Chapter 11: Pop Music in the 1940s and 1950s
The Andrews Sisters—Patti, Maxine, and LaVerne—were the most popular and influential female vocal group of the 1940s. They blended tight three-part harmonies, infectious rhythm, and a patriotic flair that made them beloved both at home and abroad during World War II. Drawing from big band swing, boogie woogie, and pop ballads, they became one of the most versatile and enduring acts of the era.
Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, the sisters began performing together as teenagers and eventually moved to New York City, where they launched their national career. Their big break came in 1937 with a recording of “Bei Mir Bist Du Schön,” a Yiddish folk song adapted with English lyrics by Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin. The song became an unexpected smash hit, catapulting the trio to stardom and earning them a contract with Decca Records.
Throughout the 1940s, the Andrews Sisters recorded a string of hit songs that became synonymous with the American wartime experience. Their music, often performed with backing from swing legends like Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Jimmy Dorsey, reflected the rhythms and spirit of the era. Notable hits include:
“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (of Company B)” (1941), one of their most iconic songs, which captured the boogie woogie fever sweeping the nation and became an anthem for American troops
“Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)”
“Rum and Coca-Cola” (1944), a controversial hit that was banned in Boston for referencing alcohol and inadvertently advertising a commercial brand
“Beer Barrel Polka (Roll Out the Barrel)”
“I’ll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time”
Their popularity soared during World War II, when they became the favorite vocal group of the American military. Tireless in their support of the war effort, they performed at USO shows, military bases, and wartime benefits, and regularly appeared on radio programs hosted by stars like Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Their upbeat, danceable songs provided a much-needed morale boost to soldiers stationed overseas and to families back home.
The sisters also appeared in more than a dozen Hollywood films, often cast as cheerful musical acts in wartime comedies and musicals. These performances helped bring their music to broader audiences and reinforced their image as wholesome, patriotic entertainers.
Musically, the Andrews Sisters were known for their precise vocal harmonies, shaped by jazz phrasing and swing rhythms. They frequently used call-and-response structures and synchronized vocal lines to create a sound that was rhythmically vibrant and vocally intricate. Their style laid the foundation for future female vocal groups such as the McGuire Sisters, The Supremes, and The Pointer Sisters, and their influence remains central to the development of close-harmony pop singing.