Looking for melancholic pre-war songs

For a theater project my wife is looking for slightly melancholy vocal music from the 1920s to the 1940s. It could be a song or aria from an operetta, or vocal jazz like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhCXXOhQ4zw
(although this is from a later period).

The song should not be too difficult to sing for an untrained female voice.

one of my favorites

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w-_xbBmXJ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srQWvgCKzxI

check out It's The Talk Of The Town (And Other Sad Songs) by the Dutch group Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, great stuff there.

And if you want to look into some really old, pre-20th century American folk songs, this Anonymous 4 albums is a treasure trove.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxRyvwpi5vM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbAMQQbpRkU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwLrZ1KA4Tc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Say254HTyLE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2PJQx5_BVs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=749523cHwyc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5k4CBe_lP4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94VQG0v-8_Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8GqG2w1NxU

"where or when"

"Cottage for Sale," written in 1929. Many great versions from Sinatra et al, but I think Chris Connor's is my favorite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjUBGaosWKc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SgS6OZZ_KU&index=4&list=PLDAA5A59C4FF3D0AB
This probably belongs on a different thread but please indulge me, it is beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SgS6OZZ_KU&index=4&list=PLDAA5A59C4FF3D0AB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHrXgd6sqOw

ffs! sorry bout the mess

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKMxIVFRMdU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxLMUCSn8A4

unrelenting lugubriosity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ymezkd6iC8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktEdVeQXCs0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9tFRSGsSBM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plqu7wLhBeo

(until recently I thought this was a Hank Williams composition)

this thread rules

^ what my wife will say when she gets here. Thanks, everyone!

Hi, Mrs. ArchCarrier here.

Maxine Sullivan - When Your Lover Has Gone
Gene Austen - My Blue Heaven
Darby & Tarlton - My Father Died a Drunkard

These are good picks. The style is right.

I'm not looking for folk or country, but rather a more 'suave' style. It doesn't have to be English language. Something like 'Besame mucho' or a French, German or Italian song will do well, too. Something that people in the thirties and forties listened to when they had radio.

The song will be featured in a play about dementia. The scene's like this: the main character, suffering from severe dementia, remembers one of her favourite songs and starts singing. She really goes for it: this part will be staged with the character being young again, wearing a gorgeous dress and really believing she's a star singer.
The song isn't a mainstream song or a children's song, something not widely known (but nevertheless very appealing to the audience). After a while the musical therapist interrupts and insists she joins the rest of the group in singing the well known classics.

More tips welcome!

croony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l6vqPUM_FE

darker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqn7DD2r8mw

more glamorous:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I68BAS6AFNo

one of the most beautiful intros ever - there are versions of this with female singing, ella fitzgerald i think, but the music in this is better imo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_bH5RSlpBc

might be at risk of going too far into dennis potter territory with this, but:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRF5D68e44Q