The second in a two volume series, Stories of Famous Songs by S. J. Adair Fitz-Gerald is an encyclopedia of song and lyric history and lore for music from all over the world. Fitz-Gerald colors the reader's imagination with tales of love gone bad, rampant patriotism, and lyrics stumbled upon by accident in this charming and endearing volume. Each story, without exception, is interesting, surprising, and tells a completely unique tale of the inspiration, process, and journey of some of our most beloved songs.

Fitz-Gerald researched all of the songs in both of these volumes at great length, and put years of hard work into the writing of this book. Not content to simply tale the tale of famous American songs, he combed the globe and found continental songs such as "Vive Henri Quatre" and "Ich bin ein Preusse," Welsh songs like "Idle Days in Summer Time" and "Maid of Mona's Isle," Scottish songs such as "Jessie the Flower o' Dunblane" and "Anne Laurie," and Irish songs including "St. Patrick was a Gentleman" and "The Spring of Shilleleah." The final chapter of the work includes an in-depth exploration behind the English national anthem: "God Save the Queen" in which Fitz-Gerald reveals the birthplace of this revered treasure and the various theories around it's mysterious authorship. His dramatic storytelling and attention to idiosyncratic detail give this treasured work the life and luster of a masterpiece, if not the renown.

Clearly a labor of passion and love, Stories of Famous Songs is a masterful examination of famous music pieces across the globe and the stories of their origin. With detailed histories and stories of the writers, composers, and performers, this text reads like a turn-of-the-century "behind the scenes" look at some of time's most beloved tunes. This is an excellent read for the music lover and historian alike, sure to incite passion and curiosity in any reader.

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