collection of artists who supplied enjoyment to the masses in this year….Flanagan & Allen were still going strong, Richard Tauber satisfied the light opera devotees and Monte Rey gave his voice and heart to some wonderful songs….I have managed to get all but 4 of the popular records of that year. 1944 saw no relaxation of hostilities and many a sweetheart would have pined over the sounds of Ivy Benson, Bing Crosby, the superb Dorothy Carless….even Irving Berlin himself got in on the act…Times were hard and things were tight….indeed this hardness also resulted in 10 of the recordings of that year not finding their way into the collection, not even on a Wing & A Prayer. I considered 1945 to be roughly at the midway point in this epic hunt and some of the best music was certainly to be heard in this period…..Many different acts became popular recording the same song so you could have had 4-5-6 or more versions of a song competing for your pennies….One song “My Favourite Dream”, has eluded me by three different artists !!......Only 8 releases have escaped my clutches from the end of the war year…… So from all the recordings released from 1940-1945 that were very popular with the Great British public and this runs into well over 1100 records, I have managed to rustle together by hook or by crook all but 35 which I do not think is too bad at all seeing as I am housebound and cannot now go out searching for these hidden hits myself.......All help appreciated to locate the elusive 35 records . I am now going through 1946 but I put this epistle down in the belief that you might find it interesting what collectors go through to satisfy their cravings and seek the Holy Grail of a Wants list that stands at….0 Edited by Mike Wilson1 on 25th Sep 2023, 11:14 PM