Ella Fitzgerald was one of the great singers of the 20th century, a song stylist who could range readily across worlds of jazz, swing, big band, R&B and sophisticated pop, and who set the standards for many artists who followed, as she became a major album seller in the later decades of her career. 

However, she also had a significant number of hits in the pop and R&B market, and in the quarter century from 1936 through to the early 1960s she had over 60 entries in the various US and UK charts, included duets with other artists. 

This 73-track 3-CD collection comprises all her hits from this era, including her No. 1s with “A-Tisket, A Tasket”, “I’m Making Believe”, and “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall”, plus selected other titles from her releases on the Decca and Verve labels during this time.

It features hits with Chick Webb & His Orchestra, the Benny Goodman Orchestra and her own Savoy Eight and Famous Orchestra, and includes her duet hits with the Mills Brothers, Ink Spots, Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and Delta Rhythm Boys. It also includes recordings with Duke Ellington, Leroy Kirkland, Gordon Jenkins and other top bands of the day. 

It showcases her peerless talents as she performs hits across the pop spectrum, reflecting the changing tastes of the era, and it makes for hugely entertaining listening.

Tracks

CD 1
1. ALL MY LIFE Teddy Wilson & His Orch. (Brunswick 7648) 1936 
2. MY MELANCHOLY BABY Teddy Wilson & His Orch. (Brunswick 7729) 1936 
3. SING ME A SWING SONG (AND LET ME DANCE) Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 830) 1936 
4. MR. PAGANINI IF YOU CAN'T SING IT (YOU'LL HAVE TO SWING IT) Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 1032) 1936 
5. GOODNIGHT MY LOVE Benny Goodman Orch. (Victor 25461) 1936 
6. DEDICATED TO YOU Ella Fitzgerald & Mills Brothers (Decca 1148) 1936 
7. BIG BOY BLUE Ella Fitzgerald & Mills Brothers (Decca 1148) 1936 
8. IF YOU SHOULD EVER LEAVE Ella Fitzgerald & Her Savoy Eight (Decca 1302) 1937 
9. ALL OVER NOTHING AT ALL Ella Fitzgerald & Her Savoy Eight (Decca 1339) 1937 
10. ROCK IT FOR ME Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 1586) 1937 
11. I GOT A GUY Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 1681) 1938 
12. A-TISKET, A TASKET Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 1840) 1938 
13. WACKY DUST Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2021) 1938 
14. MACPHERSON IS REHEARSIN' (TO SWING) Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2080) 1938 
15. F.D.R JONES Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2105) 1938 
16. I FOUND MY YELLOW BASKET Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2148) 1938 
17. MY HEART BELONGS TO DADDY Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2309) 1939 
18. T'AIN'T WHAT YOU DO (IT'S THE WAY THAT CHA DO IT) Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2310) 1939 
19. UNDECIDED  Ella Fitzgerald & The Keys (Decca 2323) 1939 
20. CHEW, CHEW, CHEW, CHEW (YOUR BUBBLE GUM) Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2389) 1939 
21. LITTLE WHITE LIES Chick Webb & His Orch. (Decca 2556) 1939 
22. I WANT THE WAITER (WITH THE WATER) Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 2628) 1939 
23. MY WUBBA DOLLY  Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 2816) 1939 
24. THE STARLIT HOUR Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 2988) 1940

CD 2
1. SING SONG SWING Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3026) 1940 
2. IMAGINATION Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3078) 1940 
3. SUGAR BLUES Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3078) 1940 
4. SHAKE DOWN THE STARS Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3199) 1940 
5. FIVE O'CLOCK WHISTLE  Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3420) 1940 
6. LOUISVILLE KY Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3441) 1941 
7. HELLO MA! I DONE IT AGAIN Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3612) 1941 
8. THE MUFFIN MAN Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 3666) 1941 
9. MY HEART AND I DECIDED  Ella Fitzgerald And The Keys (Decca 18530) 1943 
10. COW-COW BOOGIE Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots (Decca 18537) 1944 
11. WHEN MY SUGAR WALKS DOWN THE STREET Ella Fitzgerald & Her Famous Orch. (Decca 18537) 1944 
12. ONCE TOO OFTEN  Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 18605) 1944 
13. I'M MAKING BELIEVE Ella Fitzgerald & Ink Spots (Decca 23356) 1944 
14. INTO EACH LIFE SOME RAIN MUST FALL Ella Fitzgerald & Ink Spots (Decca 23356) 1944 
15. AND HER TEARS FLOWED LIKE WINE Ella Fitzgerald & Johnny Long & His Orch.With the Song Spinners (Decca 18633) 1945 
16. I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT Ella Fitzgerald & Ink Spots (Decca 23399) 1945 
17. IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOON Ella Fitzgerald & Delta Rhythm Boys (Decca 23425) 1945 
18. YOU WON'T BE SATISFIED (UNTIL YOU BREAK MY HEART) Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (Decca 23496) 1946 
19. THE FRIM FRAM SAUCE Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (Decca 23496) 1946 
20. STONE COLD DEAD IN THE MARKET (HE HAD IT COMING) Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (Decca 23546) 1947 
21. PETOOTIE PIE Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (Decca 23546) 1947 
22. I LOVE YOU FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS Ella Fitzgerald & Delta Rhythm Boys (Decca 23670) 1946 
23. GUILTY Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 23844) 1947 
24. THAT'S MY DESIRE Ella Fitzgerald with Andy Love Quintet (Decca 23866) 1947

CD 3
1. MY HAPPINESS Ella Fitzgerald with The Song Spinners (Decca 24446) 1948 
2. TEA LEAVES Ella Fitzgerald with The Song Spinners (Decca 24446) 1948 
3. IT'S TOO SOON TO KNOW With Male Quartet (Decca 24497) 1948 
4. BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (Decca 24644) 1949 
5. I HADN'T ANYONE TILL YOU Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 24900) 1950 
6. I'LL NEVER BE FREE Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (Decca 27200) 1950 
7. T'AIN'T NOBODY'S BUSINESS BUT MY OWN Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (Decca 27200) 1950 
8. CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN (NO, NO, NO) Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (Decca 27209) 1950 
9. DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (Decca 27209) 1950 
10. SMOOTH SAILING Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 27693) 1951 
11. GOODY GOODY Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 28126) 1952 
12. TRYING Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 28375) 1952 
13. WALKIN' BY THE RIVER Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 28433) 1952 
14. CRYING IN THE CHAPEL Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 28762) 1953 
15. MELANCHOLY ME Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 29008) 1954 
16. I NEED Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 29108) 1954 
17. LULLABY OF BIRDLAND Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 29198) 1954 
18. LOVER COME BACK TO ME Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 29580) 1955 
19. BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP Ella Fitzgerald (Verve 2012) 1956 
20. SWINGIN' SHEPHERD BLUES Ella Fitzgerald (HMV POP486) 1958 
21. BUT NOT FOR ME Ella Fitzgerald (Verve 10180) 1959 
22. MACK THE KNIFE Ella Fitzgerald (Verve 10209) 1960 
23. HOW HIGH THE MOON Ella Fitzgerald (Decca 31142) 1960 
24. MR PAGANINI (YOU'VE GOT TO SWING IT) Ella Fitzgerald (Verve 10237) 1961 
25. DESAFINADO (SLIGHTLY OUT OF TUNE) Ella Fitzgerald (Verve 10274) 1962