Review (PDF) The American Song Treasury: 100 Favorites (Dover Song Collections)
"Besides innumerable good old tunes running in our heads, [there's] a sense of having actually lived in the years [covered by] this book." — The International MusicianMusic has always played an important part in American life — from the hymns sung in colonial days, to partisan songs that supported independence, and war songs that boosted morale. Immigration, westward movement and industrialization all helped contribute to America's musical archives. This outstanding collection of 100 all-time favorite songs offers an unbeatable combination: the music and lyrics of well-known tunes in easy-to-sing keys, together with equally entertaining background information on each song. Assembled by noted composer, arranger and musical director Theodore Raph, this impressive volume spans 300 years — from the haunting strains of Greensleeves to songs that reached new peaks of popularity in the 1950s (He's Got the Whole World in His Hand).Perfect for party sing-alongs or for one's own enjoyment, these appealing songs all made past his parades. Yankee Doodle was "on the charts" during the Revolutionary War; Clementine and Sweet Betsy from Pike were widely hummed, sung, whistled and played in the mid-19th century. She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain and Wabash Cannonball heralded the era of transcontinental railroad construction; and regional songs such as My Old Kentucky Home, On the Banks of the Wabash, and Home on the Range became nationwide favorites.Easy-to-play piano accompaniments, guitar chords and complete lyrics make these familiar melodies ideal ice-breakers on picnics, boating excursions, camping trips and a host of other group activities. Because they're in the public domain, these tunes are also desirable for professional and commercial use. Singers, pianists, students, teachers — songsters at all levels of expertise — will be delighted with these musical moments from bygone eras.
Series: Dover Song Collections
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Dover Publications (October 1, 1986)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0486252221
ISBN-13: 978-0486252223
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 0.9 x 10.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #265,809 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #43 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Ballet & Dance #260 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Songbooks > Vocal #686 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Forms & Genres > Popular
This is probably the best bargain you'll ever run into. I got it under a week ago and am still swooning at how many new things I've learned in so short of time. I play a Les Paul Standard electric guitar, but have gotten rusty over the years. This songbook has completely reawakened my interest in the instrument as well as in singing. I have no idea if it works well for pianists, but can vouch that it's one of the best guitar books I've ever encountered.Ages ago, I would pick up a songbook of some sort or other, and I (like many people) got used to finding all kinds of errors or cheesy chord approximations. This book has nothing but good stuff throughout. If you don't believe me, try playing Cohan's "You're a Grand Old Flag" exactly as shown. The inversions there are brilliant, especially if you use a plectrum and alternate the bass notes in a Luther Perkins style. There are several places where these lower notes within the chords quite magically provide a wonderful counterpoint to what the voice is doing.As a rough estimate, I'd say that I want to learn at least 80 of these songs---that's how good the selection is and how rich the arrangements are. Even if I never play these songs for anyone, I'll be learning valuable guitar and vocal techniques, I think. Just as one example, there are tons of guitarists who dink around with nothing more than a small collection of major and minor chords. But this book is filled with tons of neat chords you might never run into otherwise. Even if you're familiar with diminished and augmented chords, I predict you'll find something here you've never seen before. As one example, I found a wild one in "After the Ball is Over" which I recognized by ear but had never played before (anyone for a C-seventh with a flatted fifth?
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