1947 in music


This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1947.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

Top popular records of 1947

Before the Hot100 was implemented in 1958, Billboard magazine measured a record's performance in the United States with three charts, 'Best-Selling Popular Retail Records', 'Records Most-Played On the Air' or 'Records Most Played By Disk Jockeys' and 'Most-Played Juke Box Records'. The following rankings are supplemented with reliable data from the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 and other sources as specified.
RankArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart positions
1Francis Craig and His Orchestra"Near You"Bullet 1001US Billboard 1947 no. 1, US no. 1 for 17 weeks, 25 total weeks, 657 points, sold 2.5 million
2Ted Weems and His Orchestra"Heartaches"Decca 25017US Billboard 1947 no. 2, US no. 1 for 13 weeks, 20 total weeks, 643 points
3Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra"Ballerina"RCA Victor 20-2433US Billboard 1947 no. 3, US no. 1 for 10 weeks, 22 total weeks, 589 points
4The Harmonicats"Peg o' My Heart"Vitacoustic 1US Billboard 1947 no. 4, US no. 1 for 8 weeks, 26 total weeks, 452 points
5Buddy Clark "Linda"Columbia 37215US Billboard 1947 no. 5, US no. 1 for 2 weeks, 23 total weeks, 381 points, CashBox no. 4
6Tex Williams and The Western Caravan"Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)"Capitol 40001US Billboard 1947 no. 6, US no. 1 for 6 weeks, 23 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1947 no. 3, USHB no. 1 for 16 weeks, 23 total weeks, 358 points
7The Three Suns"Peg O' My Heart"RCA Victor 20-2272US Billboard 1947 no. 7, US no. 1 for 4 weeks, 19 total weeks, 326 points
8Arthur Godfrey"Too Fat Polka (I Don't Want Her-You Can Have Her-She's Too Fat For Me)"Columbia 37921US Billboard 1947 no. 8, US no. 2 for 8 weeks, 18 total weeks, 320 points
9Perry Como "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now"Decca 25078US Billboard 1947 no. 9, US no. 1 for 1 weeks, 17 total weeks, 283 points
10Freddy Martin and His Orchestra"Managua, Nicaragua"RCA Victor 20-2026US Billboard 1947 no. 10, US no. 1 for 3 weeks, 13 total weeks, 239 points, CashBox no. 4
11Eddy Howard and His Orchestra"I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder"Majestic 1124US Billboard 1947 no. 11, US no. 2 for 4 weeks, 19 total weeks, 237 points, CashBox no. 4
12Hoagy Carmichael"Huggin' and Chalkin'"Decca 23675US Billboard 1947 no. 12, US no. 1 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks, 218 points, CashBox no. 3, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, 1,000,000 sales
13Art Lund"Mam'selle"MGM 10011US Billboard 1947 no. 13, US no. 1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 216 points
14Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra"I Wish I Didn't Love You So"RCA Victor 20-2294US Billboard 1947 no. 14, US no. 2 for 5 weeks, 15 total weeks, 202 points
15Jack Owens"How Soon "Tower 1258US Billboard 1947 no. 15, US no. 2 for 1 weeks, 20 total weeks, 201 points
16Eddy Howard and His Orchestra"My Adobe Hacienda"Majestic 1117US Billboard 1947 no. 16, US no. 2 for 5 weeks, 15 total weeks, 193 points, CashBox no. 4
17Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra "That's My Desire"RCA Victor 20-2251US Billboard 1947 no. 17, US no. 2 for 1 weeks, 22 total weeks, 193 points
18Red Ingle and The Natural Seven vocal by Cinderella G Stump"Temptation "Capitol 412US Billboard 1947 no. 18, US no. 1 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1947 no. 7, USHB no. 2 for 11 weeks, 18 total weeks, 190 points
19Perry Como"When You Were Sweet Sixteen"RCA Victor 20-2259US Billboard 1947 no. 19, US no. 2 for 1 weeks, 19 total weeks, 183 points
20Buddy Clark "Peg O' My Heart"Columbia 37392US Billboard 1947 no. 20, US no. 1 for 6 weeks, 15 total weeks, 165 points
21Perry Como"Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)"RCA Victor 20-2259US Billboard 1947 no. 21, US no. 1 for 3 weeks, 13 total weeks, 160 points
22Dinah Shore"Anniversary Song"Columbia 37234US Billboard 1947 no. 22, US no. 1 for 2 weeks, 12 total weeks, 158 points

Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records

The following songs appeared in The Billboard's Most-Played Juke Box Race Records chart, starting November 1946 through November 1947. Each week ten points were awarded to the number one record, then four points for number two, three points for number three, and so on. This system rewards songs that reach the highest positions, as well as those that had the longest chart runs. Also see Billboard Most-Played Race Records of 1947.
RankArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart positions
1Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five"Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens"Decca 23741US Billboard 1947 no. 88, US pop charts no. 6 for 1 week, 6 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 1, Race Records chart no. 1 for 17 weeks, 27 total weeks, 199 points
2Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five"Boogie Woogie Blue Plate"Decca 24104US Billboard 1947 no. 205, US pop charts no. 21 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 2, Race Records chart no. 1 for 14 weeks, 25 total weeks, 168 points
3Julia Lee and Her Boy Friends"(Opportunity Knocks But Once) Snatch and Grab It"Capitol Americano 40028US Billboard 1947 no. 287, US pop charts no. 24 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 3, Race Records chart no. 1 for 12 weeks, 28 total weeks, 168 pointsselling over 500,000 copies
4Savannah Churchill and the Sentimentalists "I Want to Be Loved (But Only by You)"Manor 1046US Billboard 1947 no. 236, US pop charts no. 21 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 4, Race Records chart no. 1 for 8 weeks, 25 total weeks, 127 points
5Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five"Jack, You're Dead"Decca 23901US Billboard 1947 no. 200, US pop charts no. 21 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 5, US no. 1 for 7 weeks, 20 total weeks, 108 points
6Eddie Vinson and His Orchestra"Old Maid Boogie"Mercury 8028US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 6, US no. 1 for 2 weeks, 23 total weeks, 79 points
7Nellie Lutcher and Her Rhythm"He's a Real Gone Guy"Capitol Americano 40017US Billboard 1947 no. 160, US pop charts no. 15 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 7, Race Records chart no. 2 for 3 weeks, 23 total weeks, 53 points
8Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five"Let The Good Times Roll"Decca 23741US Billboard 1947 no. 88, US pop charts no. 6 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 8, US no. 2 for 4 weeks, 23 total weeks, 52 points
9Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five"Texas and Pacific"Decca 23810US Billboard 1947 no. 197, US pop charts no. 20 for 1 week, 3 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 9, US no. 1 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks, 49 points
10Nellie Lutcher and Her Rhythm"Hurry on Down"Capitol Americano 40002US Billboard 1947 no. 196, US pop charts no. 20 for 1 week, 5 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 10, Race Records chart no. 2 for 3 weeks, 18 total weeks, 39 points
11Johnny Moore's Three Blazers "New Orleans Blues"Exclusive 240US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 11, US no. 2 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 32 points
12Lionel Hampton and His Hamptonians"I Want to Be Loved "Decca 23879US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 12, US no. 2 for 1 weeks, 11 total weeks, 25 points
13Mills Brothers"Across the Alley from the Alamo"Decca 23863US Billboard 1947 no. 30, US pop charts no. 2 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 13, Race Records chart no. 2 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, 24 points
14Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five"Open the Door, Richard!"Decca 23841US Billboard 1947 no. 66, US pop charts no. 6 for 1 week, 4 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 14, Race Records chart no. 2 for 4 weeks, 6 total weeks, 21 points
15Frankie Laine and Mannie Klein's All Stars"That's My Desire"Mercury 5007US Billboard 1947 no. 44, US pop charts no. 4 for 1 week, 26 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 15, Race Records chart no. 3 for 2 weeks, 11 total weeks, 20 points
16Jack McVea and His All-Stars"Open The Door, Richard!"Black & White 792US Billboard 1947 no. 64, US pop charts no. 3 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 16, Race Records chart no. 2 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks, 19 points
17Dusty Fletcher"Open The Door, Richard "National 4012US Billboard 1947 no. 50, US pop charts no. 3 for 1 week, 7 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 17, Race Records chart no. 2 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks, 19 points
18Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five"Early In The Mornin''"Decca 24155US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 18, Race Records chart no. 3 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks, 19 points
19Erskine Hawkins"Hawk's Boogie"RCA Victor 20-2169US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 19, Race Records chart no. 2 for 1 week, 8 total weeks, 18 points
20Annie Laurie with Paul Gayten Trio"Since I Fell for You"DeLuxe 1082US Billboard 1947 no. 198, US pop charts no. 20 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 20, Race Records chart no. 3 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks, 18 points
21Count Basie and His Orchestra"Open The Door, Richard!"RCA Victor 20-2127US Billboard 1947 no. 29, US pop charts no. 1 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, US Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Race Records 1947 no. 21, Race Records chart no. 2 for 1 weeks, 6 total weeks, 15 points

Published popular music

Classical music

Compositions

Opera

Film

Musical theater

Allegro Broadway production Angel in the Wings Broadway production Annie Get Your Gun – London production opened at the Coliseum on June 7 and ran for 1304 performances Barefoot Boy with Cheek Broadway production Bless the Bride – London production opened at the Adelphi Theatre on April 26 and ran for 886 performances. Starring Georges Guétary, Lizbeth Webb, Anona Winn and Brian Reece. Features "I Was Never Kissed Before", "Ma Belle Marguerite" and "This Is My Lovely Day" Bonanza Bound Philadelphia production Brigadoon – Broadway production Finian's Rainbow

Musical films

Carnival in Costa RicaCon la música por dentro, starring Germán Valdés, Marcelo Chávez and Marga LópezCopacabanaDon't Give Up, starring Nils Poppe and Annalisa Ericson Down to EarthEtoile Sans Lumiere The Fabulous DorseysFiestaFun and Fancy Free animated film includes Bongo and Mickey And The BeanstalkGolden EarringsGood NewsI Wonder Who's Kissing Her NowI'll Be Yours starring Deanna Durbin, Tom Drake, William Bendix and Adolphe Menjou. Directed by William A. Seiter.It Happened in Brooklyn starring Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Kathryn Grayson and Jimmy Durante. Directed by Richard Whorf.Ladies' ManLinda Be Good starring Elyse Knox, Marie Wilson and John Hubbard. Directed by Frank McDonald. Directed by Frank McDonald.Little Miss Broadway starring Jean Porter, John Shelton and Ruth Donnelly. Directed by Arthur Dreifuss.Living in a Big Way starring Gene KellyMother Wore Tights starring Betty Grable and Dan DaileyMy Favorite BrunetteMy Wild Irish RoseNew OrleansNight SongNora PrentissNorthwest OutpostThe Perils of PaulineThe Road to RioThe Secret Life of Walter MittyShadiyat al-Wadi, starring Layla MuradThe Shocking Miss Pilgrim released January 4 starring Betty Grable and Dick HaymesSomething in the WindSong of ScheherazadeStar Without LightThis Time for KeepsThe Trouble with WomenThe Unfinished DanceVariety Girl
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Births

Deaths