Top Ten Lists2

Top Ten List

This list is newly expanded!

There will be several lists here. With all the new CD's out there, there are more songs to choose from and I am sure that I will revise the list as time goes on. All of the songs included here are from original (old and scratchy) 78's! They represent a very small sampling of Annette's work. The new CD's coming out from Sensation Records will encompass all of her recorded work. It is very important for every Annette fan to realize that if these new CD's coming don't sell well that Sensation will not produce any more. It takes money to produce these CD's!

When I first started this web site several years ago, I thought it was important to expose the listener to some of Annette's work but with the increased exposure on Rich Conaty's show and Al Barnes show this top ten list is not quite as important. Therefore in the future I will concentrate on analyzing the lyrics and the different nuances of each song such who recorded it and the exposure that each song received in the media and the movie industry. As this site matures, I want it to complement the new CD's releases not compete with them. I have a lot of ideas for new top ten lists that I will eventually include.

The most popular songs of Annette's time are not necessarily the songs that hold up best through time. The first list will be what I consider the best top fifteen songs Annette recorded with an explanation why. Criteria used will be Song writing, vocal delivery, musician solos and overall delivery. The next list will be that as provided by Joel Whitburns "Pop Charts" with chart and date. Other categories to be included soon will be Top Ten worst recorded songs that Annette recorded (by her own admission). She herself hated the Hawaiian songs. Imagine a 25 year young woman singing about the romance of the South Seas! She hadn't even been out of New York and she was singing about Hawaii and the South Pacific! More information about the recordings that she hated herself will be included eventually in the "The Entertainers" interview that includes the interview with Brian Rust.

I encourage other collectors to send me in their top ten lists. I will post them as I receive them.

Position-Title Personnel Recording Date

#1 "We Just Couldn't Say Good-bye" We just couldn't say Goodbye. This little song just has to be the number one song that Annette recorded as it has all the right personnel. The song title says it all. We couldn't say good-bye to Annette. On top of this she recorded this as her only video. You can actually see her perform the song! It is rather like her theme song. "We thought that love was over, but we just couldn't say good-bye." August 16,1932

#2 "The One in the World" Can you say tape rewind! I can never get enough of this trumpet playing! However, the guitar work and the whole ensemble is superb. Listen to the violin that shadows her singing. Would love to hear the violin solo by itself. However, the lyrics and Annette's strong rendering of this song make it unbeatable. May 9,1929

#3 "That's you, baby" Hit the deck running! This song starts out fast and never stops. April 5,1929

#4 "I've got a feeling I'm Falling" Good trumpet start and no nonsense song. Listen for violin background. Trumpet solos are superb. Good guitar with strong support. "Show me the ring and boy will I take from you!" Definitely not my wife! May 9,1929

#5 "I have to have you" Fast paced song. "I have to new thrills, I have to have you." Good love song. Love the clarinet solo two thirds into the song. Musicians are having fun on this song. November 27,1929

#6 "Ho Hum!" She goes through the whole year in this song. I picked this one for the incredible guitar support from Eddie Lang. Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet is just as good. And guess what, here is a song that she doesn't say that's all, she says "Oh, dear!" May 9,1931

#7 "Happy Days are here again" I just love happy songs! You can just see Annette smiling as she sings this song. And this second chorus includes a barbershop quartet. What more could you ask for in a song! February 11,1929

#8 "You Wouldn't Fool Me?" Innocent and playlful. Lots of fun on this one. Watch the song change in the second chorus. Annette slips into one of her "baby voices" and does a fine mimic of Helen Kane. Lots of scat singing and ad libs in the second chorus.
Inventive lyrics and strong solos. Ben Selvin on violin and Rube Bloom on piano. March 15, 1929

#9 "Pagan Love Song" I have loved this song ever since I heard Ramon Navorro sing it in "The Pagan". It is the haunting love that comes from longing for another. It it more appropriately called a romantic ballad, rather than the bouncy novelty number she is used to singing. And it has quite a long instrumental introduction for an Annette Hanshaw record. Just imagine watching the sunset in Papette and listening to Annette sing this song on the quay! June 4,1929

#10 "Tip toe through the tulips" A slightly different song for Annette with strong guitar support. Strong violin solo two thirds with alternating trumpet and piano support. September 20,1929

Top Five List

from Joel Whitburns, "Pop Memories" (1890-1954)

The following charts are from the following sources: Billboard Magazine,Talking Machine World (through 1929),Sheet music sales and ASCAP.

Song Title Label Recording Date

#1 For Old Times Sake Harmony 666 November 10,1928

#2 In a Great Big Way Harmony 832 June 18,1929

#3 Big City Blues Columbia 1812-from the film "Fox Movietone Follies of 1929" August 3,1929

#4 Am I Blue Harmony 940-from the film "On with the Show" Nobember 15,1930

#5 Body and Soul Harmony 1224-from the Broadway Musical "Three's a Crowd" Nobember 15,1930

Position-Title	Personnel	Recording Date
#1 "We Just Couldn't Say Good-bye"	We just couldn't say Goodbye. This little song just has to be the number one song that Annette recorded as it has all the right personnel. The song title says it all. We couldn't say good-bye to Annette. On top of this she recorded this as her only video. You can actually see her perform the song! It is rather like her theme song. "We thought that love was over, but we just couldn't say good-bye."	August 16,1932
#2 "The One in the World"	Can you say tape rewind! I can never get enough of this trumpet playing! However, the guitar work and the whole ensemble is superb. Listen to the violin that shadows her singing. Would love to hear the violin solo by itself. However, the lyrics and Annette's strong rendering of this song make it unbeatable.	May 9,1929
#3 "That's you, baby"	Hit the deck running! This song starts out fast and never stops.	April 5,1929
#4 "I've got a feeling I'm Falling"	Good trumpet start and no nonsense song. Listen for violin background. Trumpet solos are superb. Good guitar with strong support. "Show me the ring and boy will I take from you!" Definitely not my wife!	May 9,1929
#5 "I have to have you"	Fast paced song. "I have to new thrills, I have to have you." Good love song. Love the clarinet solo two thirds into the song. Musicians are having fun on this song.	November 27,1929
#6 "Ho Hum!"	She goes through the whole year in this song. I picked this one for the incredible guitar support from Eddie Lang. Jimmy Dorsey on clarinet is just as good. And guess what, here is a song that she doesn't say that's all, she says "Oh, dear!"	May 9,1931
#7 "Happy Days are here again"	I just love happy songs! You can just see Annette smiling as she sings this song. And this second chorus includes a barbershop quartet. What more could you ask for in a song!	February 11,1929
#8 "You Wouldn't Fool Me?"	Innocent and playlful. Lots of fun on this one. Watch the song change in the second chorus. Annette slips into one of her "baby voices" and does a fine mimic of Helen Kane. Lots of scat singing and ad libs in the second chorus. Inventive lyrics and strong solos. Ben Selvin on violin and Rube Bloom on piano.	March 15, 1929
#9 "Pagan Love Song"	I have loved this song ever since I heard Ramon Navorro sing it in "The Pagan". It is the haunting love that comes from longing for another. It it more appropriately called a romantic ballad, rather than the bouncy novelty number she is used to singing. And it has quite a long instrumental introduction for an Annette Hanshaw record. Just imagine watching the sunset in Papette and listening to Annette sing this song on the quay!	June 4,1929
#10 "Tip toe through the tulips"	A slightly different song for Annette with strong guitar support. Strong violin solo two thirds with alternating trumpet and piano support.	September 20,1929

Song Title	Label	Recording Date
#1 For Old Times Sake	Harmony 666	November 10,1928
#2 In a Great Big Way	Harmony 832	June 18,1929
#3 Big City Blues	Columbia 1812-from the film "Fox Movietone Follies of 1929"	August 3,1929
#4 Am I Blue	Harmony 940-from the film "On with the Show"	Nobember 15,1930
#5 Body and Soul	Harmony 1224-from the Broadway Musical "Three's a Crowd"	Nobember 15,1930