Are you a music junkie who gets annoyed when a songwriter, queried on a tune, replies, “it’s whatever it means to you”? Then this is your cool book. Whether you met your significant other, went all the way, got stoned or danced at your wedding to a track, you’ll find yourself re-listening while reading.
Author Marc Myers follows up his excellent Anatomy Of A Song – based on his popular Wall Street Journal column – with Anatomy Of 55 More Songs, which tackles tunes from 1964-1996.
Before hearing from the people who had a hand in the creation of each selected track, from singers to composers, musicians, arrangers and producers, Myers offers stats and photos. All bases are covered: detailed technical descriptions of chord progressions, key changes and suchlike may bore the non-professional, but will delight musicians.
You’ll glean engrossing antidotes like how sexism spurred on sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart and Joan Jett to take pen to paper, Jimmy Webb’s inspiration during college days and the poignant story behind a Roberta Flack hit. Oh yes, and Arthur Brown of Fire fame was a one-time child pyromaniac. Surprise!
Anatomy Of 55 More Songs: The Oral History Of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop And Soul, Marc Myers (Grove)
Price: £20. Info: here
words RHONDA LEE REALI
Want more books?
The latest reviews, interviews, features and more, from Wales and beyond.