The American Songbook from Vaudeville to Hollywood : Volume 1, Tin Pan Alley Through the Swing Era, 1890–1938

The American Songbook from Vaudeville to Hollywood celebrates the cultural expressions contained in the unforgettable jazz-inflected songs of the twentieth century. Charting the development of songwriting in the context of American culture, David Michael Hertz treats words and music as of equal importance, exploring the mystery of how they work together in the phrase structures of songs. With a carefully drawn historical chronology, his narrative recounts a story of the evolution of American language as expressed in song lyrics, through which ordinary life becomes poetry. Hertz celebrates the evergreen quality of the songs, as they originate from Broadway shows, Hollywood films, or jazz clubs and then generate many new interpretations over the years. The rhythmic pulse of the songs—emphasizing the second and fourth beat of each measure—still characterizes popular music to this day.

Many of the first songs that rose to popularity in the early twentieth century were written by immigrant New Yorkers, then widely interpreted by jazz singers and instrumentalists from all over the country. The canny businessmen of Tin Pan Alley encouraged songwriters to utilize the thirty-two-bar format, motivated by huge profits available from the sale of inexpensive sheet music. By 1920, songwriters of real genius appeared, including Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin. The twenties brought the explosion of the Jazz Age, with the rhythmic power of the Charleston, the golden era of the musical revues on Broadway, and the flourishing of jazz in speakeasies and nightclubs. Older singing styles derived from vaudeville were overtaken by a new style of jazz vocal performance popularized by Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. The rise of swing music made the songs more seductive, with backing from plush ensembles, while sound films helped their popularity spread. Works produced by Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers and Hart, Hoagy Carmichael, and the final flowering of the Gershwins, among many other writers profiled by Hertz, created popular songs that quickly became standards. Broadway, Hollywood, and the world of jazz all flowed together in a great, unified musical stream, as radio, film, and sound recordings reached millions throughout the United States.

Written for a general audience of listeners and enthusiasts, The American Songbook from Vaudeville to Hollywood, Volume 1 charts the development of songwriting in the United States from Tin Pan Alley through the swing era with passion, insight, and an ear for the musical and lyrical qualities of a beloved songbook still being performed today.