"42nd Street" is the title

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

from the 1933

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

backstage musical film '' 42nd Street'', with music by

Harry Warren Harry Warren (born Salvatore Antonio Guaragna; December 24, 1893 – September 22, 1981) was an American composer and the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song ...

and lyrics by

Al Dubin Alexander Dubin (June 10, 1891 – February 11, 1945) was an American lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with the composer Harry Warren. Life Al Dubin came from a Russian Jewish family that emigrated to the United States from Swi ...

. The song was published in 1932. It is the finale of the film, where it was sung by

Ruby Keeler Ethel Ruby Keeler (August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was an American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly ''42nd Street (film), 42nd Str ...

, Dick Powell and ensemble. It was used again in 1980 when the film was adapted as a long-running

Broadway musical Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

. In 2004 the song placed #97 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of the top tunes in American cinema.

Cover versions

*Popular recordings in 1933 were by

Don Bestor Don Bestor (September 23, 1889 - January 13, 1970) was an American bandleader, probably best known for directing the orchestra in the early years of ''The Jack Benny Program'' on old-time radio.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrat ...

& His Orchestra (vocal by Dudley Mecum) and by

Hal Kemp James Hal Kemp (March 27, 1904 – December 21, 1940) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. Biography Hal Kemp was born in Marion, Alabama. He formed his first band in high school, and by the a ...

& His Orchestra (vocal by

Skinnay Ennis Edgar Clyde "Skinnay" Ennis Jr. (August 13, 1907 – June 3, 1963) was an American jazz and pop music bandleader and singer. Early years The son of Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Ennis, he was born Edgar Clyde Ennis Jr. in Salisbury, North Carolina, United S ...

). *

The Boswell Sisters The Boswell Sisters were an American close harmony singing trio of the jazz and swing eras, consisting of three sisters: Martha Boswell (June 9, 1905 – July 2, 1958), Connie Boswell (later spelled "Connee", December 3, 1907 – October 11, ...

also recorded the song on April 11, 1933, for Brunswick Records (catalog No. 6545A). * Joseph Robichaux and his New Orleans Rhythm Boys recorded a very hot jazz instrumental version on August 25, 1933. *

Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, '' Billboard'' maga ...

included the song on her album '' Stepping Out'' (1993). *

Mel Torme Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to: Biology * Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL) * National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL People * Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (including ...

– '' Mel Tormé Sings Sunday in New York & Other Songs About New York'' (1964). *

Frankie Vaughan Frankie Vaughan (born Frank Fruim Abelson; 3 February 1928 – 17 September 1999) was an English singer and actor who recorded more than 80 easy listening and traditional pop singles in his lifetime. He was known as "Mr. Moonlight" after his ...

– ''Love Hits and High Kicks'' (1985).

In popular culture

The music inspired the title song to the Indian

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...

language film ''Sabse Bada Rupaiya''. The song "Sabse Bada Rupaiya" would be used again in another Indian "

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

" film '' Bluffmaster'' (2005). The song was used in the 1940 Warner Bros. film ''

City for Conquest ''City for Conquest'' is a 1940 American epic drama film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring James Cagney, Ann Sheridan and Arthur Kennedy. The picture is based on the 1936 novel of the same name by Aben Kandel. The supporting cast features ...

'', starring

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

and Ann Sheridan when it was played at various times throughout the picture. Warner Bros. cartoon musical director Carl Stalling often used the song in cartoons in urban settings. In ''

Daffy Doodles ''Daffy Doodles'' is a 1946 Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoon directed by Bob McKimson. The cartoon was released on April 6, 1946, and stars Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. Daffy is the notorious "moustache fiend", bent on putting a mustache on every ...

'', it is used in a scene involving a

subway train Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...

. The song was used in the

SyFy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...

show '' Warehouse 13'' in the series finale, where the agents of the mysterious warehouse that collects supernaturally charged artifacts are plagued by the effects of the lighted marquee sign from the premiere of ''42nd Street''. The marquee causes people to tap dance involuntarily. The agents are then surrounded by show girls tap dancing as they sing "42nd Street."

References

{{authority control Film theme songs Songs about streets Songs with music by Harry Warren Songs with lyrics by Al Dubin 1932 songs 1930s jazz standards