This encyclopedia, arranged alphabetically, covers film songs from 1927 through 1998 with details on the songwriters, original singers, how the song was used in the film, subsequent appearances of the song, and memorable recordings.

With regard to study of the jazz standards, The American Musical Film Song Encyclopedia is an indispensable reference book, containing over 1800 song abstracts which are, on the average, about 100 words. The bibliography provides a thorough reference to other sources. Most of the jazz standards may be found in this book or one of two others, also by Hischak, The Tin Pan Alley Song Encyclopedia or The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia.

Thomas S. Hischak is also the author of Word Crazy: Broadway Lyricists from Cohan to Sondheim and Stage It with Music: An Encyclopedic guide to the American Musical Threatre. He is Professor of Theatre History and Criticism at the State University of New York College at Cortland.