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Anatomy of 55 More Songs
Following his 2016 smash hit Anatomy of a Song, acclaimed music journalist Marc Myers collects fifty-five new oral histories of iconic songs from his popular Wall Street Journal column
Songs that sell the most copies become hits, but some of those hits become something more—iconic recordings that not only inspire a generation but also change the direction of music. In Anatomy of 55 More Songs, based on his column for the Wall Street Journal, music journalist and historian Marc Myers tells the story behind fifty-five rock, pop, R&B, country, and soul-gospel hits through intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them.
Part oral history, part musical analysis, Anatomy of 55 More Songs ranges from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” to Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By,” the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” and Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.” Bernie Taupin recalls how he wrote the lyrics to Elton John’s “Rocket Man”; Joan Jett remembers channeling her rage against how she had been unfairly labeled and treated as a female rocker into “Bad Reputation”; and Ozzy Osbourne, Elvis Costello, Bob Weir, Sheryl Crow, Alice Cooper, Roberta Flack, John Mellencamp, Keith Richards, Carly Simon, and many others reveal the emotions and technique behind their major works.
Through an absorbing, chronological, song-by-song analysis of the most memorable post-war hits, Anatomy of 55 More Songs provides a sweeping look at the evolution of pop music between 1964 and today. This book will change how you listen to music and evaluate the artists who create it.
Songs that sell the most copies become hits, but some of those hits become something more—iconic recordings that not only inspire a generation but also change the direction of music. In Anatomy of 55 More Songs, based on his column for the Wall Street Journal, music journalist and historian Marc Myers tells the story behind fifty-five rock, pop, R&B, country, and soul-gospel hits through intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them.
Part oral history, part musical analysis, Anatomy of 55 More Songs ranges from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” to Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By,” the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” and Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.” Bernie Taupin recalls how he wrote the lyrics to Elton John’s “Rocket Man”; Joan Jett remembers channeling her rage against how she had been unfairly labeled and treated as a female rocker into “Bad Reputation”; and Ozzy Osbourne, Elvis Costello, Bob Weir, Sheryl Crow, Alice Cooper, Roberta Flack, John Mellencamp, Keith Richards, Carly Simon, and many others reveal the emotions and technique behind their major works.
Through an absorbing, chronological, song-by-song analysis of the most memorable post-war hits, Anatomy of 55 More Songs provides a sweeping look at the evolution of pop music between 1964 and today. This book will change how you listen to music and evaluate the artists who create it.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
About the author
Marc Myers
23 books34 followersMarc Myers is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, where he writes about rock, soul and jazz, as well as the arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
January 9, 2023
"I have long felt that for a song to be truly iconic, it must be groundbreaking, influential, or have other qualities that enable the recording to remain and exciting and meaningful today. " -- on page 2
Although I'm unfamiliar with author Myers' 2016 publication Anatomy of a Song, I can deduce that his latest, Anatomy of 55 More Songs is a continuation in theme and style. Using the 'oral history' format that is increasingly prevalent in entertainment-related books, he goes straight to the source - interviews with singers, songwriters, instrumentalists, and producers - to get background / technical information on 55 diverse songs ranging from 1964 with Dionne Warwick's version of 'Walk on By' by Hal David & Burt Bacharach to 1996 with Sheryl Crow's 'If It Makes You Happy,' co-authored with Jeff Trott, and various points in between. Although adhering largely to mainstream rock and pop tunes - everything from Black Sabbath and AC/DC to Carly Simon and Hall & Oates - he takes an occasional detour into R&B/soul, disco and country with also a number 'one-hit wonders' in the mix. (Anyone else know more than one notable song by the Youngbloods, Redbone, and/or Gary Numan? Yeah, me neither.) In fact, the only song on this list that was unknown to me was the Pet Shop Boys' 'Being Boring,' especially since the Brit duo had only limited chart impact in the U.S., but I sure do remember their 'West End Girls' and 'What Have I Done to Deserve This?' (a duet w/ the legendary Dusty Springfield) from my junior high days. For admirers of popular music, this was a mostly solid collection of essay-interviews - a few were sort of dry, but that's just the law of averages - that sporadically had those involved recalling some touching moments and memories from their lives.
Although I'm unfamiliar with author Myers' 2016 publication Anatomy of a Song, I can deduce that his latest, Anatomy of 55 More Songs is a continuation in theme and style. Using the 'oral history' format that is increasingly prevalent in entertainment-related books, he goes straight to the source - interviews with singers, songwriters, instrumentalists, and producers - to get background / technical information on 55 diverse songs ranging from 1964 with Dionne Warwick's version of 'Walk on By' by Hal David & Burt Bacharach to 1996 with Sheryl Crow's 'If It Makes You Happy,' co-authored with Jeff Trott, and various points in between. Although adhering largely to mainstream rock and pop tunes - everything from Black Sabbath and AC/DC to Carly Simon and Hall & Oates - he takes an occasional detour into R&B/soul, disco and country with also a number 'one-hit wonders' in the mix. (Anyone else know more than one notable song by the Youngbloods, Redbone, and/or Gary Numan? Yeah, me neither.) In fact, the only song on this list that was unknown to me was the Pet Shop Boys' 'Being Boring,' especially since the Brit duo had only limited chart impact in the U.S., but I sure do remember their 'West End Girls' and 'What Have I Done to Deserve This?' (a duet w/ the legendary Dusty Springfield) from my junior high days. For admirers of popular music, this was a mostly solid collection of essay-interviews - a few were sort of dry, but that's just the law of averages - that sporadically had those involved recalling some touching moments and memories from their lives.
November 20, 2022
This is a fun book to delve into bit by bit if you are a classic pop/rock music lover. It covers major radio hits from the sixties and into the nineties. When I first started the book one evening I experienced it by reading about the song, then listening to the song on YouTube. Quite honestly I was in a sort of nirvana, closing my eyes and letting the joy and wonder of this wonderful music wash over me, sometimes resulting in near tears because of its beauty. Each of these 55 songs is described, then followed by actual narratives from the artists themselves about the songs' creation, inspiration and recording methods. It was fun and interesting to read about many of my favorite songs' origins, but because I am not a musician a lot of the technicalities of the recording studio went over my head. However, I absolutely love most of these songs and likely own the physical records! So it was an enjoyable nostalgia trip, and I kept thinking what a great CD compilation this would make to accompany the book. If you don't like the songs you won't like the book- so here is a complete listing of the 55 songs discussed:
"Walk on By" DIONNE WARWICK
"Dancing in the Street" MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS
"Sunshine Superman" DONOVAN
"Good Vibrations" THE BEACH BOYS
"Up, Up and Away" THE 5TH DIMENSION
"Get Together" THE YOUNGBLOODS
"The Weight" THE BAND
"Fire" THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN
"Bad Moon Rising" CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
"Crystal Blue Persuasion" TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" DIANA ROSS
"Paranoid" BLACK SABBATH
"Truckin'" GRATEFUL DEAD
"I'm Eighteen" ALICE COOPER
"Bang a Gong" T. REX
"Roundabout" YES
"Doctor My Eyes" JACKSON BROWNE
"Long Cool Woman" THE HOLLIES
"Rocket Man" ELTON JOHN
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" THE TEMPTATIONS
"I'll Be Around" THE SPINNERS
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" ROBERTA FLACK
"Smoke on the Water" DEEP PURPLE
"Hello It's Me" TODD RUNDGREN
"She's Gone" HALL & OATES
"Come and Get Your Love" REDBONE
"Sundown" GORDON LIGHTFOOT
"I'm Not in Love" 10CC
"Love is the Drug" ROXY MUSIC
"The Boys Are Back in Town" THIN LIZZY
"Fly Like an Eagle" STEVE MILLER BAND
"Year of the Cat" AL STEWART
"Barracuda" HEART
"Nobody Does It Better" CARLY SIMON
"Peg" STEELY DAN
"My Best Friend's Girl" THE CARS
"The Gambler" KENNY ROGERS
"September" EARTH, WIND & FIRE
"What a Fool Believes" THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
"Accidents Will Happen" ELVIS COSTELLO
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND
"Good Times" CHIC
"Highway to Hell" AC/DC
"Cars" GARY NUMAN
"On the Radio" DONNA SUMMER
"Bad Reputation" JOAN JETT
"Rapture" BLONDIE
"Don't Stop Believin'" JOURNEY
"Steppin' Out" JOE JACKSON
"Burning Down the House" TALKING HEADS
"The Power of Love" HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS
"Small Town" JOHN MELLENCAMP
"Take it So Hard" KEITH RICHARDS
"Being Boring" PET SHOP BOYS
"If It Makes You Happy" SHERYL CROW
Thank you to the publisher Grove Atlantic, Grove Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
"Walk on By" DIONNE WARWICK
"Dancing in the Street" MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS
"Sunshine Superman" DONOVAN
"Good Vibrations" THE BEACH BOYS
"Up, Up and Away" THE 5TH DIMENSION
"Get Together" THE YOUNGBLOODS
"The Weight" THE BAND
"Fire" THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN
"Bad Moon Rising" CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
"Crystal Blue Persuasion" TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" DIANA ROSS
"Paranoid" BLACK SABBATH
"Truckin'" GRATEFUL DEAD
"I'm Eighteen" ALICE COOPER
"Bang a Gong" T. REX
"Roundabout" YES
"Doctor My Eyes" JACKSON BROWNE
"Long Cool Woman" THE HOLLIES
"Rocket Man" ELTON JOHN
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" THE TEMPTATIONS
"I'll Be Around" THE SPINNERS
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" ROBERTA FLACK
"Smoke on the Water" DEEP PURPLE
"Hello It's Me" TODD RUNDGREN
"She's Gone" HALL & OATES
"Come and Get Your Love" REDBONE
"Sundown" GORDON LIGHTFOOT
"I'm Not in Love" 10CC
"Love is the Drug" ROXY MUSIC
"The Boys Are Back in Town" THIN LIZZY
"Fly Like an Eagle" STEVE MILLER BAND
"Year of the Cat" AL STEWART
"Barracuda" HEART
"Nobody Does It Better" CARLY SIMON
"Peg" STEELY DAN
"My Best Friend's Girl" THE CARS
"The Gambler" KENNY ROGERS
"September" EARTH, WIND & FIRE
"What a Fool Believes" THE DOOBIE BROTHERS
"Accidents Will Happen" ELVIS COSTELLO
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND
"Good Times" CHIC
"Highway to Hell" AC/DC
"Cars" GARY NUMAN
"On the Radio" DONNA SUMMER
"Bad Reputation" JOAN JETT
"Rapture" BLONDIE
"Don't Stop Believin'" JOURNEY
"Steppin' Out" JOE JACKSON
"Burning Down the House" TALKING HEADS
"The Power of Love" HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS
"Small Town" JOHN MELLENCAMP
"Take it So Hard" KEITH RICHARDS
"Being Boring" PET SHOP BOYS
"If It Makes You Happy" SHERYL CROW
Thank you to the publisher Grove Atlantic, Grove Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
Want to read
September 5, 2023This duology is FANTASTIC!!! Thank you for the tips of my toes, publishers and author, for the chance to read about such influential songs. I have always thought I had been exposed to some great music, but this book, along with volume one, has put me to shame. I put two playlists together on Spotify inspired by the songs discussed and I listen to them regularly. And, yes, I do sing quite loudly in my car. At first I was a bit upset about the choices of the journalist/author, but by the end of this book I finally had clarity that eras were made by obscure or emotional choices as well as the songs we all would pick for such a list, and would automatically fit all genres. That’s not what the growth and inspiration of music is all about; it’s about finding the harmony in your brain and allowing serendipity to find the melody in your heart. And this book puts everyone on the right track.
I can only hope there will be a volume three. Please please please Marc Myers, you are my only hope.
I can only hope there will be a volume three. Please please please Marc Myers, you are my only hope.
February 2, 2023
Fun to dip in and out of, it would be hard to page straight through IMO. This is collection of brief oral histories of the genesis of hit songs. Most of the songs are not songs I like particularly, but it was mostly interesting to hear about them anyway. (ACDC's primary goal was not to write songs above the heads of their listeners. Mission accomplished boys!) Actually many of the stories I liked the best were for songs I don't really like. Sundown comes to mind, and Smoke on the Water both have fun origin stories. One fun story was for one of the songs I dislike most in the world (Don't Stop Believin') and some of the most boring were for songs I like a whole lot (She's Gone, Doctor My Eyes, Burning Down the House, and Love is the Drug definitely qualify.) There were some stories that came together for songs I like but are not faves. (Rapture, Barracuda, Bad Reputation and Walk on By all fit.) Fun fact, Barracuda and Don't Stop Believen' were both partially inspired by things experienced on trips to my home state of Michigan (East Lansing for Barracuda and Detroit for Don't Stop.) If you are looking for a gift for someone who enjoys (very) mainstream 20th century rock music you could do worse.
May 25, 2022
Absofreakinglutely love this book!
History of fifty five iconic songs! It's inspirational to be more creative you know.
There's songs by Elton John, Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Keith Richards, Blondie, Al Stewart and lots more. You name it. It's here!
And the real pictures. I wasn't ready for this! Amazing content I say.
If you are someone who's really into the most classic iconic songs, just grab this book. It's so worth it.
Thank you, Grove Atlantic, for the advance review copy.
History of fifty five iconic songs! It's inspirational to be more creative you know.
There's songs by Elton John, Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Keith Richards, Blondie, Al Stewart and lots more. You name it. It's here!
And the real pictures. I wasn't ready for this! Amazing content I say.
If you are someone who's really into the most classic iconic songs, just grab this book. It's so worth it.
Thank you, Grove Atlantic, for the advance review copy.
January 30, 2023
Fun read, nice to get stories behind many of the songs I’ve loved my whole life. Even more, it got me to listen to songs I’ve somehow missed
May 10, 2022
This sequel to Myers' 2106 Anatomy of a Song will be released on December 6, 2022. The publisher Grove Atlantic provided me an early galley in exchange for an honest review.
I first became familiar with Myers' work when he would come on to the Sirius XM music-talk channel Volume and its morning show Feedback. There, he would spend an hour going over his latest column with hosts Nik Carter and Lori Majewski, supplementing the pieces with music clips and more. I found I really enjoyed his in-depth analysis of these pop and rock classics.
I was born in the mid-60's and grew up on first AM radio and then FM too. As such, so many of the songs that are discussed in this collection are part of the musical tapestry that make up the soundtrack of my life. They are ingrained in my psyche and memories; I know every beat, every note, every lyric. What I enjoyed about this book is that now, through Myers' interviews, I could learn the stories behind the making of each of these fifty-five songs.
Hearing the stories from the writers and artists is important to me. Too often of late the news comes with the passing of another music industry legend. This collection of articles by Myers really captures those moments while the creators are still here to tell us about them.
If you're a music fanatic like myself, this is definitely one that you will want to check out. Each chapter is a digestible segment in and among itself. Together, they create a larger study of the musical landscape from the 60's through the 90's.
I first became familiar with Myers' work when he would come on to the Sirius XM music-talk channel Volume and its morning show Feedback. There, he would spend an hour going over his latest column with hosts Nik Carter and Lori Majewski, supplementing the pieces with music clips and more. I found I really enjoyed his in-depth analysis of these pop and rock classics.
I was born in the mid-60's and grew up on first AM radio and then FM too. As such, so many of the songs that are discussed in this collection are part of the musical tapestry that make up the soundtrack of my life. They are ingrained in my psyche and memories; I know every beat, every note, every lyric. What I enjoyed about this book is that now, through Myers' interviews, I could learn the stories behind the making of each of these fifty-five songs.
Hearing the stories from the writers and artists is important to me. Too often of late the news comes with the passing of another music industry legend. This collection of articles by Myers really captures those moments while the creators are still here to tell us about them.
If you're a music fanatic like myself, this is definitely one that you will want to check out. Each chapter is a digestible segment in and among itself. Together, they create a larger study of the musical landscape from the 60's through the 90's.
December 23, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I have read many similar to it written by artists themselves or historian types (Questlove’s recent book, for example), but most have fallen well short. This one did not. Written by Wall Street Journal writer Marc Myers who writes about music, has put together a very readable book that goes through 55 different songs from 1964-1996 with a brief summary on each that provides background on how the song came to be - lyrics and music parts both. This is a follow up to an original book - “Anatomy of a Song” - which I have not read but have now ordered from the library. His selection of these 55 songs impressed with me with only a few odd ( to me) picks - Keith Richard’s “Take It So Hard” (??), Pet Shop Boys’ “Being Boring” (??)and Huey Lewis’s “The Power of Love”. I learned little nuggets on certain songs ( did not know that Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown” refers to a girl leaving him. I thought it was actually the sun creeping round his back stairs- not a girl. I also found a Spotify playlist of these 55 songs and so it was helpful to call that up and refresh on some of these 55 songs and can see myself doing the same over the next weeks. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of popular music.
February 26, 2023
Interesting concept, but not great as an audible. The best way to digest these essays would be to read them as the particular song is playing on loop. The narrator too often ended his sentences with a dreamy cadence, which I found annoying.
June 27, 2024
Fun book. My kind of pop culture/music trivia and insider info.
December 2, 2022
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Grove Atlantic for an advanced copy of this oral history on the creation of some legendary songs.
Reading about the creation of any kind of art can be a both humbling and inspiring for artists. For creative types to share how their works come forth in the world, gives hope to all artists that hey, if they could do it so could I. And also humbling in the fact that some lyrics do come from dreams, or a casual comment from someone. Combine these words with music, either from the artist or a lick tossed out by a studio musician and boom alchemy takes place and from simple words and noise, music is created. Music that in many instances pass the test of time. Journalist Marc Myers has in his column for The Wall Street Journal has been writing about the history of great songs and has collected them in Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul a sequel to his 2016 book, that looks at the creation of many songs, with interviews from singers, songwriters and many others.
The book offers a look at fifty-five songs, ten more than his previous book. The criteria is that the song that he is discussing must be at least twenty-five years old, and fit that definition of being an iconic song, both for the era and today. Chart placement is not a factor, as readers can see that many of these songs that are considered classics didn't chart that high, or were neglected at the time. Myers interviews as many people as he can, singer, songwriter, lyricist producer, studio musicians, anyone who can offer insight or interesting tidbits about what makes that song persevere. Interviewing different people sometimes is difficult as not many in music can remember the whole story, or even the real story, depending on the amount of pharmaceuticals they musicians might have been sharing the studio with. The are listed chronologically featuring classic country, R & B, rock of course and others.
The book is very well done, well laid out and filled with fascinating tidbits about music, writing, playing and developing songs. Myers is a very good interviewer, and in turn the subjects seem to find him easy to talk with, and worthy of sharing stories with. The is plenty of technical discussions, instruments used, what guitar was played, discussion of studio tricks, Gary Numan's discussion on the Moog he came across and how it was set to play. The studio people's stories are good too, sharing how a part of a song might have come together, or how a song came together with lots of input, or sometimes just from the creator. I found the discussions from professional songwriters unusual, as I can't imagine writing a song and not knowing who would sing it or how they planned to do it. Myers has a nice relaxed writing style and almost seems to bring the reader in with him while he discusses songs with various people.
A great book for music fans of course, and for musical historians, as Myers communicates quite well about what the music scene was like during a song's creation, which might help future scholars. This would also be a good book for creative types, poetry, fiction writers, as well as lyricists and playwrights. So many creative types talking about how they get inspiration, and how their minds work would probably feed the creative fires of quite a few people. If they can do it, it might push others to at least try. There might be a book about the person that tries someday.
Reading about the creation of any kind of art can be a both humbling and inspiring for artists. For creative types to share how their works come forth in the world, gives hope to all artists that hey, if they could do it so could I. And also humbling in the fact that some lyrics do come from dreams, or a casual comment from someone. Combine these words with music, either from the artist or a lick tossed out by a studio musician and boom alchemy takes place and from simple words and noise, music is created. Music that in many instances pass the test of time. Journalist Marc Myers has in his column for The Wall Street Journal has been writing about the history of great songs and has collected them in Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul a sequel to his 2016 book, that looks at the creation of many songs, with interviews from singers, songwriters and many others.
The book offers a look at fifty-five songs, ten more than his previous book. The criteria is that the song that he is discussing must be at least twenty-five years old, and fit that definition of being an iconic song, both for the era and today. Chart placement is not a factor, as readers can see that many of these songs that are considered classics didn't chart that high, or were neglected at the time. Myers interviews as many people as he can, singer, songwriter, lyricist producer, studio musicians, anyone who can offer insight or interesting tidbits about what makes that song persevere. Interviewing different people sometimes is difficult as not many in music can remember the whole story, or even the real story, depending on the amount of pharmaceuticals they musicians might have been sharing the studio with. The are listed chronologically featuring classic country, R & B, rock of course and others.
The book is very well done, well laid out and filled with fascinating tidbits about music, writing, playing and developing songs. Myers is a very good interviewer, and in turn the subjects seem to find him easy to talk with, and worthy of sharing stories with. The is plenty of technical discussions, instruments used, what guitar was played, discussion of studio tricks, Gary Numan's discussion on the Moog he came across and how it was set to play. The studio people's stories are good too, sharing how a part of a song might have come together, or how a song came together with lots of input, or sometimes just from the creator. I found the discussions from professional songwriters unusual, as I can't imagine writing a song and not knowing who would sing it or how they planned to do it. Myers has a nice relaxed writing style and almost seems to bring the reader in with him while he discusses songs with various people.
A great book for music fans of course, and for musical historians, as Myers communicates quite well about what the music scene was like during a song's creation, which might help future scholars. This would also be a good book for creative types, poetry, fiction writers, as well as lyricists and playwrights. So many creative types talking about how they get inspiration, and how their minds work would probably feed the creative fires of quite a few people. If they can do it, it might push others to at least try. There might be a book about the person that tries someday.
January 22, 2023
In my blog on baseball literature and pop culture, I tend to arch an eyebrow when it comes to titles that include such words as “best” or “greatest.” That is often something for readers to decide. And, as is my nature, I have some trouble with titles that claim their subjects changed things to a substantial degree.
As one might imagine, readers may disagree with some of the selections in ANATOMY OF 55 MORE SONGS: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul, and wonder why their favorites weren’t included. But Marc Myers --- who writes about music and the arts for The Wall Street Journal and has previously published ANATOMY OF A SONG: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop, and ROCK CONCERT: An Oral History as Told by the Artists, Backstage Insiders, and Fans Who Were There --- would seem to have the bona fides to make such assessments.
Some of the “changes” included in Myers’ follow-up are technical in nature, such as a revolutionary method of recording, a twist on an existing practice or even simple tweaks in tuning. Others are more anthropological or sociological: an established gospel group breaking into pop chart territory, for example, or the influence of a psychedelic drug culture on the lyrics. Really, how many times have we heard a song but never heard it, considered the meaning or the story behind it?
Most of the 55 songs came out during my teenage and young adult years, save for the couple of punk rock selections (I never got into that scene). Myers introduces each chapter with a bit about the tune and how they, in fact, changed the industry in some greater or lesser way. Then we hear from the musicians, songwriters and producers for their input. Some of the details might get a little wonky for the casual listener as the discussion turns to the pros and cons of specific instrument models, but hardcore fans undoubtedly will consider this information gold.
Books like this beg for the creation of playlists on music services. I made one on my phone in chapter order, listening to each as I read the applicable section, and highly recommend it. In that way, you can hear exactly what Myers and the groups were talking about in “real time” rather than trying to imagine amorphous constructs. It made a big difference and enhanced the enjoyment of ANATOMY OF 55 MORE SONGS. For better or worse, it also led me down a rabbit hole as I looked for cover versions of some of these songs for comparison. Perhaps that could be a subject for another Myers project.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
As one might imagine, readers may disagree with some of the selections in ANATOMY OF 55 MORE SONGS: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul, and wonder why their favorites weren’t included. But Marc Myers --- who writes about music and the arts for The Wall Street Journal and has previously published ANATOMY OF A SONG: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop, and ROCK CONCERT: An Oral History as Told by the Artists, Backstage Insiders, and Fans Who Were There --- would seem to have the bona fides to make such assessments.
Some of the “changes” included in Myers’ follow-up are technical in nature, such as a revolutionary method of recording, a twist on an existing practice or even simple tweaks in tuning. Others are more anthropological or sociological: an established gospel group breaking into pop chart territory, for example, or the influence of a psychedelic drug culture on the lyrics. Really, how many times have we heard a song but never heard it, considered the meaning or the story behind it?
Most of the 55 songs came out during my teenage and young adult years, save for the couple of punk rock selections (I never got into that scene). Myers introduces each chapter with a bit about the tune and how they, in fact, changed the industry in some greater or lesser way. Then we hear from the musicians, songwriters and producers for their input. Some of the details might get a little wonky for the casual listener as the discussion turns to the pros and cons of specific instrument models, but hardcore fans undoubtedly will consider this information gold.
Books like this beg for the creation of playlists on music services. I made one on my phone in chapter order, listening to each as I read the applicable section, and highly recommend it. In that way, you can hear exactly what Myers and the groups were talking about in “real time” rather than trying to imagine amorphous constructs. It made a big difference and enhanced the enjoyment of ANATOMY OF 55 MORE SONGS. For better or worse, it also led me down a rabbit hole as I looked for cover versions of some of these songs for comparison. Perhaps that could be a subject for another Myers project.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
Read
October 22, 2022This is the entertaining follow-up to the 2016 release from Marc Myers, ANATOMY OF A SONG. Now he returns with another cavalcade of great songs, that many of us will be familiar with. Growing up in the sixties, there were classic songs that definitely were must listen-to’s. Some of them are noted here, and the remainder follow through into the 1970’s, 1980’s and even into the 90’s.
The book begins with Walk On By recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1964. Burt Bacharach the co-writer of the song along with Hal David, talks about the song in general. He mentions how the melody line evolved, along with other lyrics of the song, plus the orchestration and melody.
The analysis of the song through lyrics and music, is noted in all the fifty-five tunes, and it might definitely make us listen to the songs again in a much different light. I am sure some people might question why other tunes were not mentioned here, but when one is selecting fifty-five songs out of thousands, decisions must be made to highlight some and not others.
It is likely there might be another volume down the road where Marc Myers picks and chooses another batch of iconic songs.
Up Up and Away is also mentioned in the book, written by Jimmy Webb. He was a struggling songwriter. There was a hot air balloon in a lot not far from the college campus where a disc jockey was stationed. The disc jockey said as Jimmy and friends walked toward him, “Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?” Jimmy and a friend talked about making a teen beach movie, but this being in the desert with balloons involved. The next day he was went into a writing phase, thinking first of Superman and his line, “Up, up, and away!” Then the words of the disc jockey came back, “Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?” And as they say, the rest is history.
There are dozens of other notable songs noted in the book. Sunshine Superman by Donovan, Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys, Fire by the Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, I’m Eighteen by Alice Cooper, Year of the Cat by Al Stewart, Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot, and Nobody Does It Better are just a few of the fifty-five songs.
Music lovers will definitely find so much to savor in the book, bringing to light the manner in which so many tunes were brought to life.
The book begins with Walk On By recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1964. Burt Bacharach the co-writer of the song along with Hal David, talks about the song in general. He mentions how the melody line evolved, along with other lyrics of the song, plus the orchestration and melody.
The analysis of the song through lyrics and music, is noted in all the fifty-five tunes, and it might definitely make us listen to the songs again in a much different light. I am sure some people might question why other tunes were not mentioned here, but when one is selecting fifty-five songs out of thousands, decisions must be made to highlight some and not others.
It is likely there might be another volume down the road where Marc Myers picks and chooses another batch of iconic songs.
Up Up and Away is also mentioned in the book, written by Jimmy Webb. He was a struggling songwriter. There was a hot air balloon in a lot not far from the college campus where a disc jockey was stationed. The disc jockey said as Jimmy and friends walked toward him, “Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?” Jimmy and a friend talked about making a teen beach movie, but this being in the desert with balloons involved. The next day he was went into a writing phase, thinking first of Superman and his line, “Up, up, and away!” Then the words of the disc jockey came back, “Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?” And as they say, the rest is history.
There are dozens of other notable songs noted in the book. Sunshine Superman by Donovan, Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys, Fire by the Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, I’m Eighteen by Alice Cooper, Year of the Cat by Al Stewart, Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot, and Nobody Does It Better are just a few of the fifty-five songs.
Music lovers will definitely find so much to savor in the book, bringing to light the manner in which so many tunes were brought to life.
January 3, 2023
Since I don't know when I've kept Anatomy of a Song by Marc Myers on my book wish list but never got around to reading it. When I saw the sequel, Anatomy of 55 More Songs, here, I jumped at the chance to read it. I really enjoy the analysis part of songs for the same reasons I enjoy dissecting a book. This sequel goes through 55 more songs on top of the original 45, and there are so many notable songs such as Earth, Wind, and Fire's "September" as well as "Rapture" by Blondie, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, and so many more.
You move through the book chronologically, so you're swept away through the time period as well. This means you get to know the trends and what was going on in the music industry at that time. There's no need to read the song analyses in order or in their entirety, but it helps to understand more than just the song at hand. I didn't read every passage because I either didn't know the song or didn't like it.
Although I knew a ton of information about songs like the most famous Journey song and "Roundabout" by Yes, there were many other songs that I knew but not as intimately. If you enjoy learning how a song came about, the instruments and arrangements used, and how the artists, writers, producers, etc., felt about it, this is the place to learn. I felt that it could reach casual music fans as well as more hard-core ones, which is a challenge for a writer, but this book felt equally comfortable for both. It's up to you if you want to delve into the music further. (Now that's an idea--include a streaming app, link, or outlet for this book.)
Most songs reviewed are pop songs or songs that became popular by your less mainstream bands and singers. This book seemed to talk about 60s through 80s tunes and pretty much stops at 80s songs, but since this is a regular column in the Wall Street Journal, I'm assuming more discussion will come.
Generally, my tastes lean toward classic rock, hard rock, prog rock, metal, and that type of fare, so this is different from the music books I tend to read, but I found it enjoyable. It's fun to page through, stop to read about a song, and then move on. I hate to call it a "bathroom book," but it's one that could sit on your coffee table after you've read it and be available to any other music fans. It does pique my interest in the previous volume--I cannot imagine what songs the author tackles in that edition.
Thank you, Grove Atlantic, Grove Press, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!
You move through the book chronologically, so you're swept away through the time period as well. This means you get to know the trends and what was going on in the music industry at that time. There's no need to read the song analyses in order or in their entirety, but it helps to understand more than just the song at hand. I didn't read every passage because I either didn't know the song or didn't like it.
Although I knew a ton of information about songs like the most famous Journey song and "Roundabout" by Yes, there were many other songs that I knew but not as intimately. If you enjoy learning how a song came about, the instruments and arrangements used, and how the artists, writers, producers, etc., felt about it, this is the place to learn. I felt that it could reach casual music fans as well as more hard-core ones, which is a challenge for a writer, but this book felt equally comfortable for both. It's up to you if you want to delve into the music further. (Now that's an idea--include a streaming app, link, or outlet for this book.)
Most songs reviewed are pop songs or songs that became popular by your less mainstream bands and singers. This book seemed to talk about 60s through 80s tunes and pretty much stops at 80s songs, but since this is a regular column in the Wall Street Journal, I'm assuming more discussion will come.
Generally, my tastes lean toward classic rock, hard rock, prog rock, metal, and that type of fare, so this is different from the music books I tend to read, but I found it enjoyable. It's fun to page through, stop to read about a song, and then move on. I hate to call it a "bathroom book," but it's one that could sit on your coffee table after you've read it and be available to any other music fans. It does pique my interest in the previous volume--I cannot imagine what songs the author tackles in that edition.
Thank you, Grove Atlantic, Grove Press, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It was a pleasure!
July 30, 2023
Mr. Myers does a pretty admirable job picking and choosing some notable songs from the last half of the 20th century that, in ways small and large, left their mark on our popular culture. There are a few questionable entries and definitely some notable holes. Don’t expect any Beatles songs. The “anatomies” work as oral histories, so the entries are only as good as the artist that’s willing to talk to the author. Maybe Paul and Ringo didn’t want to chat with him. At the same time, it’s rather refreshing to be free of The Beatles' shadow. There’s a couple forests' worth of books that cover how their songs were created. Mr. Myers gives the limelight to other artists who managed to sing their way into the zeitgeist. You’re almost guaranteed to run into a song you don’t like, but it’s still fascinating to hear how that piece of history was carved out. The first song, Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By” isn’t one that I’d count as a favorite. Ms. Warwick’s just not my cup of tea. But there’s no denying that the arrangement by Burt Bacharach is a sound that’s going to pop up at the top of the charts plenty of times in the ‘60s and ‘70s. There’s the only song to reach the top 10 in the 1970s that features a fiddle solo, the first Native American band to have a hit, the first rap song to reach number one (performed by a white artist, no less)... so many stories told in a tight format that will leave the curious listener satisfied and allows plenty of room for so many songs. Unfortunately, there’s not much to chew on for millennials, but maybe someone else can write a book about their music. For now, this is a fine gateway for the under-40 crowd to discover music they just might dig. Every song that's dissected is only a Youtube search away and I, like the author, highly recommend listening to the songs as you read about them. This book is a pop culture history lesson well worth the study time.
May 7, 2022
Anatomy of 55 More Songs by Marc Myers is a fun and informative trip through many of the hits of the rock era, though not limited to the genre of rock.
As a history (not 'the' history, his subtitles to both volumes are hyperbolic) this volume takes us from songwriters writing for factories (think Motown and Brill building as examples) to the singer/songwriters and right into the recent (must be at least 25 years old) ways of creating songs. From wonderful studio information about overlaying tracks to background information on the inspiration for the songs, this book has something for every music lover.
For those in my age group this is also a great trip down memory lane, as was his Anatomy of a Song several years ago. While you will probably be able to hear the song in your mind when you are about to start a chapter, I'd recommend listening to it so you can pick up on any details they might mention. I could play most from my own records collection but what I didn't have was readily available online. I have to admit to going off on tangents when I would put an album on for one song and end up listening to the whole thing, or at least one side.
As for the writing of the book, most consists of what those involved in the music had to say, so it varies depending on how each person spoke. The brief contextualization Myers writes for each is clear, helpful, and to the point. This is the fourth book of his I have read and have yet to be disappointed. In addition to the two Anatomy volumes his Rock Concert was another excellent oral history type of book and I was particularly impressed with his Why Jazz Happened book because it did more than just offer a musical history, it offers a cultural and sociological history as well.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
As a history (not 'the' history, his subtitles to both volumes are hyperbolic) this volume takes us from songwriters writing for factories (think Motown and Brill building as examples) to the singer/songwriters and right into the recent (must be at least 25 years old) ways of creating songs. From wonderful studio information about overlaying tracks to background information on the inspiration for the songs, this book has something for every music lover.
For those in my age group this is also a great trip down memory lane, as was his Anatomy of a Song several years ago. While you will probably be able to hear the song in your mind when you are about to start a chapter, I'd recommend listening to it so you can pick up on any details they might mention. I could play most from my own records collection but what I didn't have was readily available online. I have to admit to going off on tangents when I would put an album on for one song and end up listening to the whole thing, or at least one side.
As for the writing of the book, most consists of what those involved in the music had to say, so it varies depending on how each person spoke. The brief contextualization Myers writes for each is clear, helpful, and to the point. This is the fourth book of his I have read and have yet to be disappointed. In addition to the two Anatomy volumes his Rock Concert was another excellent oral history type of book and I was particularly impressed with his Why Jazz Happened book because it did more than just offer a musical history, it offers a cultural and sociological history as well.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
June 22, 2022
Marc Myers is back with 55 more entries from his Wall Street Journal column telling the oral history of influential rock, pop, soul, and disco hits released between 1964 and 1996. As with the first of his collections, Anatomy of a Song, covering 45 numbers, each chapter tells the story of how each song was written, recorded, and released, how each artist came to record the song, how it fits into the evolution of rock- and soul-based popular music.
The 55 are even better than the 45, for me -- the song selection is more within my own lifetime, more a part of the soundtrack of my life, and better curated than the first collection in avoiding songs that have grown stale or were too obscure to begin with. Also, for me as a musician who plays a lot this kind of music, the emphasis this time around is more heavily skewed toward the inspiration and technique of songwriting as well as the technical aspects of the recording process.
As with the previous collection, it just amazes how many times the big hit was an afterthought in album production, how many of the people (particularly women) who inspired love songs never knew they were the inspiration, how many artists claim to not know how to read music, and various other tidbits.
Just great great stuff for music aficionados. Pro tip: listen to the song being discussed before, after, or even during its chapter while you're reading -- even if you think you know the song well, listen again for some of the things that are discussed, you'll be amazed. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this excellent book.
The 55 are even better than the 45, for me -- the song selection is more within my own lifetime, more a part of the soundtrack of my life, and better curated than the first collection in avoiding songs that have grown stale or were too obscure to begin with. Also, for me as a musician who plays a lot this kind of music, the emphasis this time around is more heavily skewed toward the inspiration and technique of songwriting as well as the technical aspects of the recording process.
As with the previous collection, it just amazes how many times the big hit was an afterthought in album production, how many of the people (particularly women) who inspired love songs never knew they were the inspiration, how many artists claim to not know how to read music, and various other tidbits.
Just great great stuff for music aficionados. Pro tip: listen to the song being discussed before, after, or even during its chapter while you're reading -- even if you think you know the song well, listen again for some of the things that are discussed, you'll be amazed. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this excellent book.
January 28, 2023
Marc Myers's follow-up to "Anatomy of a Song" collects 55 additional oral histories of songs that are both beloved and iconic. Each of the profiled songs are arranged chronologically. Myers (Rock Concert) first places the song's impact within its genre and shares its importance to the artist or group who recorded it. For the second part of each oral history, Myers interviews musicians, composers, producers and others who tell the story of each song's development and creation. The songs profiled range in date from 1964 (Dionne Warwick's "Walk on By" and Martha and the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Streets") to 1996 (Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy").
Joan Jett recalls "Bad Reputation" being written in a rage when--after her first group, the Runaways, disbanded--record labels were wary of her bad-girl image. Blondie cofounders Debbie Harry and Chris Stein remember adding a rap to "Rapture" in 1980. "Rap was an anomaly then," Stein notes. "It hadn't become mainstream." Discussing the difference between performing the song "Truckin'" live and recording in a studio, the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir says: "This is one of the reasons why we famously didn't make good studio records. We played too goddamn loud in there."
Myers's interviews offer a wealth of fun and illuminating anecdotes for songs, including The Band's "The Weight," T. Rex's "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," Elton John's "Rocket Man," Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly with His Song," The Spinners' "I'll Be Around" and The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."
Audiophiles will love this tasty collection of oral histories of great songs, told by those who created them.
Joan Jett recalls "Bad Reputation" being written in a rage when--after her first group, the Runaways, disbanded--record labels were wary of her bad-girl image. Blondie cofounders Debbie Harry and Chris Stein remember adding a rap to "Rapture" in 1980. "Rap was an anomaly then," Stein notes. "It hadn't become mainstream." Discussing the difference between performing the song "Truckin'" live and recording in a studio, the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir says: "This is one of the reasons why we famously didn't make good studio records. We played too goddamn loud in there."
Myers's interviews offer a wealth of fun and illuminating anecdotes for songs, including The Band's "The Weight," T. Rex's "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," Elton John's "Rocket Man," Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly with His Song," The Spinners' "I'll Be Around" and The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations."
Audiophiles will love this tasty collection of oral histories of great songs, told by those who created them.
September 11, 2024
A companion to the author's first book, which focused on earlier songs that are represented as foundational in pop, rock'n roll, r&b and blues music. Myers, an entertainment critic for the Wall Street Journal, interviews artists, writers and producers about how the songs he chose were made. Some interesting stories, and probably the foundation for many arguments about what's included and what's not. He doesn't choose anything newer than the last 25 years, so squarely in the boomer and Gen X catalogues. I did think I would finally get some insight into what "The Weight" ("Take a load off Annie") was about, but Myers' interview with Robbie Robertson indicates it's not really about anything, despite the biblical overtones. Bummer. Enjoyed the sections on "Good Vibrations," "Bad Moon Rising" and "Sundown," probably my favorite Gordon Lightfoot song that definitely brings back those years in high school. Because Myers is pretty inclusive, he went some places in hip-hop and punk that I just never paid attention to. Still, lots of insight into how songs are made and a lot of technical stuff about music technology, equipment and musicianship (chord changes, harmonies) that I barely recall from the days when I could read music. It's good for remembering these songs, for thinking about how important they were (or weren't) and for bringing back things you forgot. I didn't know Jimmy Webb ("Wichita Lineman") wrote "Up Up and Away", I'm not sure how 10cc made the list and I would argue that "Peg" is not the best song on Steely Dan's "Aja" album - though it is their best album by far. Dig in.
June 8, 2022
Anatomy of 55 More Songs by Marc Myers is pretty good.
In this book, Myers picks 55 influential songs and writes a short paragraph detailing why he picked each. He then includes an interview with the people involved in the song, discussing how it was written and what it means.
I think, overall, he does a good job. The introduction paragraphs are short, easy to read, and tell us what we need to know. The quality of the interview is mostly based on the person being interviewed, but Myers does a good job keeping it fairly short and keeping the interesting stuff. I also really appreciate the pictures of the band, giving us a little visualization. Myers picks a large range of songs as well. While they are mostly rock songs, it has different subgenres, and it also has some pop, funk, and country music.
I wish that there could have been some different photos, maybe a photo of the album or single. I also think the book could have benefitted from stating who is being interviewed, not just in the table of contents, but also at the beginning of each chapter. Related to that, I would have loved some extra information under the title of each song. Maybe the genre of music, how many sales, the record company.
All in all, I would recommend this book more for reference, and for people who are interested in this music. I would also recommend it for people who know more about different types of guitars and notes.
Thank you to Marc Myers and Grove Atlantic for sending me this ARC on NetGalley.
In this book, Myers picks 55 influential songs and writes a short paragraph detailing why he picked each. He then includes an interview with the people involved in the song, discussing how it was written and what it means.
I think, overall, he does a good job. The introduction paragraphs are short, easy to read, and tell us what we need to know. The quality of the interview is mostly based on the person being interviewed, but Myers does a good job keeping it fairly short and keeping the interesting stuff. I also really appreciate the pictures of the band, giving us a little visualization. Myers picks a large range of songs as well. While they are mostly rock songs, it has different subgenres, and it also has some pop, funk, and country music.
I wish that there could have been some different photos, maybe a photo of the album or single. I also think the book could have benefitted from stating who is being interviewed, not just in the table of contents, but also at the beginning of each chapter. Related to that, I would have loved some extra information under the title of each song. Maybe the genre of music, how many sales, the record company.
All in all, I would recommend this book more for reference, and for people who are interested in this music. I would also recommend it for people who know more about different types of guitars and notes.
Thank you to Marc Myers and Grove Atlantic for sending me this ARC on NetGalley.
May 4, 2022
I have been a fan of Marc Myers from his column "Anatomy of a Song" in the Wall Street Journal and also had the opportunity to read his book "Rock Concert" that came out late last year and gave that five stars. This book is a compilation of his columns and focus on iconic songs from 1964-1996. Each of the 55 songs starts with a photo, an introduction setting the context of the genre followed by interviews with those who played a key role in the creation of the song (artists, composers, producers, musicians). As I read the book, I would pause and play the song so I could have a full experience. I also learned little known facts --who knew Al Stewart's song was originally going to be called "Horse of the Year," or that Carly Simon mistakenly thought Marvin Hamlisch was her tax attorney. We learn the significance of the 21st day of September (from the song "September" by Earth Wind and Fire), that the original name of a famous band was 'Pud" and that for over 35 years I had misheard the lyrics of "Rapture" to be more explicit than they are! This is such a fun book and I want to go create a playlist and go back and experience it all again. Did I mention that this is the second of two volumes? How did I miss the first one -- time to go read that one now! Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I highly recommend this well researched and very fun read!
I highly recommend this well researched and very fun read!
May 26, 2022
There is much to like about “Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of 55 Hits That Changed Rock, R&B, and Soul” by Marc Myers. Mr. Myers hits on a lot of classic songs that helped shape popular music from 1964 until the present day. We see a wide variety of genres, covering Motown to heavy metal to California to British invasion. We learn about the inspiration for many of the songs, the situation surrounding the writing and recording of the songs, and the effect the songs had on the authors.
We also get the history directly from the key players, the artists, authors, and producers who were involved in making the song the hit it has become. I enjoyed learning about the backstory of several of the all-time greats, from Roxy Music to Joe Jackson to the Cars, and that I was wrong about Sheryl Crow and a bunch of other song inspirations!
However, there were parts that were difficult for me to get through, being a non-musician, all about the song structures and what the chord progressions were and how the guitars were tuned and other technical recording details. Probably very interesting for musicians, but not for me.
Well worth the read, a fun romp through the popular music of the past several decades.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Grove Atlantic, Grove Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
We also get the history directly from the key players, the artists, authors, and producers who were involved in making the song the hit it has become. I enjoyed learning about the backstory of several of the all-time greats, from Roxy Music to Joe Jackson to the Cars, and that I was wrong about Sheryl Crow and a bunch of other song inspirations!
However, there were parts that were difficult for me to get through, being a non-musician, all about the song structures and what the chord progressions were and how the guitars were tuned and other technical recording details. Probably very interesting for musicians, but not for me.
Well worth the read, a fun romp through the popular music of the past several decades.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Grove Atlantic, Grove Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
October 6, 2022
Anatomy of 55 More Songs by Marc Myers is a fun read that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the stories behind some of pop music’s biggest hits. Each song is briefly introduced by Myers, who provides some historical context for the artist and the period of the career when the hit was written. From there, the story is turned over to the musicians, producers, and writers who brought the songs to life.
The book's biggest strength also happens to be its weakness. Not every songwriter/musician is a storyteller. Some of the stories are deeply engaging and anecdotal, while others seem to stick to a fairly dry recounting of the facts. As a musician, it was fascinating to hear some of the technical details about how the songs came together (with information on production techniques, musical progressions, key changes, and more). Still, some of this may be of moderate to low interest to the average reader.
It's definitely worth a read for anyone interested in popular music in the second half of the 20th century, covering a wide variety of genres, with some of the world's biggest superstars and some artists who are lesser known to the general public.
The book's biggest strength also happens to be its weakness. Not every songwriter/musician is a storyteller. Some of the stories are deeply engaging and anecdotal, while others seem to stick to a fairly dry recounting of the facts. As a musician, it was fascinating to hear some of the technical details about how the songs came together (with information on production techniques, musical progressions, key changes, and more). Still, some of this may be of moderate to low interest to the average reader.
It's definitely worth a read for anyone interested in popular music in the second half of the 20th century, covering a wide variety of genres, with some of the world's biggest superstars and some artists who are lesser known to the general public.
November 19, 2022
Very interesting reading! Each song is introduced with a brief article explaining the context in which is came to be and the impact it had. Then interviews with songwriters, musicians, and industry members are used to explain how the song was born, how it changed and evolved, and how the performers felt about it. I learned lots of interesting tidbits (Can you imagine having Sheryl Crow as your 3rd grade music teacher? Did you know there is a very sweet reason why it's the 21st night of September???). That said, it's VERY boomer-centric (a 1996 song by Sheryl Crow is the most contemporary piece featured) and some of the choices are a little obscure. Still, anyone who enjoys music history and pop culture will find a lot to like here!
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
August 12, 2022
"Anatomy of 55 More Songs" by Marc Myers was such an incredibly fun read for me. I used to love watching all of those behind the music type shows where they'd interview band members and talk about the ideas behind their songs, what inspired them, details about their craft, etc. I also happen to really love lists. This book checked those boxes for me.
To make it a little more fun for myself, I also created a playlist with all of the songs Myers writes about and listened to them after I read about each one. The technical aspects that the musicians discussed, interestingly enough, became easier to pick up on after reading this book.
Absolutely recommend for anyone who loves music history/appreciation and maybe those of you that want to pick up a little trivia knowledge)
Thanks to @netgalley for the advance copy!
To make it a little more fun for myself, I also created a playlist with all of the songs Myers writes about and listened to them after I read about each one. The technical aspects that the musicians discussed, interestingly enough, became easier to pick up on after reading this book.
Absolutely recommend for anyone who loves music history/appreciation and maybe those of you that want to pick up a little trivia knowledge)
Thanks to @netgalley for the advance copy!
February 5, 2023
Amazing - I love music but not being a musician myself a lot of the technical tidbits (and there are so so many) went over my head. I listened to each song as I read each chapter so I could better understand what they were talking about but not knowing musical scales etc I still felt like I was missing a lot of the texture.
I feel like this column should be a podcast - reading about it is interesting but hearing the interviews and having the intricacies highlighted audibly would really make the whole endeavor perfect.
I look forward to another book with 55 more songs - I would love the same treatment for some more modern stuff. The last song is mid 1990s Sheryl Crow - how about some Leon Bridges, Magnetic Fields or Lucius?
I feel like this column should be a podcast - reading about it is interesting but hearing the interviews and having the intricacies highlighted audibly would really make the whole endeavor perfect.
I look forward to another book with 55 more songs - I would love the same treatment for some more modern stuff. The last song is mid 1990s Sheryl Crow - how about some Leon Bridges, Magnetic Fields or Lucius?
July 25, 2023
Like the first compilation, this book will appeal to any music lover who grew up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. And, again, the technical details may intrude for some readers but the author does a good job of editing the personal accounts and balancing the tech speak with the inspirational and anecdotal. This was fun, enlightening, and I appreciated it could be read in short bites or binged as desired. I’d welcome a third in the series with songs that were missing from the first two or music from the 90s plus. You will hum, sing and seek out the music dissected here. For fans of musician biographies, Tom Breihan’s The Number Ones, and Kelefa Sanneh’s Major Labels.
May 27, 2022
This book is fabulous, it takes me back so far into the days of these hits were played, to the extent of tying to find on my old records or CD's.
The book delve in the life of the various artists, that wrote and created the music from these hits. The concept of making songs seem s much easier and simpler in the early days, yet great hits that live on for generation are made. A very experimental time with very little technology and some very, very talented music and lyric makers.
A must read for anyone who is interested in music.
,
The book delve in the life of the various artists, that wrote and created the music from these hits. The concept of making songs seem s much easier and simpler in the early days, yet great hits that live on for generation are made. A very experimental time with very little technology and some very, very talented music and lyric makers.
A must read for anyone who is interested in music.
,
January 26, 2023
Another exceptional book on how the creative mind works. I've heard most of the 55 songs detailed in the book and I find it fascinating reading how songs are written and developed. Sometimes it's the simplest of reasons how a certain lyric is written. I thought the lyrics for "Roundabout" had some deep meaning, but I was wrong and who knew that "Accidents Can Happen" was inspired by a Burt Bacharach song.
January 29, 2023
Wonderfully eclectic second volume: Chic, soul, rock, metal, glam, Laurel Canyon sound. Amazing selection of interviewees, with pithy chapters that will please audiophiles. It's hard to make equipment as interesting as melodies but Myers' interviewees are allowed to tell us what gear (speakers, guitars) made the sounds. Wise idea, too, to only include two songs from the 1990s and none from this century.
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