My Favorite Songs of the 1940s - Part 3 Quiz

Answer: Star

Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke wrote "Swinging on a Star" in 1944. Bing Crosby introduced the song in the 1944 movie, "Going My Way," and it won an Oscar for Best Original Song.

Since Crosby first sang it it has been recorded by many artists including Frank Sinatra, Big Dee Irwin, Peggy Lee, and Doris Day.

Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello also sang it in the 1991 movie "Hudson Hawk". Susan Robinson (played by Loretta Long) on "Sesame Street" sang it in the first season of the show.

Answer: This Land is Your Land

Woody Guthrie wrote "This Land Is Your Land" in response to Irving Berlin's song, "God Bless America" being played ad nauseam. After hearing Kate Smith sing the Berlin song on the radio one too many times, he wrote his song and called it "God Blessed America for Me." Then he thought about it and called it "This Land is Your Land."

In 2025, Rolling Stone named it the 11th greatest protest song ever.

Since then the song has been recorded by many artists, including Pete Seger; Peter, Paul, and Mary; Johnny Logan, and Raffi.

Answer: heartstrings

Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin wrote "The Trolley Song" in 1944. It was first sung by Judy Garland (as Esther), (with the others who were on the trolley at the time) in the movie musical "Meet Me In St. Louis." Arthur Freed (producer of the film) wanted a song about a trolley that also served as a love song because Esther is on a trolley, and is in love with John Truitt (her next-door neighbor, played by Tom Drake).

The song was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song but lost to "Swinging on a Star." The AFI ranked it as number 26 in the "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" list.

Other musicians such as the Pied Pipers, Renee Zellweger, Carol Burnett, and Julie Andrews have performed and/or recorded it.

Answer: Sing, Neighbor, Sing

Scotty Wiseman wrote "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" in 1944 for the movie "Sing, Neighbor, Sing." Lulu Belle and Scotty first performed it, and the song became one of their greatest hits. It was also the first country song to become popular in the pop music genre. They sang the song in the movie but did not record it until 1947, so the first recording was done in 1945 by Gene Autry.

Since then it has been recorded by other singers including Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Eddie Cochran, and Sissy Spacek.

Answer: Carousel

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote "If I Loved You" for their 1945 Broadway musical "Carousel." It was first sung by Jay Clayton (who played Julie Jordan), and John Raitt (who played Billy Bigelow). The couple who have just met, and cannot say they are in love, even though they are. Instead, they talk about what it would be like if they were in love.

Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae sang it in the 1956 movie version.

Since it came out many others have recorded the song including Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Harry James.

Answer: becoming a father

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote "Soliloquy" for the 1945 Broadway musical, "Carousel." John Raitt first performed it. A soliloquy is when a character speaks out loud (or in this case sings) his thoughts; other characters may be around, but it's as if they are not there as they do not respond.

Billy Bigelow lost his job as a barker on the Carousel after he and Julie Jordan married. Julie tells him that she is pregnant. Up to this point, Billy did not care that he lost his job, he was mean to Julie and lived off her and her family. Now he is thinking about his son, and what it will be like to be a father. About halfway through the song (which is over seven minutes long), he realizes he might have a daughter. He is scared at the idea, but then likes the idea of a daughter but decides "You can have fun with a son, but you have to be a father to a girl." He resolves he will do whatever it takes to get money to raise her: "I'll go out and make it, or steal it, or take it, or die!"

In the 1956 movie, Gordon MacRae sang the song.

Since Raitt first sang it many artists have recorded the song including Frank Sinatra, Robert Goulet, Sammy Davis, Jr, and Mandy Patinkin.

Answer: Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin wrote the song "Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)" for the Broadway musical "Annie Get Your Gun." The song was first sung by Ethel Merman (as Annie Oakley) and Ray Middleton (as Frank Butler).

Israel Isidore Beilin was born in Imperial Russia on May 11, 1888. Before his death at 101 in 1989 he wrote more than 1,500 songs. Some of these include the rest of the songs from "Annie Get Your Gun," "White Christmas," "Easter Parade," and "Puttin' On the Ritz."

Answer: what comes natur'lly

Irving Berlin wrote "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly" for the 1946 Broadway musical "Annie Get Your Gun." It was first sung by Ethel Merman who played Annie Oakley. In the show, Annie explains to a man that the people around there are dumb, but they get by "doin' what comes natur'lly."

Since then many others have recorded the number including Judy Garland, Suzi Quatro, Bernadette Peters, and Dinah Shore.

Answer: Finian's Rainbow

In 1946, Burton Lane and E.Y. Harbug wrote, "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" for the 1947 Broadway musical "Finian's Rainbow." It was first sung by Ella Logan who played Sharon in the show. Glocca Morra was a fictional town in Ireland.

In the 1968 movie version the song was played by Petula Clark (as Sharon).

Since 1946, many artists have recorded the song including Barbra Streisand, Julie Andrews, The Irish Tenors, and Bing Crosby.

Answer: the moon

Irving Berlin wrote "I Got the Sun in the Mornin' (and the Moon at Night)" for the 1946 musical "Annie Get Your Gun." It was first sung by Ethel Merman as Annie Oakley.

In the 1950 movie version, Betty Hutton sings the song.

Since then many others have recorded it as well, including Bernadette Peters, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, and June Cristy with the Stan Kenton Orchestra.

In a 1991 episode of the TV series "Cheers" called "Unplanned Parenthood," Carla Tortelli plays the song on the jukebox at the bar and dances and sings to it, until someone else comes in then she quickly turns it off and goes back to the Carla everyone knows who is unfriendly.