Family Songbook

Reader's Digest Songbooks

by William L. Simon (Editor), Reader's Digest Association (Publisher)

A broad selection of 124 film, show, operetta and semi-classical hits; nostalgic favorites from "gaslight varieties" through the '20s and Swing Era. Also folk and inspirational selections. Spiral-bound to lie flat plus a sing-along lyric book.

Genres: Music, Reference, Nonfiction

252 pages, Spiral-bound

First published July 1, 1969

About the author

William L. "Bill" Simon, was a leading record producer as well as a songwriter and musician.
Before entering the record business in New York City in 1944, he ran the Music House in Buffalo, New York.
Simon produced recordings by such legendary jazz artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Ben Webster, Don Byas, Erroll Garner, & Johnny Guarnieri.
He spent 22 years with Reader's Digest as the music editor.

Reviews

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Reader’s Digest Family Songbook edited by W.A.H. Birnie (The Reader’s Digest Association 1969) (782) (4076).

This is the third and final songbook of American standards that I’ve reviewed in the past few days. These three books are collections of the songs that I grew up singing at home around the parlor piano, and this book has some of the best ones (“I’m Just Wild About Harry,” “I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover,” “Hello! My Baby,” and the like.

This book holds many fond memories for me. I own a HB copy that my family has had since the book was published.

My rating: 7/10, finished 10/01/26 (4076).

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot praise this book highly enough. It's a wonderful collection of songs, many of which are hard to find today. The arrangements are very nice, and the spiral binding means that the book actually sits open on the piano—who knew? The lyrics to the songs are a nice bonus, as are the wonderful illustrations throughout. The songs themselves are widely known, or at least they were, and they offer a compelling look into a rich musical heritage. This is truly a beautiful book, in more ways than one.

[Kaethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

My piano-playing never advanced beyond "painful", but I loved to go into the family room and sing very quietly from this book. Fortunately, now there is Rock Band and I don't have to sing along to my poor instrumentation, I can have a real band backing me up.

The 21st century for the win!

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readers Digest has put together a list of song lyrics traditionally called family music due that they can sing it together. It also contains the music for each.