Art both reflects time and shapes it. Song is the most democratic, simplest and most popular art form. It is often created almost spontaneously, instantly reacting to a particular event. In this book, the cultural, historical and political portrait of the century is shown through the history of a popular song, each of which is devoted to a separate chapter. The main ones are not necessarily the best, although these concepts often coincide. Some songs reflect the most important political events of the century - wars, revolutions, turning points in history. Others anticipate them. Some, often in addition to, or even in opposition to, the intentions of their authors, suddenly unusually accurately reflect the mood of huge masses of people and turn into the anthem of a generation. Some open up previously forbidden and even unknown layers of human existence to popular music, and through it to the mass consciousness. The songs are arranged in chronological order, and the book reflects all decades of the 20th century and all genres of popular music - from blues and spirituals to musicals and jazz, from rock to disco, from ballads to hip-hop. The “song portrait of the century” created in the book will allow the reader to see the sometimes unobvious connection between popular music and social and socio-political processes in the society of different countries throughout the 20th century.