Charlotte Greenspan writes about the adaptability of Irving Berlin and his music. Berlin paid attention not only to different ethnicities in his songs, but also to the entertainment trends and technological developments of time. He also wrote patriotic songs during the First World War. Greenspan notes that although Berlin was always conscious of the era, there is also a timeless quality to many of his songs. As sound emerged in film Berlin left the stage and moved to California to write songs for films, one of his first was The Jazz Singer. After not having much success in Hollywood, Berlin left to go back to the stage, only to return in 1935. Greenspan writes that Berlin signed a contract with RKO that allowed him more creative freedom than any of the studios he had worked with earlier in his career as well as a good share of the profits. Greenspan looks at the film Top Hat for which Berlin did the music. She describes each of the five songs as “unusual in one way or another.” She also explains how the music functions in early sound films and addresses the issue of why the characters are singing? Greenspan claims that in this film Berlin wrote songs that interesting so they could be played repeatedly and so they could be recognizable. This was Berlin’s method of plugging a song in a film. Greenspan also notes how Berlin lengthened songs and adapted form to fit the film so a piece was not repeated over and over. She examines this more with an in-depth analysis of Berlin’s song “Cheek to Cheek” which is nine minutes long in the film Top Hat.
Greenspan then turns to the compiled score for Alexander’s Ragtime Band. This film is significant because it details the development of the popular song and is also a biography of Berlin, in a sense. The film’s score only had three pieces composed for it, the rest of the twenty-three pieces were compiled from previous works. Greenspan uses this film to show how popular songs were placed in film at that time and also shows its significance in the history of film and Berlin’s career.
Greenspan concludes her article with an explanation of how Berlin went to Hollywood and adapted himself for scoring films. He not only developed his style for film music but put songs in films in a way that was original and innovative.
This article gives an interesting look at the early film score and how the popular song fit into it. Irving Berlin is an Icon and he demonstrates the connection between the music and film worlds. He shows how the two adapt and fuse together.

Smith, Jeff (Jeffrey Paul). Sounds of commerce : marketing popular film music / Jeff Smith. [0231108621 (cloth : alk. paper)] New York : Columbia University Press, c1998.
Call#: Van Pelt Library ML2075 .S65 1998

Jeff Smith's The Sounds of Commerce: Marketing Popular Film Music details the interaction between the film and music industries in relation to a popular film score and soundtrack. The book opens with a musical theory analysis of the classical and popular film scores. Smith details the history of the pop score and the necessity that it is composed or compiled from popular music genres and styles as well as it being highly accessible to the audience. Smith argues that a pop score can function in the same dramatic manner as a classical score highlighting themes and character traits as well as serving the plot, despite its difference in sound and structure. Smith follows his musical analysis with a more business-oriented chapter detailing the interactions between the film and music industries. He continues with a closer look at cross promotion and beginning in the 1950s, how the emphasis on jazz begins to shift more to pop music. Smith follows his business analysis with case studies on the popular scores of three films Breakfast at Tiffany.s, Goldfinger and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. First, Smith looks at Henry Mancini. work on Breakfast at Tiffany's. In this section he shows how the pop score functions within the larger signification in the film as well as how Mancini took the pop score and used it to make a viable soundtrack album. Smith cites Mancini.s background in Jazz as an important influence on how he was able to adapt the score into commercial success through the monothematic score. Next, Smith focuses on John Barry.s Goldfinger. Here, he shows again Jazz.s important influence on Barry as well as the importance of the musical theme in selling and promoting film. Smith demonstrates how the repeated use of a theme allows the audience to draw associations if they know the reference, while maintaining a function beyond that so the theme functions effectively for those who are unaware of its history. Finally, Smith writes about Ennio Morricone and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. This chapter focuses on the interpolated song, which Smith says drives the narrative and sells itself as a commercial product. Morricone developed a style based on his training and Italian roots which, unintentionally, made his scores extremely popular. Smith also examines the effects of Scopitone and Cinebox on film scores. After the case studies, Smith shifts his focus back to the pop score as a whole first focusing on the 1960s and the compilation score. The final chapter of Smith's book examines theme songs and soundtracks post 1975. This chapter looks at business models, focusing on the music industry and its conglomerates, as well as new functions in the role of film scores and soundtracks such as the position and role of the music supervisor. This chapter shows the development of the studios and music labels and their continuing work together. Smith.s book provides a helpful and interesting analysis of the synergy of the film and music industries. His case studies are interesting choices that highlight many different aspects and functions of the popular film score as we know it today.

Charlotte Greenspan writes about the adaptability of Irving Berlin and his music.  Berlin paid attention not only to different ethnicities in his songs, but also to the entertainment trends and technological developments of time.  He also wrote patriotic songs during the First World War.  Greenspan notes that although Berlin was always conscious of the era, there is also a timeless quality to many of his songs.  As sound emerged in film Berlin left the stage and moved to California to write songs for films, one of his first was The Jazz Singer.  After not having much success in Hollywood, Berlin left to go back to the stage, only to return in 1935.  Greenspan writes that Berlin signed a contract with RKO that allowed him more creative freedom than any of the studios he had worked with earlier in his career as well as a good share of the profits.  Greenspan looks at the film Top Hat for which Berlin did the music.  She describes each of the five songs as “unusual in one way or another.”  She also explains how the music functions in early sound films and addresses the issue of why the characters are singing?  Greenspan claims that in this film Berlin wrote songs that interesting so they could be played repeatedly and so they could be recognizable.  This was Berlin’s method of plugging a song in a film.  Greenspan also notes how Berlin lengthened songs and adapted form to fit the film so a piece was not repeated over and over.  She examines this more with an in-depth analysis of Berlin’s song “Cheek to Cheek” which is nine minutes long in the film Top Hat.
    Greenspan then turns to the compiled score for Alexander’s Ragtime Band.  This film is significant because it details the development of the popular song and is also a biography of Berlin, in a sense.  The film’s score only had three pieces composed for it, the rest of the twenty-three pieces were compiled from previous works.  Greenspan uses this film to show how popular songs were placed in film at that time and also shows its significance in the history of film and Berlin’s career. 
    Greenspan concludes her article with an explanation of how Berlin went to Hollywood and adapted himself for scoring films.  He not only developed his style for film music but put songs in films in a way that was original and innovative.
    This article gives an interesting look at the early film score and how the popular song fit into it.  Irving Berlin is an Icon and he demonstrates the connection between the music and film worlds.  He shows how the two adapt and fuse together.

An annotated bibliography relating different aspects of the Film and Music Industries and their intersection