Oscar Hammerstein 2nd was one of the most prolific lyricist-librettists ever to have been a part of the American musical theater. His landmark collaborations with Richard Rodgers--Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel (1945), South Pacific (1949), and The King and I (1951)--spring instantly to mind; yet, one must not overlook the seminal work he did with Jerome Kern, the rhythmic verve of his shows with Vincent Youmans, and the charming operettas he turned out with Rudolf Friml, George Gershwin, and Sigmund Romberg. Show Boat (1927) and Music in the Air (1932), Hammerstein's two most successful collaborations with Kern, are filled with stylish songs. The former even has a credible plot--at least for the times. Then there are the individual songs from his operettas, such as "Lover, Come Back to Me" (1928), "Indian Love Call" (1924), "The Desert Song" (1926), "Stouthearted Men" (1928), and "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" (1935), which have become part of American song literature. Still...