In order to examine the vision of Latin America transmitted to the American public in Tin Pan Alley's popular songs in the first half of the twentieth century, a study analyzed nearly 50 songs. The songs were grouped into five categories: (1) songs which describe Latin locales; (2) songs which are constructed around a Latin woman's name; (3) songs which deal with specifically Latin dances; (4) songs with a humorous or satirical viewpoint; and (5) miscellaneous. Content analysis of the texts showed that Tin Pan Alley's view of Latin America was superficial, stereotyped, patronizing, and condescending; revealed considerable ignorance about Latin America; and remained relatively constant over the years. (SR)