America’s Hot Top 20 Pop Tunes: 1900-1909

The Nation’s Top Pop Hits: The Early Days

Before the advent of the record charts, and when popular music was just getting under way in the U.SA., there simply were no weekly recording pop charts.

But the web site “Musicvf” has now compiled information from both the U.S. and U.K. in order to provide early recording rankings.

1900 Top 20 Popular Songs Listing

Listing the most likely most popular rendition of the song either on cylinder – quite common for 1900 – and sometime on disk. In one instance no known recordings – only stage performances.

Number 1 – When You Were Sweet Sixteen – Jere Mahoney – Edison 7410 (cylinder)

Number 2 – The Blue and Gray – Byron Harlan – Edison 7433 (cylinder)

Number 3 – I Can’t Tell Why I Love You But I Do – Harry Macdonough – Edison 7595 (cylinder)

Number 4 – For Old Times Sake – Jere Mahoney – Edison 7680 (cylinder)

Number 5 – A Bird In A Gilded Cage – Stever Porter – Columbia 4608 (cylinder)

Number 6 – When the Harvest Days Are Over – Byron Harlan – Edison 7670 (cylinder)

Number 7 – The Fatal Rose Of of Red – Joe Natus – Victrola 683 (disk)

Number 8 – Always – Harry Macdonugh – Edison 7302 (cylinder)

Number 9 – Just Because She Made Dem Goo Goo Eyes – Arthur Collins – Columbia 31441 (cylinder)

Number 10 – Strike Up the Band, Here Comes a Soldier – Dan Quinn – Gramophone 9 (disk)

Number 11 – Ma Tiger Lily – Len Spencer – Columbia 7502 (cylinder)

Number 12 – You Tell Me Your Dream – Vess Ossman – Berliner 1099 (disk)

Number 13 – The Bridge of Sighs – James Thornton – (stage performance)

Number 14 – Doan Ye Cry Ma Honey – Sam Dudley – Edison 7459 (cylinder)

Number 15 – Wait – Frank Stanley – Edison 7689 (cylinder)

Number 16 – Lam Lam Lam – Arthur Collins – Columbia 31441 (cylinder)

Number 17 – Sing Me A Song Of the South – Harry Macdonough – Edison 7242 (cylinder)

Number 18 – The Mosquito’s Parade – Sousa’s Band – Berliner 1199 (disk)

Number 19 – Koonville Koonlets – The Metropolitan Orchestra – Gramophone 259 (disk)

Number 20 – My Heart’s Tonight In Texas – Gilmore’s Band – Columbia 27507 (cylinder)

1901 TOP 20 POPULAR SONGS LISTING

Listing the most likely most popular rendition of the song either on cylinder – quite common for 1901 – and sometime on disk. In one instance no known recordings – only stage performances.

NUMBER 1 – GOODBYE, DOLLY GRAY – THE BIG FOUR QUARTET – EDISON CYLINDER 7728

NUMBER 2 – HELLO CENTRAL GIVE ME HEAVEN – BYRON HARLAN – EDISON CYLINDER 7852

NUMBER 3 – GOOD MORNING CARRIE – DAN QUINN – VICTOR DISK 920

NUMBER 4 – COON! COON! COON! – ARTHUR COLLINS & JOE NATUS – EDISON CYLINDER 7750

Another example of the state of songs taken from minstrel shows at the turn of the century….

Natus

NUMBER 5 – I’VE A LONGING IN MY HEART FOR YOU LOUISE – JOE NATUS – EDISON CYLINDER 7871

NUMBER 6 – I’LL BE WITH YOU WHEN THE ROSES BLOOM AGAIN – HARRY MACDONOUGH – VICTOR DISK 1092

NUMBER 7 – ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROWN FONDER – HARRY MACDONOUGH – EDISON CYLINDER 7870

NUMBER 8 – THE HONEYSUCKLE AND THE BEE – ARTHUR COLLINS – COLUMBIA CYLINDER 31646

NUMBER 9 – MA BLUSHIN’ ROSIE – ARTHUR COLLINS – COLUMBIA CYLINDER 31510

NUMBER 10 – TELL ME, PRETTY MAID – THE FLORADORA GIRLS – COLUMBIA CYLINDER 31604

THIS RECORDING WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT ORIGINAL CAST MEMBERS RECORDED A SONG FROM THE PLAY

NUMBER 11 – SWEET ANNIE MOORE – HARRY MACDONOUGH – VICTOR DISK 775

NUMBER 12 – MR. VOLUNTEER – JOE NATUS – VICTOR DISK 1115

NUMBER 13 – AIN’T DAT A SHAME – DAN QUINN – VICTOR DISK 923

NUMBER 14 – GO ‘WAY BACK & SIT DOWN – DAN QUINN – VICTOR DISK 919

NUMBER 15 – COON UP A TREE – GUSTAV SCHMULL – LIVE STAGE PERFORMANCE

Offensive to say the least my today’s standards! Many black musicians from the early days would actually apply black face when performing such as did Bert Williams (listed in the number 16 song).

NUMBER 16 – MY CASTLE ON THE NILE – BERT WILLIAMS & GEORGE WALKER – VICTOR DISK 991

NUMBER 17 – BOOLA BOOLA (YALE BODA) – THE HAYDN QUARTET – VICTOR DISK 1068

NUMBER 18 – THE TALE OF THE KANGAROO – SAM DUDLEY – GRAMOPHONE DISK 64

NUMBER 19 – MY LITTLE ZULU BABE – ARTHUR COLLINS – COLUMBIA CYLINDER 31322

NUMBER 20 – ANY OLD PLACE I CAN HANG MY HAT IS HOME SWEET HOME TO ME – WILL F. DENNY – EDISON CYLINDER 7901