The main section of the Handbook consists of 324 articles providing basic information on American popular songs, including: origin (classical, film musical), foreign influence (Cuba, Czechoslovakia), domestic influence (bluegrass, Motown), dissemination (cabaret, Your Hit Parade), genre (doo-wop, protest song), subject (humor, money), and style (harmony, scat). Also covered are such historical periods as the Depression and the Roaring Twenties and their popular musical expression. The second section lists all songs mentioned in the volume, with annotations as to year of publication, lyricist, composer, type of song, source, salient features, and the articles in which the song is discussed. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR