1938 in music
List of years in music (Table) |
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… 1928 . 1929 . 1930 . 1931 . 1932 . 1933 . 1934 … 1935 . 1936 . 1937 -1938- 1939 . 1940 . 1941 … 1942 . 1943 . 1944 . 1945 . 1946 . 1947 . 1948 … |
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… 1935 . 1936 . 1937 – 1938 – 1939 . 1940 . 1941 … … 1900s . 1910s . 1920s – 1930s – 1940s . 1950s . 1960s … … 19th century – 20th century – 21st century … |
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Contents |
Events
- January 16 - Benny Goodman plays the first jazz concert at Carnegie Hall
- January 16 - Béla Bartók's Sonata for two pianos and percussion is premiered in Basel
- September 22 - Anton Webern's String Quartet is premiered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Roy Acuff's musical career begins
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe's musical career begins
- Pete Seeger's musical career begins
- Robert Lockwood Jr.'s musical career begins
- Jelly Roll Morton speaks, sings, and plays piano for an eight-hour Library of Congress recorded sound documentary produced by Alan Lomax
- Fred Buscaglione and Leo Chiosso meet
Biggest hit songs
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the limited set of charts available for 1938.
# | Artist | Title | Year | Chart Entries |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Artie Shaw | Begin the Beguine | 1938 | US BB 2 of 1938, POP 2 of 1938, RYM 10 of 1938, RIAA 91, Acclaimed 1163 |
2 | Bob Hope & Shirley Ross | Thanks For the Memory | 1938 | Oscar in 1938, AFI 63, RIAA 170, Acclaimed 1316 |
3 | Seven Dwarfs | Whistle While You Work | 1938 | US BB 1 of 1938, POP 1 of 1938 |
4 | The Andrews Sisters | Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen | 1938 | US BB 5 of 1938, RYM 5 of 1937, POP 5 of 1938, Europe 6 of the 1930s |
5 | Fred Astaire | Nice Work If You Can Get It | 1938 | US BB 13 of 1938, POP 13 of 1938, RYM 20 of 1937, Europe 79 of the 1930s |
Top hit recordings
- "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" by Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb
- "Begin the Beguine" by Artie Shaw
- "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen" by The Andrews Sisters
- "Cry, Baby, Cry" by Larry Clinton
- "Don't Be That Way" by Benny Goodman
- "I've Got a Pocketful of Dreams" by Bing Crosby
- "Music, Maestro, Please" by Tommy Dorsey
- "My Reverie" by Larry Clinton
- "Thanks for the Memory" by Shep Fields
- "Ti-Pi-Tin" by Horace Heidt
- by The Carter Family
Top Blues records
- "Sunnyland" - Sonny Boy Williamson I
Published popular music
- "And The Angels Sing" w. Johnny Mercer m. Ziggy Elman
- "At Long Last Love" w.m. Cole Porter
- "At The Roxy Music Hall" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
- "Back Bay Shuffle" m. Artie Shaw & Teddy McRae
- "Be A Good Scout" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh Introduced by Deanna Durbin in the film
- "Big Noise From Winnetka" w.m. Ray Bauduc, Bob Crosby, Bob Haggart & Gil Rodin
- "The Biggest Aspidistra In The World" w.m. , W. G. Haines & James S. Hancock
- "Bolero At The Savoy" w.m. Charles Carpenter, Gene Krupa & James Mundy
- "Boom!" w.m. E. Ray Goetz & Charles Trenet
- "Boomps-A-Daisy" w.m. Annette Mills
- "Boum" w.m. Charles Trenet
- "Change Partners" w.m. Irving Berlin introduced by Fred Astaire in Carefree
- "Cherokee" m. Ray Noble
- "Cinderella, Stay In My Arms" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Michael Carr
- "Colorado Sunset" Gilbert, Conrad
- "Dearest Love" w.m. Noël Coward
- "Deep In A Dream" w. Eddie De Lange m. James Van Heusen
- "Do You Wanna Jump Children?" w.m. James Van Heusen, Willie Bryant & Victor Selsman
- "Don't Be That Way" w. Mitchell Parish m. Edgar Sampson & Benny Goodman
- "Don't Let That Moon Get Away" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
- "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" w. Ted Koehler m. Rube Bloom
- "Double Trouble" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger & Richard A. Whiting
- "Exhibition Swing" m. Chalmers Wood
- "F.D.R. Jones" w.m. Harold Rome. Introduced by Rex Ingram in the revue .
- "Falling In Love With Love" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Muriel Angelus in the musical The Boys from Syracuse. Performed in the 1940 film by Allan Jones.
- "Ferdinand the Bull" w. m. Albert Hay Malotte. Performed by Sterling Holloway in the animated film of the same name.
- "Flat Foot Floogie" w.m. Slim Gaillard, Slam Stewart & Bud Green
- "Get Out Of Town" w.m. Cole Porter from the musical Leave It to Me!
- "Hawaiian War Chant" w. (Eng) Ralph Freed m. Johnny Noble & Prince Leleiohaku
- "Heart And Soul" w. Frank Loesser m. Hoagy Carmichael
- "Hi-Yo Silver" Erickson, De Leath
- "Hold Tight - Hold Tight" w.m. Leonard Kent, Edward Robinson, Leonard Ware, Jerry Brandow & Willie Spotswood
- "Hong Kong Blues" w.m. Hoagy Carmichael
- "Hooray for Hollywood" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting
- "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" w.m. Ray Noble
- "I Have Eyes" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger
- "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart" w. Henry Nemo, John Redmond & Irving Mills m. Duke Ellington
- "I Love To Whistle" Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh
- "I Married An Angel" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
- "I Must See Annie Tonight" w.m. Cliff Friend & Dave Franklin
- "I'll Be Seeing You" w. Irving Kahal m. Sammy Fain
- "I'm Gonna Lock My Heart" w. Jimmy Eaton m. Terry Shand
- "I'm In Love With Vienna" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Johann Strauss II
- "In A Little Toy Sailboat" Mandell, Littau
- "In My Little Red Book" w.m. Ray Bloch, Nat Simon & Al Stillman.
- "I've Got A Pocketful Of Dreams" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
- "Jeepers Creepers" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harry Warren. Introduced by Louis Armstrong in the film Going Places.
- "Joseph! Joseph!" w.(Eng) Sammy Cahn & Saul Chaplin m. Nellie Casman & Samuel Steinberg
- "Jumpin' At The Woodside" m. Count Basie
- "Just Let Me Look At You" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jerome Kern
- "Love Walked In" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin
- "March Of The Bob Cats" m. The
- "Mister Crosby And Mister Mercer" w. Johnny Mercer m. Ed Gallagher & Al Shean
- "Most Gentlemen Don't Like Love" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Sophie Tucker in the musical Leave It to Me!
- "Music, Maestro, Please" w. Herb Magidson m. Allie Wrubel
- "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Mary Martin in the musical Leave It to Me!. Miss Martin also performed it in the 1946 film Night and Day. Marilyn Monroe sang the song in the 1960 film Let's Make Love.
- "My Heart Is Taking Lessons" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film
- "My Heaven On Earth" w. Charles Tobias m. Phil Baker & Samuel Pokrass. Introduced by in the film
- "My Own" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh from the film
- "My Reverie" w.m. Larry Clinton
- "Nice People" w.m. Nat Mills & Fred Malcolm
- "Nightmare" m. Artie Shaw
- "Now It Can Be Told" w.m. Irving Berlin
- "Oh! Ma-Ma" w. (Eng) Lew Brown & Rudy Vallee m. Paolo Citorello
- "One Day When We Were Young" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Johann Strauss II arr. Tiomkin
- "Paradise In The Moonlight" w.m. Gene Autry & Fred Rose from the film
- "Penny Serenade" w. Hal Halifax m. Melle Weersma
- "Ride, Tenderfoot, Ride" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting
- "Rockin' The Town" w. Ted Koehler m. Johnny Green from the film
- "San Antonio Rose" m. Bob Wills
- "Says My Heart" w. Frank Loesser m. Burton Lane. Introduced by Harriet Hilliard with Harry Owens & his Orchestra in the film
- "Sent For You Yesterday, And Here You Come Today" w.m. Count Basie, Eddie Dunham & Jimmy Rushing
- "September Song" w. Maxwell Anderson m. Kurt Weill
- "Shadows On The Moon" w. Gus Kahn m. Sigmund Romberg from the film The Girl Of The Golden West
- "Sing for Your Supper" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by , Muriel Angelus and in the musical The Boys from Syracuse. Performed in the 1940 film by Martha Raye.
- "Small Fry" w. Frank Loesser m. Hoagy Carmichael
- "Spring Is Here" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Dennis King and Vivienne Segal in the musical I Married an Angel
- "Start Cheering" w. Milton Drake m. Ben Oakland. Introduced by in the film .
- "The Stately Homes Of England" w.m. Noël Coward
- "That Certain Age" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh from the film
- "This Can't Be Love" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
- "This Is My Night To Dream" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
- "Ti-Pi-Tin" w.(Eng) Raymond Leveen (Sp) Maria Grever m. Maria Grever
- "Two Sleepy People" w. Frank Loesser m. Hoagy Carmichael
- "The Umbrella Man" w. James Cavanaugh m. Vincent Rose & Larry Stock
- "Undecided" w. m. Charlie Shavers
- "We're Off To See The Wizard" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
- "When I Strut Away In My Cutaway" w.m. Jimmy Durante from the film
- "Where Are The Songs We Sung?" w.m. Noël Coward
- "Where The Dog Sits On The Tuckerbox" w.m. Jack O'Hagan
- "While A Cigarette Was Burning" w.m. Charles Kenny & Nick Kenny
- "Who Are We To Say? (Obey Your Heart)" w. Gus Kahn m. Sigmund Romberg from the film The Girl Of The Golden West
- "You Couldn't Be Cuter" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jerome Kern
- "You Go To My Head" w. Haven Gillespie m. J. Fred Coots
- "You Leave Me Breathless" w. m. Friedrich Hollaender. Introduced by Fred MacMurray in the film .
- "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harry Warren
- "You're A Sweet Little Headache" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger
- "You're As Pretty As A Picture" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHughfrom the film
Classical music
- Jean Absil - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1
- Alan Bush - Piano Concerto, op. 18, with baritone and male choir in last movement
- Aaron Copland - Billy the Kid (ballet)
- Hanns Eisler - Roman Cantata
- Hamilton Harty - The Children of Lir
- Roy Harris - Symphony No. 3
- Herbert Howells - Hymnus Paradisi
- Janis Ivanovs - Symphony No. 3
- Frank Martin - Sonata da chiesa
- Carl Orff - Carmina Burana
- Walter Piston - Symphony No. 1
- Ernst Toch - Cantata of Bitter Herbs
- Leó Weiner - Divertimento for Strings no 2
Opera
- - Denmark Vesey
- Paul Hindemith - Mathis der Maler
- Dmitri Kabalevsky - Colas Breugnon
- Jeronimas Kacinskas - Nonet
- Ernst Krenek - Karl V
- Douglas Stuart Moore - The Devil and Daniel Webster
Musical theater
- The Boys From Syracuse (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart) - Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on November 23 and ran for 235 performances
- Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre on December 1 and ran for only 20 performances
- Maritza aka Countess Maritza, London production opened at the Palace Theatre on July 6
- Hellzapoppin', Broadway revue opened at the 46th Street Theatre on September 22 and ran for 1404 performances
- I Married An Angel, Broadway production opened at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre on May 11 and ran for 338 performances
- Knickerbocker Holiday, Broadway production opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on October 19 and ran for 168 performances
- Leave It to Me!, Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on November 9 and ran for 291 performances
- , London production opened at the Little Theatre on January 26 and ran for 405 performances
- , London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on March 16
- Right This Way, Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on January 5 and ran for 14 performances
- , Broadway revue opened at the Music Box Theatre on September 24 and ran for 105 performances
- These Foolish Things London revue opened at the Palladium on September 29
- , Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 21 and ran for 78 performances
Musical films
- Carefree starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
- starring Fred MacMurray, Harriet Hilliard, Ben Blue and Eve Arden.
- starring Dick Powell and Priscilla Lane
- starring Bing Crosby, Mary Carlisle and Beatrice Lillie.
- The Girl Of The Golden West starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
- starring Dick Powell, Anita Louise, Allen Jenkins and Ronald Reagan and featuring Louis Armstrong and Maxine Sullivan
- The Great Waltz released November 4 starring Luise Rainer and Miliza Korjus. Oscar Hammerstein II contributed new English lyrics to the music of Johann Strauss II
- starring Sonja Henie, Don Ameche and Ethel Merman and featuring the Raymond Scott Quintet
- starring John Barrymore, George Murphy and Joan Davis
- It's in the Air starring George Formby, and Jack Hobbs. Directed by Anthony Kimmins.
- starring Irene Dunne and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
- Love Finds Andy Hardy starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
- My Lucky Star starring Sonja Henie, Richard Greene, Joan Davis and Art Jarrett
- starring Phil Regan and Penny Singleton
- released February 11 starring , Jack Oakie and Kenny Baker and featuring Jane Froman performing with Hal Kemp's orchestra.
- Sally, Irene and Mary starring Alice Faye, Tony Martin, Fred Allen, Jimmy Durante, Joan Davis and
- Sing You Sinners starring Bing Crosby, Fred MacMurray and Donald O'Connor.
- The Singing Cop starring , , Ivy St Helier and
- released March 3 starring Jimmy Durante, and the Three Stooges.
- Sweethearts starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
- released October 7 starring Deanna Durbin. Songs by (lyrics) Harold Adamson and (music) Jimmy McHugh
- released July 1 starring , Dorothy Lamour, Ray Milland and Martha Raye
- starring Gracie Fields, Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy
Births
- January 6 - Adriano Celentano, singer-songwriter
- January 11 - Narvel Felts, country singer
- January 13 - , composer
- January 14
- January 19
- Phil Everly
- , composer
- January 21 - Wolfman Jack
- January 24 - , saxophonist
- January 25
- Etta James
- Vladimir Vysotsky, singer, songwriter, poet, and actor
- February 6 - , composer
- February 7 - , composer
- February 11 - , composer
- February 16 - John Corigliano, composer
- February 22 - , The Drifters
- March 2
- Lawrence Payton, The Four Tops
- Simon Estes, operatic bass
- March 3 - Douglas Leedy, composer
- March 12 - , composer
- March 13 - Hans-Joachim Hespos and Jean-Claude Risset, composers
- March 18 - Charley Pride
- March 25 - Hoyt Axton
- April 2 - Booker Little, jazz trumpeter and composer
- April 3 - Jeff Barry, songwriter
- April 7
- April 8 - , composer
- April 13 - Frederic Rzewski, composer
- April 19 - Jonathan Tunick, composer
- April 26
- May 4 - Tyrone Davis, singer
- May 10
- Henry Fambrough, The Spinners
- Maxim Shostakovich, conductor
- , composer
- May 13
- , The Monotones
- Lucille Starr, French-Canadian singer
- May 15 - Lenny Welch
- May 26 - Teresa Stratas, soprano
- May 28 - Prince Buster, ska musician
- June 9 - Charles Wuorinen, composer
- June 13 - , opera singer
- June 15 - , composer
- June 20
- Mickie Most, record producer
- , composer
- June 29 - , jazz saxophonist
- July 1 - Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia
- July 4 - Bill Withers
- July 5 - , composer
- July 14 - , The Mello-Kings
- July 17 - , Elephant's Memory Band
- July 28 - George Cummings, Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show
- August 8
- , Regents
- Jacques Hétu, composer
- August 13 - Dave "Baby" Cortez
- August 23 - Roger Greenaway, songwriter
- August 24
- August 28 - Clem Cattini, The Tornados
- September 6 - Joan Tower, composer
- September 11 - , The Monotones
- September 19 - and Yuji Takahashi, composers
- September 21 - Atli Heimir Sveinsson, composer
- September 28 - Ben E. King
- October 3 - Eddie Cochran
- October 5 - , The Belmonts
- October 15 - Marv Johnson
- October 16 - Nico
- October 18 - , The Coasters
- October 24 - , pianist
- November 2 - Jay Black, Jay & The Americans
- November 4 - , Friends Of Distinction
- November 6 - Jim Pike, The Lettermen
- November 6 - P.J. Proby
- November 7 - Dee Clark
- November 14 - Cornelius Gunter, The Flairs, The Coasters
- November 16
- , composer
- Troy Seals, singer, songwriter
- November 17
- Gordon Lightfoot, singer-songwriter
- , composer
- November 19 - Hank Medress, The Tokens
- December 1 - Sandy Nelson
- December 5 - J.J. Cale
- December 10 - Yuri Temirkanov, conductor
- December 12 - Connie Francis
- December 15 - Fela Kuti, Afrobeat pioneer
- December 18 - Chas Chandler
- December 20 - John Harris Harbison, composer
- December 28 - Charles Neville, , The Neville Brothers
- date unknown
-
- Fanta Damba, jalimosolu singer
- Atli Heimir Sveinsson
Deaths
- January 29 - Carl Venth, violinist and composer
- February 21 - , composer
- March 2 - Ben Harney, ragtime composer & entertainer
- March 9 - , composer
- March 12 - Lyda Roberti, actress and singer
- April 5 - Reine Davies, actress and singer
- April 8 - Joe "King" Oliver, jazz trumpeter & band leader
- April 12 - Feodor Chaliapin
- April 18 - Richard Runciman Terry, musicologist
- June 26 - James Weldon Johnson, US songwriter, author, diplomat and educationalist
- July 27 - James Thornton, English-born US songwriter and vaudeville comedian
- August 14 - Landon Ronald, pianist and composer
- August 16 - Robert Johnson, blues man
- August 30 - James Scott, ragtime composer
- September 28 - Con Conrad, songwriter
- October 22 - May Irwin, vaudeville star
- October 27 - Alma Gluck, soprano
- November 21 - Leopold Godowsky, pianist and composer
- December 4 - , pianist and composer
- December 10 - Mario Pilati, composer
- December 14 - , musicologist and composer
- date unknown - Fred Barnes, music hall entertainer
- date unknown - Papa Charlie Jackson, blues musician