William Zinsser discusses hundreds of American popular songs through the lives of their composers and lyricists, devoting a chapter to each of over two dozen writing teams and individuals, including George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, Vincent Youmans, Andy Razaf, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, and Hoagy Carmichael, to name a few.

Interspersed between composers and lyricists are chapters about American songs in general: “Anatomy of the Popular Song,” “Sheet Music,” “The Songs of World War II,” “Singers of the Song,” and a final chapter entitled “Songs by Category.”

Without becoming over-analytical, Zinsser discusses the compositional characteristics that make the songs great, their melodies, harmonies, rhythms and syncopation. Zinsser’s text is also filled with interesting anecdotes; many are first-hand experiences from his tenure at the New York Herald Tribune where he was a theater and movie critic and drama editor in the late ‘40s and 50’s.

With regard to the jazz standards, Easy to Remember is one of the best books available. The focus is on the origins and characteristics of American popular songs, many of which have become jazz standards. It is enjoyable reading, informative, and an excellent source for research and contains three indexes for “People,” “Musicals and Movies,” and “Song Titles.”

William Zinsser is the author of over 15 books on writing, baseball and jazz, including Mitchell and Ruff: An American Profile in Jazz. He now teaches at the New School in his hometown, New York City.