The Story Behind the Song: 150 Songs That Chronicle the 20th Century

Songwriters often use lyrics to describe the current events and social attitudes of a particular period or people. An examination of America's popular songs--and the stories behind their creation--can help us better understand our history and culture. This chronologically organized volume provides the stories of 150 songs in 20th-century American history. Each chapter begins with an historical overview of how songs from the period reflected the political, social, and economic culture of the decade. A discussion of 15 influential songs from each decade provides the songs' histories, what inspired the writers to create them, and why they have resonated over time.

RICHARD D. BARNET is a Professor in the Department of the Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University. He has worked in various positions in the music industry including artist management, booking, concert promotion, television, and live show music production, performance, and conducting. He is a former officer of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educator's Association and a gubernatorial appointee to the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Advisory Council, as well as a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Professor Barnet is co-author of Controversies of the Music Industry (Greenwood, 2001).BRUCE NEMEROV is an audio specialist at the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University.MAYO R. TAYLOR is a librarian at the Walker Library at Middle Tennessee State University.