America's Songs

Although long out of print, this book is the go to source for information on composer and lyricist information on all of the music published up to that time. The author was a big name in the music business, with contacts in all of the pop and rock and swing genre, and he offers basic data on thousands (literally) of compositions during the book's time period.It's not going to give you a biography of the Beatles or of Bobby Darin, but as a resource on the topic, it is without equal. I used it to give my group's vocalists a source of "fill" material to fill in the gaps between their performances - each entry can be expanded into thirty seconds of "patter" to keep the performance flowing.

A fascinating book; especially for those of us old enough to remember these classic songs. I read and reread this book a lot. It is not only to learn the who, how, why, and where of the songs... it is also to be reminded of many songs that I wouldn't otherwise remember. A great book!

Received on time by seller. Great book with lots of great info.My only criticism is that I would prefer that the songs would be presented in Alpha order instead of by years. I think I, and most people want to look up songs by name and not by date they were first introduced.

I simply love this book! It covers about 600 popular American songs from the good old days. The story behind each song is captivating.This leads me to appreciate each song not just for the melody but also the circumstances how each song is created.Absolutely fascinating and enjoyable!

It's amazing it took so long for this seemingly inevitable, fascinating and indispensable book to be written.Every page has several nuggets of pop folklore that will surprise and entertain even people who pride themselves on being semi-experts in the American songbook (like me). I bought three copies for gifts for similarly addicted pop song freaks.

A THOUSAND FASCINATING STORIES YOU NEVER KNEW

An entertaining overview of American popular music. The authors have compiled a small encyclopedia about the subject, creating their version of The Great American Songbook. Recommended.

Very good read. The brief overviews of each song gives one a terrific insight into the story behind the melody and probably covers 95% of the actual event.I read it on a flight from North Carolina to LA and it was the perfect companion.

A superb collections of mini-essays on many of the great standards. The authors do not simply rehash well-worn anecdotes which those of us who love this music have heard repeatedly: instead they dish out some very pithy and intriguing stories about the songs and their writers, which makes the book highly compelling and enjoyable, even to buffs. They also offer some solid analysis along the way of lyrics and the way they combine with melody. A great read for songbook fans.

An "essential" purchase for anyone interested in the great American Songbook and the often fascinating background to manyof the best known. Prompt secure delivery adds to the satisfaction.

Excellent book.

Das Buch ist eine hervorragende Basis für die Beschäftigung mit dem American Songbook, voller Infos

A great book with the stories behind the songs and the songwriters.