Published in the middle of Bob Dylan’s Rough And Rowdy Ways tour, and coming in the midst of a purple patch that seems to have lasted since the turn of the century, coffee-table collectors’ book The Philosophy Of Modern Song is maybe not quite what the title or context implies.

Firstly, ‘modern song’ is definitely a term open for interpretation. Of the 66 songs that Dylan examines, only two come from the 21st century. Most are written and performed by artists from Dylan’s formative 1950s and the oldest, Nelly Was A Lady, dates back to 1849. ‘Philosophy’ might also be a bit of a push. The two or three pages dedicated to songs from artists such as Roy Orbison (Blue Bayou), Merle Haggard (Townes Van Zandt’s Pancho And Lefty) and Elvis Costello (Pump It Up) are more astute ramblings than analysis of technique or style.

For fans, this is another opportunity to see into the mind of the most important lyricist of popular song and an artist that still manages to maintain mystique despite his longevity. This is something more akin to Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour: a thinly veiled glimpse behind the curtain of genius that, regardless of the content, we’re all excited to look through.