Americans have always loved to sing, always had a keen ear for melody. Our folk songs are built on the best from many lands. The early coloninsts sang in praise and thanksgiving. Westward with course of empire went Stephen Foster's Oh, Susannah and many another 19th century hit. Just as surely do the songs of the last fifty years mark the interests and progress of a great nation; the ethics, habits and intimate life of its people. From Sweet Adeline to White Christmas, the 20th century has given us songs that will live forever. To recall their lure and lore is the purpose of this book. 
 
This is a book about songs, not a song book. The song covers and advertisements which make up most of the pages are intended primarily to jog the memory and whet the imagination. From literallt hindreds of sourdes have come these mementoes of the near-past. Hidden in piles of attic trash or laying forgotten in old music cabinets, the original issues of our most popular "popular songs" are particularly difficult to come upon. Nor is it easy to find the cover or theatrical advertisement associated with the star-personality who helped put a given song across. By its very nature, the popular song sheet has a short life. It is bought today and burned tomorrow. The author is grateful to all who helped unearth such ephemera, and thanks especially the publishers and agencies for use of much old-time material. Certain reproduction courtesies have been handled by credit lines under ther pictures used. Many original publishers are now out of business. But wherever possible the present copyright holders are given in connection with the fifty year list of song hits posted at the end of the book......