Stardust Melodies: The Biography of Twelve of America's Most Popular Songs

New York: Pantheon Books, 2002. xvii, 397 pages, illustrations; 25 cm. Tight, clean copy. Stated First Edition. Dust jacket, with light edgewear, protected in a mylar cover. "In Stardust Melodies, Will Friedwald takes each of these legendary songs apart and puts it together again, with a staggering wealth of detail and unprecedented understanding. Each chapter gives us an extended history of one song--the circumstances under which it was written and first performed--and then explores its musical and lyric content. Drawing on his vast knowledge of records and the careers of performing artists, Friedwald tells us who was responsible for making these songs famous and discusses in depth the performers who have left their unique marks on them. He writes about variations in performance style, about both classic and obscure versions of the songs, about brilliantly original interpretations and ghastly travesties. And then there's the completely unexpected, like Stan Freberg's politically correct 'Elderly Man River.' This is a book for all lovers of American song to explore, argue with, and savor. / Will Friedwald is the author of Jazz Singing: America's Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond; Sinatra! The Song Is You: A Singer's Art; The Warner Bros. Cartoons; and Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. One of the leading contemporary writers of liner notes for music albums, Friedwald lives in New York City." - Publisher.. 1st. Hardcover. Fine/Very Good. 8vo.