The Capitol label was founded in Hollywood in 1942 by songwriter and singer Johnny Mercer, songwriter and movie impresario Buddy DeSylva and record store owner Glenn Wallichs. Within a few years it had become a major force in the US and subsequently the world market, rivalling the long-established major companies of RCA-Victor, Columbia and Decca. In 1955, it was bought by EMI to become its US arm and form part of a global music empire, with the legendary Capitol Tower at Hollywood & Vine opening the following year. It achieved that status by having a continuous run of hits through the ‘40s, and establishing major artists, as well as building a presence in the country market. 

This collection brings together 101 of those hits, all of them Top 10 entries in Billboard, with 24 different artists represented, among them Nat King Cole, Jo Stafford, Stan Kenton, Peggy Lee, Margaret Whiting, Andy Russell, Martha Tilton, Alvino Rey, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Johnny Mercer himself. 

It tells a story of a business triumph but also captures the essence of the US chart music of the era, with R&B, swing, jazz and country alongside down-the-middle pop. It makes for a hugely entertaining slice of pop music history.

CD 1
1. COW COW BOOGIE Freddie Slack & His Orch. (Capitol 102) 1942 
2. STRIP POLKA Johnny Mercer (Capitol 103) 1942 
3. MR. FIVE BY FIVE Freddie Slack & His Orch. (Capitol 115) 1942 
4. SHOO SHOO BABY Ella Mae Morse (Capitol 143) 1943 
5. NO LOVE, NO NOTHIN' Ella Mae Morse (Capitol 143) 1944 
6. DO NOTHIN TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME Stan Kenton And His Orchestra  (Capitol 145) 1944 
7. MAIRZY DOATES The Pied Pipers (Capitol 148) 1944 
8. BESAME MUCHO  Andy Russell  (Capitol 149) 1944 
9. MILKMAN, KEEP THOSE BOTTLES QUIET Ella Mae Morse (Capitol 151) 1944 
10. I LOVE YOU Jo Stafford (Capitol 153) 1944 
11. LONG AGO (AND FAR AWAY) Jo Stafford (Capitol 153) 1944 
12. STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT  The King Cole Trio (Capitol 154) 1944 
13. IT HAD TO BE YOU Betty Hutton (Capitol 155) 1944 
14. HIS ROCKING HORSE RAN AWAY Betty Hutton (Capitol 155) 1944 
15. AMOR Andy Russell  (Capitol 156) 1944 
16. I'LL WALK ALONE Martha Tilton (Capitol 157) 1944 
17. IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU Jo Stafford (Capitol 158) 1944 
18. THE PATTY CAKE MAN Ella Mae Morse (Capitol 163) 1944 
19. AND HER TEARS FLOWED LIKE WINE Stan Kenton And His Orchestra  (Capitol 166) 1944 
20. HOW MANY HEARTS HAVE YOU BROKEN Stan Kenton And His Orchestra  ( 166) 1944 
21. THE TROLLEY SONG  Jo Stafford  (Capitol 168) 1944 
22. I DREAM OF YOU (MORE THAN YOU DREAM I DO) Andy Russell (Capitol 175) 1944 
23. ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE Johnny Mercer (Capitol 180) 1945 
24. THERE GOES THAT SONG AGAIN Billy Butterfield (Capitol 182) 1945 
25. CANDY Johnny Mercer & Jo Stafford (Capitol 183) 1945

CD 2  
1. I SHOULD CARE Martha Tilton (Capitol 184) 1945 
2. DREAM The Pied Pipers (Capitol 185) 1945 
3. STUFF LIKE THAT THERE Betty Hutton (Capitol 188) 1945 
4. THERE'S NO YOU Jo Stafford (Capitol 191) 1945 
5. OUT OF THIS WORLD Jo Stafford (Capitol 191) 1945 
6. TAMPICO Stan Kenton And His Orchestra  (Capitol 202) 1945 
7. THAT'S FOR ME Jo Stafford (Capitol 213) 1945 
8. WAITIN' FOR THE TRAIN TO COME IN Peggy Lee  (Capitol 218) 1945 
9. IT'S BEEN A LONG LONG TIME Stan Kenton (Capitol 219) 1945 
10. DOCTOR, LAWYER, INDIAN CHIEF Betty Hutton (Capitol 220) 1945 
11. I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU Andy Russell  (Capitol 221) 1945 
12. SYMPHONY Jo Stafford (Capitol 227) 1945 
13. DAY BY DAY Jo Stafford (Capitol 227) 1946 
14. PERSONALITY Johnny Mercer/Pied Pipers  (Capitol 230) 1946 
15. SHOO FLY PIE AND APPLE PAN DOWDY Stan Kenton And His Orchestra  (Capitol 235) 1946 
16. I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT YOU Peggy Lee  (Capitol 236) 1946 
17. IN THE MOON MIST The Pied Pipers (Capitol 243) 1946 
18. CEMENT MIXER (PUT-TI) Alvino Rey (Capitol 248) 1946 
19. THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHTS Freddie Slack With  Ella Mae Morse And Don Raye (Capitol 251) 1946 
20. LAUGHING ON THE OUTSIDE (CRYING ON THE INSIDE) Andy Russell  (Capitol 252) 1946 
21. OLE BUTTERMILK SKY Paul Weston Orch. (Capitol 255) 1946 
22. FIVE MINUTES MORE Skitch Henderson (Capitol 257) 1946 
23. THE OLD LAMPLIGHTER Hal Derwin (Capitol 258) 1946 
24. DINAH Sam Donahue & His Orchestra (Capitol 260) 1946
25. PRETENDING Andy Russell (Capitol 271) 1946

CD 3
1. YOU CALL IT MADNESS The King Cole Trio (Capitol 274) 1946 
2. JUST THE OTHER DAY Sam Donahue Orch. (Capitol 275) 1946 
3. RUMORS ARE FLYING Billy Butterfield (Capitol 282) 1946 
4. IT'S ALL OVER NOW Peggy Lee (Capitol 292) 1946 
5. THE THINGS WE DID LAST SUMMER Jo Stafford (Capitol 297) 1946 
6. (I LOVE YOU) FOR SENTIMENTAL REASONS   The King Cole Trio (Capitol 304) 1946 
7. THE CHRISTMAS SONG (MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU)  CAPITOL 311 The King Cole Trio (Capitol 311) 1946 
8. WINTER WONDERLAND Johnny Mercer  (Capitol 316) 1946 
9. A GAL IN CALICO Johnny Mercer (Capitol 316) 1946 
10. WHITE CHRISTMAS Jo Stafford (Capitol 319) 1946 
11. ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH Johnny Mercer (Capitol 323) 1947 
12. GUILTY Margaret Whiting (Capitol 324) 1947 
13. OH, BUT I DO Margaret Whiting (Capitol 324) 1947 
14. A RAINY NIGHT IN RIO Sam Donahue Orch. (Capitol 325) 1947 
15. HUGGIN' AND A-CHALKIN' Johnny Mercer (Capitol 334) 1947 
16. HOW ARE THINGS IN GLOCCA MORRA Martha Tilton  (Capitol 345) 1947 
17. MY MELANCHOLY BABY Sam Donahue  (Capitol 357) 1947 
18. ANNIVERSARY SONG Andy Russell (Capitol 368) 1947 
19. OPEN THE DOOR, RICHARD The Pied Pipers (Capitol 369) 1947 
20. MY ADOBE HACIENDS Dinning Sisters (Capitol 389) 1947 
21. THAT'S MY DESIRE Martha Tilton (Capitol 395) 1947 
22. I WONDER, I WONDER Martha Tilton (Capitol 395) 1947 
23. MAM'SELLE The Pied Pipers (Capitol 396) 1947 
24. I NEVER KNEW Sam Donahue Orch. (Capitol 405) 1947 
25. TEMPTATION (TIM-TAYSHUN) Jo Stafford (Capitol 417) 1947

CD 4
1. I WISH I DIDN'T LOVE YOU SO Betty Hutton (Capitol 409) 1947 
2. CHI-BABA, CHI-BABA) Peggy Lee  (Capitol 419) 1947 
3. YOU DO Margaret Whiting (Capitol 438) 1947 
4. FEUDIN' AND FIGHTIN' Jo Stafford (Capitol 443) 1947 
5. SUGAR BLUES Johnny Mercer (Capitol 448) 1947 
6. NEAR YOU Alvino Rey (Capitol 453) 1947 
7. RED WING Sam Donahue & His Orchestra (Capitol 472) 1947 
8. THE WHISTLER Sam Donahue Orch. (Capitol 472) 1947 
9. I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER Alvino Rey (Capitol 491) 1947 
10. SERENADE OF THE BELLS Jo Stafford (Capitol 15007) 1947 
11. GOLDEN EARRINGS Peggy Lee Capitol 15009) 1947 
12. PEACE PIPE Margaret Whiting (Capitol 15010) 1948 
13. MANANA Peggy Lee And The Brazilians (Capitol 15022) 1948 
14. NOW IS THE HOUR Margaret Whiting (Capitol 15024) 1948 
15. NATURE BOY  Nat King Cole (Capitol 15054) 1948 
16. MY HAPPINESS The Pied Pipers (Capitol 15094) 1948 
17. A TREE IN THE MEADOW Margaret Whiting (Capitol 15122) 1948 
18. LINDA Paul Weston & His. Orchestra (Capitol 15153) 1948 
19. BUTTONS AND BOWS Dinning Sisters (Capitol 15184) 1948 
20. SAY SOMETHING SWEET TO YOUR SWEETHEART Jo Stafford with Gordon MacRae (Capitol 15207) 1948 
21. MY DARLING MY DARLING Jo Stafford with Gordon MacRae (Capitol 15270) 1948 
22. FOREVER AND EVER Margaret Whiting (Capitol 15386) 1948 
23. FAR AWAY PLACES Margaret Whiting (Capitol 40224) 1949 
24. MULE TRAIN Tennessee Ernie Ford (Capitol 40258) 1949 
25. SLIPPIN' AROUND Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely (Capitol 40224) 1949 
26. BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE Margaret Whiting & Johnny Mercer (Capitol 567) 1949