Various Artists - Building The Tower Of Power: 101 Capitol Label Hits 1942-49 (2026)

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.

Tracklist:
1. Freddie Slack And His Orchestra - Cow Cow Boogie
2. Johnny Mercer - Strip Polka
3. Freddie Slack And His Orchestra - Mr. Five By Five
4. Ella Mae Morse - Shoo Shoo Baby
5. Ella Mae Morse - No Love, No Nothin'
6. Stan Kenton and his Orchestra - Do Nothin Till You Hear From Me
7. The Pied Pipers - Mairzy Doates
8. Andy Russell - Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much)
9. Ella Mae Morse - Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet
10. Jo Stafford - I Love You
11. Jo Stafford - Long Ago (And Far Away)
12. The King Cole Trio - Straighten Up And Fly Right
13. Betty Hutton - It Had To Be You
14. Betty Hutton - His Rocking Horse Ran Away
15. Andy Russell - Amor
16. Martha Tilton - I'll Walk Alone
17. Jo Stafford - It Could Happen To You
18. Ella Mae Morse - The Patty Cake Man
19. Stan Kenton and his Orchestra - And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine
20. Stan Kenton and his Orchestra - How Many Hearts Have You Broken
21. The Pied Pipers - The Trolley Song
22. Andy Russell - I Dream Of You (More Than You Dream I Do)
23. Johnny Mercer - Accentuate The Positive
24. Billy Butterfield - There Goes That Song Again
25. Johnny Mercer - Candy
1. Martha Tilton - I Should Care
2. The Pied Pipers - Dream
3. Betty Hutton - Stuff Like That There
4. Jo Stafford - There's No You
5. Jo Stafford - Out Of This World
6. Johnny Mercer - On The Atchison, Topeka And The Sante Fe
7. Stan Kenton and his Orchestra - Tampico
8. Jo Stafford - That's For Me
9. Peggy Lee - Waitin' For The Train To Come In
10. Stan Kenton and his Orchestra - It's Been A Long Long Time
11. Betty Hutton - Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief
12. Andy Russell - I Can't Begin To Tell You
13. Jo Stafford - Symphony
14. Jo Stafford - Day By Day
15. Johnny Mercer - Personality
16. Stan Kenton and his Orchestra - Shoo Fly Pie And Apple Pan Dowdy
17. Peggy Lee - I Don't Know Enough About You
18. The Pied Pipers - In The Moon Mist
19. Alvino Rey - Cement Mixer (Put-Ti, Put-Ti)
20. Freddie Slack - The House Of Blue Lights
21. Andy Russell - Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside)
22. Nelson Eddy - Ole Buttermilk Sky
23. Skitch Henderson - Five Minutes More
24. Hal Derwin - The Old Lamplighter
1. Andy Russell - Pretending
2. Nat King Cole - You Call It Madness (But I Call It Love)
3. Sam Donahue - Just The Other Day
4. Billy Butterfield - Rumors Are Flying
5. The King Cole Trio - (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
6. The King Cole Trio - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) Capitol 311
7. Johnny Mercer - Winter Wonderland
8. Johnny Mercer - A Gal In Calico
9. Jo Stafford - White Christmas
10. Johnny Mercer - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
11. Margaret Whiting - Guilty
12. Margaret Whiting - Oh, But I Do
13. Sam Donahue - A Rainy Night In Rio
14. Johnny Mercer - Huggin' And A-Chalkin'
15. Martha Tilton - How Are Things In Glocca Morra
16. Sam Donahue - My Melancholy Baby
17. Andy Russell - Anniversary Song
18. Dinning Sisters - My Adobe Haciends
19. Martha Tilton - That's My Desire
20. Martha Tilton - I Wonder, I Wonder
21. The Pied Pipers - Mam'selle (Version 2)
22. Sam Donahue - I Never Knew
23. Jo Stafford - Temptation (Tim-Tayshun)
24. Betty Hutton - I Wish I Didn't Love You So
1. Peggy Lee - Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go To Sleep)
2. Margaret Whiting - You Do
3. Jo Stafford - Feudin' And Fightin'
4. Johnny Mercer - Sugar Blues
5. Alvino Rey - Near You
6. Sam Donahue - Red Wing (Famous Indian Song)
7. Sam Donahue - The Whistler
8. Alvino Rey - I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover
9. Jo Stafford - Serenade Of The Bells
10. Sam Donahue - Golden Earrings (Version 2)
11. Margaret Whiting - Pass That Peace Pipe
12. Peggy Lee - Manana
13. Margaret Whiting - Now Is The Hour
14. Nat King Cole - Nature Boy
15. The Pied Pipers - My Happiness
16. Pee Wee Hunt - Twelfth Street Rag
17. Paul Weston & His Orchestra - Linda
18. Dinning Sisters - Buttons And Bows
19. Jo Stafford - Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart
20. Jo Stafford - My Darling My Darling
21. Margaret Whiting - Forever And Ever
22. Margaret Whiting - Far Away Places (Version 2)
23. Tennessee Ernie Ford - Mule Train
24. Margaret Whiting - Slippin' Around
25. Margaret Whiting - Baby, It's Cold Outside