My Account Log in

2 options

The B side : the death of Tin Pan Alley and the rebirth of the great American song / Ben Yagoda.

Van Pelt - Albrecht Music Library ML3477 .Y34 2015
Loading location information...

Available This item is available for access.

Log in to request item
Athenaeum of Philadelphia - Circulating Collection ML3477 .Y34 2015
Loading location information...

Available This item is available for access.

Log in to request item
Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Yagoda, Ben, author.
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Popular music--United States--History and criticism.
Popular music.
Popular music--Writing and publishing.
United States.
Popular music--Writing and publishing--United States--History and criticism.
Genre:
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Authors' autographs.
Physical Description:
310 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, portraits ; 24 cm
Other Title:
B-side : the death of Tin Pan Alley and the rebirth of the great American song
Place of Publication:
New York, New York : Riverhead Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA), 2015.
Summary:
"Everybody knows and loves the American Songbook. But it's a bit less widely understood that in about 1950, this stream of great songs more or less dried up. All of a sudden, what came over the radio wasn't Gershwin, Porter, and Berlin, but "Come on-a My House" and "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?" Elvis and rock and roll arrived a few years later, and at that point the game was truly up. What happened, and why? In The B Side, acclaimed cultural historian Ben Yagoda answers those questions in a fascinating piece of detective work. Drawing on previously untapped archival sources and on scores of interviews--the voices include Randy Newman, Jimmy Webb, Linda Ronstadt, and Herb Alpert--the book illuminates broad musical trends through a series of intertwined stories. Among them are the battle between ASCAP and Broadcast Music, Inc.; the revolution in jazz after World War II; the impact of radio and then television; and the bitter, decades-long feud between Mitch Miller and Frank Sinatra. The B Side is about taste, and the particular economics and culture of songwriting, and the potential of popular art for greatness and beauty. It's destined to become a classic of American musical history" -- from publisher's web site.
Contents:
Premises, premises
Mr. Miller and Mr. Schwartz, 1954
I get a kick out of you, 1885-1933
Jukebox Saturday night, 1925-1942
As time goes by, 1941-1948
What happened to the music?, 1946-1954
Brill Building boys, and girl, 1950-1955
The big beat, 1951-1968
Fly me to the moon, 1939-1965
Do you believe in magic?, 1957-1965.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 286-291) and index.
Local Notes:
Athenaeum's copy signed by the author.
Athenaeum copy: Hagen fund bookplate.
ISBN:
9781594488498
1594488495
OCLC:
881094034

The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.

Find

Home Release notes

My Account

Shelf Request an item Bookmarks Fines and fees Settings

Guides

Using the Find catalog Using Articles+ Using your account