Book Description
Rockin' Out provides a comprehensive social history of popular music in the United States from the heyday of Tin Pan Alley to the current sounds of electronic dance music and teen pop, from the invention of the phonograph to the promise of the Internet. It offers an analysis and critique of the music itself and the conditions of its production and consumption. The book is organized chronologically and thematically around particular genres/styles of music and addresses such dimensions as race, class, gender, ethnicity, technology, copyright and the structure of the music industry as they affect the development of the music. The author examines the Tin Pan Alley era, mass media and the construction of race, the rise of rhythm and blues, the eruption of rock 'n' roll, the reaction to rock 'n' roll, the sixties, fragmentation of pop, the poles of pop, the eighties, youth culture and censorship, packaging pop for the new millennium and the future of music. For music fans and historians.
Customer Reviews:
Formidable!!.......2006-12-12
This book was truely beneficial in interpreting and learning music history. The pictures and articles relate very much to college students in the modern day. It was an easy read and as a professor it was easy to make exam questions based on readings. Je l'aime bien!
Book Description
From Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill) to Eli Roth (Hostel), the young guns of modern Hollywood just can't get enough of that exploitation film high. Between 1970 and 1985, American Exploitation movies went berserk. With censorship relaxed, excess, wide-open, horror - the Exploitation genre par excellence - offered a vibrant alternative to mainstream American cinema. Luridly titled wonders like The Headless Eyes, Scream Bloody Murder and Hitch Hike To Hell played at Texas drive-ins and NYC grindhouses, touting a combination of mind-bruising violence, weird sex and drug-soaked delirium. Massively popular around the world, these movies have remained persona non grata in most serious studies of American film, until now. • Explores the development of America's subterranean horror film industry • Spotlights the wildest films • Revealing the fascinating true stories behind classics and obscurities
Customer Reviews:
NIGHTMARE USA THE BIBLE OF HORROR AND EXPLOITATION.......2007-10-01
I'm gonna keep this short and sweet.Any fan of horror and exploitation,and also obscure material,should have this book! 528 pages of pure beauty I just can't say enough about this awesome book! So shell out the 60 bux or so for this gem! Trust me you will not disappointed!Splatterbeast is a happy beast thanks to nightmare usa!
More Than I Hoped For.......2007-09-29
I read about Nightmare, USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents by Stephen Thrower online on several discussion forums. I had not heard of the book before, but was intrigued by the subject. Though expensive it is worth every penny. With long interviews of filmmakers, restrospectives of their work, detailed reviews of the movies and extensive use of pictures, many unseen before, this is a great add to anyone's film library. The subjects chosen have rarely been profiled or even discussed before, though many of the films are cult classics.
At over 500 pages and weighing almost five pounds this is an excellent book that will fill many hours with great reading.
Excellent, astounding and fun........2007-09-29
Consistently thoughtful, funny, appreciative of the material but never solemn, Thrower's book gleefully mines the dross pile and finds gold on every page. There is no snootiness here, as in a great many other genre books, no sense of superiority to the material. But there's no blindness to substandard acting, low-ball production values or whacked-out results, either. Don't let the gigantic size of the tome put you off. Any given chapter is a self-contained, independent joy to read on its own, well-researched, insightful and amusing. Full disclosure: Stephen interviewed me at length for the chapter on director Irv Berwick (and quoted me accurately, too.) Highly reccommended to anyone interested in exploitation, horror, or film history in general.
GREAT!.......2007-09-29
I bought this book without having seen it and having only heard reviews of it. WOW! I was NOT disappointed. If you are a fan of drive-in and grindhouse movies you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. As a graphic designer, I am equally impressed with the number of great "never before seen" photos included. I've heard rumors of a volume 2... If there is, I will buy that without hesitation as well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Believe the hype- truly outstanding........2007-09-01
Good lord, what an amazing piece of work. Worth its (considerable) weight in gold, this is a steal at $80, and a shameful screwing of the publisher at the $50 Amazon is selling it for. One caveat, though: I got my copy from Amazon, and it arrived looking a bit dogeared.
Book Description
Rockin' Out offers a comprehensive history of popular music in the United States from the heyday of Tin Pan Alley to the present day sounds of electronic dance music and teen pop, from the invention of the phonograph to the promise of the Internet. It offers an analysis and critique of the music itself as well as how it is produced and marketed.
Average customer rating:
- I think the it is a very informative and well-written book.
- The book is intriguing, and very well written!
|
Hollywood Rhapsody: The Story of Movie Music, 1900-1975
Gary Marmorstein
Manufacturer: Schirmer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Popular
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Theory, Composition & Performance
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
| Appreciation
| Composition
| Conducting
| Exercises
| Instruction & Study
| MIDI, Mixers, etc.
| Sheet Music & Scores
| Songbooks
| Songwriting
| Techniques
| Theory
| Vocal
General
| Music
| Pop Culture
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
California
| State & Local
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Social History
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Entertainment
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0028645952 |
Book Description
This engaging text presents the history of songs and scores highlighted with personal history of their creators.
Customer Reviews:
I think the it is a very informative and well-written book........1999-01-09
If you were writing a report on music in the movies, Hollywood Rhapsody should be in your bibliography!!! It's a very compelling and funny factual book about music and the stories about the composers.
The book is intriguing, and very well written!.......1998-07-19
It is facinating to read about the behind scenes history of our most famous movies, and the men and women who made them. Also, very enlightening stories and facts about Hollywood and Los Angeles.
Book Description
In one compact volume, POP DREAMS analyzes the trends, events, and personalities that influenced American culture from 1945 to 1970. The discussion broadens students' understanding of major events in popular culture by putting those events in historical context.
Customer Reviews:
brief and well written.......2005-08-25
This little book could easily have been a fully fledged tome. Loss surveys the popular American media in the 1960s. He shows how it echoed and in turn fed back on the burning issues of the times. The Vietnam War and the civil rights movement.
There is discussion of politics at the Federal level, with the actions of US Presidents being key events. But Loss manages to tie this all into a narrative that also encompasses analysis of the rock and roll scene and the counterculture.
The book is aimed at an undergraduate or high school reader, as a quick synopsis of trends that Loss traces back to 1945 and the emergence of the US from the Second World War. He hopes to whet the reader's appetite for more detailed reading of these vast topics.
Book Description
Innovative and lively, this comparative and integrative study of the multicultural music of the United States explores the music of Native Americans, European Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans–the five broad groups that constitute American society and that have complex, unique, and often intermingled musical traditions that are reflected in contemporary American music. It features a blended historical/social, ethnic, and musical approach; strong contemporary focus; and coverage of a wide variety of musical styles.
Music in Multicultural America. Native American Music Traditions. The Roots of European/Anglo-American Music Traditions. The Roots of African American Music Traditions. The Roots of Hispanic/Latino Music Traditions. The Blues. Jazz. Gospel. Cajun and Zydeco. Country. The Urban Folk Revival. The Ethnic and Racial Roots of Rock 'n' Roll. Motown, Soul and Funk. Tejano, Banda, and Contemporary Mexican. Caribbean and Salsa. Asian American Music. Hip-Hop and Rap.
For anyone interested in American Popular Music.
Customer Reviews:
Highly recommended!.......2006-09-07
This lively and accessible book explores the musical traditions of five broad groups - Native Americans, European Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans - with particular interest in how those multicultural roots have intermingled to create contemporary American music.
Along the way, author Elizabeth Barkley achieves a near impossible feat: presenting concise and candid histories of each cultural group, in addition to equally concise and clear explanations of the stylistic elements of their music. These elements are reinforced by the companion CD, which provides 18 listening examples with commentary.
My only criticism is that the book suffers from inattentive editing. For example, the first citation in Chapter One is "Ibid." Several photo captions apparently include layout notations not intended for readers' eyes, sometimes to a mildly humorous effect. The content deserves better.
Though designed for college students with no prior musical training, this book will be invaluable to high school and college music teachers wanting to infuse more diversity into their coursework, or for social studies teachers wanting to infuse more popular culture. I would also recommend it to those specifically interested in African American music since - not surprisingly - about half the chapters touch on it in one way or another. Highly recommended!
Average customer rating:
- The wild life of T.V's Keith Partridge
- Go back in a time-warp and wander around a bit in a strange land that used to be the USA
- I wonder what David Cassidy's life was like
- MANY STORIES IN ONE
- David is Updating his autobiography!!!
|
C'mon, Get Happy: Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus
David Cassidy
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Voice
| Instruments & Performers
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Rock
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Television
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Shows
| Television
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Television Performers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Could It Be Forever?: My Story
-
Greatest Hits Live
-
The Partridge Family - The Complete Second Season
-
The Partridge Family Sound Magazine
-
The Partridge Family - The Complete First Season
ASIN: 0446395315 |
Customer Reviews:
The wild life of T.V's Keith Partridge.......2007-06-09
I am a Partridge Family fan, so when I heard that David Cassidy wrote a book about his experiences being Keith Partridge I wanted to read about it.
David Cassidy is very candid about his life. he starts off talking about his childhood as the son of Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward. Then for the majority of the book he goes into the teen/adult years of his life spend having sex with MANY woman and doing alot of drugs. I was not happy because by the title I thought he would spend more time talking about the Partridge Family, but hwe did not. It was an interesting book though, and if you want to know more about David Cassidy this book is for you
Go back in a time-warp and wander around a bit in a strange land that used to be the USA.......2007-05-21
Skimmed over a few chapters of this book while I was re-selling it from a garage sale pick up and it was yet another pretty interesting reminder of how things used to be and how much they've changed and regressed for the worse rather than better, not to mention a somewhat unintentional complete laugh riot in spots.
Despite his teeny-bopper image and music, Cassidy had pretensions to being a real `artist' (hey, at least he put in an effort!) and wants you to know very early on in the book that though the 'coolness' never transferred to his music, he's really the guy-man-dude ultimate hipster of the 60s & 70s, really even more like Hunter S. Thompson in real life than the ten-times-more-talented drug-casualty similarly-shag-haircutted Gram Parsons, going as far back as when he was 17 (Davy-boy's drug-use from the time he was in junior-high is introduced very early on in the book in a very straightforward style, as a way of establishing his `street-credentials' to interest a wider audience that would respond to the marketing device of using the instant drug-connected cultural-pavlov-symbol of the phrase "Fear & Loathing" which he borrowed from Thompson who made it famous but who had himself borrowed it from Kierkergaard). Just to mention one of the more hilariously unabashed boasts of the book. According to Davy boy (nicknamed "the Donk" for his similarity to a Donkey in a certain part of his anatomy), he used to last about 2 minutes with most of the girls he met. Girls who would actually just walk up to him and say "Hi, want to f --- ?" This was BEFORE he made it big on the Partridge family during the now legendary 'summer of love' love-ins. According to him, this had nothing to do with his pretty boy looks and it was not at all unusual. The times were different. Magic was in the air. Well, after the 2-minute boy-wonder soaked up some Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and granted he was having a good trip and not a bum one, he was able to go for 4 to 5 hours. The girl begged him to stop at 2 in the morning and then had to limp home! When he called her later, she thanked him for the most unusual night and said she had a hard time walking. Way to go, Davy boy! The machoest of real rock stars will have a tough time topping that one!
Cassidy went from making 8 million dollars in the 70s, from having more people in his fan club than Elvis to less than a 1000 dollars in his bank account and crashing in the extra room of friends in the mid '80s. Where were all his loyal fans? Did they all move on to Duran Duran and Flock of Seagulls? According to him, the studio made over 500 million dollars from merchandising his image alone. Everyone wrote him off and forgot about him. Even his old friend that big hole Don Johnson snubbed him when he was riding high on Miami Vice. When a guy goes from such a total success to such a complete crash, you can't help but KNOW he was blacklisted from the industry for some dark and mysterious reason.
Maybe there will be clues to the mystery in the other bio book he wrote. Good fun read, this one, much more than you would expect from an ex TV star.
I wonder what David Cassidy's life was like.......2007-03-14
I am an long lost David Cassidy fan, lol, 48 now. I saw this book, bought, and read it. I am so sorry to hear of his financial misgivings. I think I could have handled his money better. I don't understand why he didn't get a lawyer to help with his financial affairs. Alas, so goes. Anyway, interesting to learn a teen idol's life isn't all so interesting. I was sorry to read Susan Dey never keeps in contact with him. The part in the book, was silly teen stuff. You'd think she'd grown up and want to keep in touch with old friends. Maybe, she still has a crush on David. Who knows. Interesting book, not recommended for children, written by David Cassidy, himself. Remember, he is writing an autobiography, not Gone With the Wind.
MANY STORIES IN ONE.......2006-10-07
This book is more than the story of a once mega star. It is the story of a heartbreaking father/son relationship. It reveals the struggles of a young artist and well as the madness of becoming a pop icon. It speaks to unfullfilled dreams and achieving the highest level of success, but not in the area/realm that once actually dreamed of. It's about corruption in the entertainment industry and finances mismanaged. It's the story of coming of age in the wild late 60's and 70's with hippies, sex and drugs. It's the story of a television show that will forever be a part of America's history. Reading it, I found myself rooting for Mr. Cassidy to find a lasting and meaningful love interest and a once again successful, though more personally meaningful, career. I also loved that Mr. Cassidy reveals Don Johnson to be the arrogant, shallow person I always assumed him to be. It was nice to learn that Shirley Jones was such a warm and caring person.
I was only 6 years-old when the Partridge Family first aired and I always thought him to be the handsomest of men. I was unaware of his concerts while the show was airing or his fan clubs. I was also unaware that he had written a biography unitl I saw him concert this past Summer. A concert which I learned about more or less by accident. I was mostly interested in seeing that famous smile for old times sake. But I have to say that I was quite impressed with Mr. Cassidy's singing voice and his entertainment capabilities. I have a new view and sense of respect for him. This guy is way more than Keith Partridge (whom I always remembered him as). He can REALLY sing. His life story is a turbulent one and at times a tearfully sad one, but it is also one of ultimate success as a person.
David is Updating his autobiography!!!.......2006-06-11
I have read David's book when it first came out, and loved it! I learned alot about the experiences on and off The Partridge Family set. A definate must-read for any David Cassidy fan.
David Is Updating His Autobiography! David has just signed a book deal with Headline Books in the UK to update his autobiography. The book is due for publication March 5, 2007.
(for more David Cassidy items, please view my Listmania list; The Ultimate David Cassidy Guide. Thank you.)
Average customer rating:
- GRRRREAT!!!
- if u've seen "no direction home' then buy this book
- A feast for the senses!
- Bob Dylan Scrapbook
- The best gift I've received in 49 years!
|
The Bob Dylan Scrapbook, 1956-1966
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Rock
| Composers & Musicians
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Entertainers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Dylan, Bob
| ( D )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Rock
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Bob Dylan - No Direction Home
-
Dylan: Visions, Portraits, & Back Pages
-
Lyrics: 1962-2001
-
Chronicles: Volume One (Chronicles)
-
No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (The Bootleg Series Vol. 7)
ASIN: 0743228286
Release Date: 2005-09-13 |
Amazon.com
Created as a companion piece to Martin Scorsese's PBS documentary No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, The Bob Dylan Scrapbook, 1956-1966 is a visual and educational treat for old and new Dylanphiles alike. Written by Robert Santelli, the director of Seattle's Experience Music Project and curator of the museum's Bob Dylan's American Journey exhibit, the book is very well researched and presented in a scrapbook format filled with removable reproductions, including handwritten lyrics of "Gates of Eden," "Blowin' in the Wind," and "Chimes of Freedom," programs of Dylan's historical performances, various bits of memorabilia, and endless amount of photographs. The Bob Dylan Scrapbook, 1956-1966 will provide the new Dylan fan with loads of background information and anecdotes that were left out of Scorsese's film. Lifelong Dylanphiles will likely know Dylan's late 1950s to mid 1960s history already, and will be enchanted by the endless reproductions that are strategically placed throughout the book. If that wasn't enough, the book also includes a 45 minute CD of 18 interviews, ten of which appeared in the No Direction Home documentary. If you ever want to open someone up to the world of Bob Dylan there is no better place to point them to this incredible trifeca: No Direction Home: Bob Dylan on DVD, No Direction Home: The Soundtrack (The Bootleg Series Vol. 7) on CD, and this wonderful book. --Rob Bracco
Book Description
The Bob Dylan Scrapbook is the highly collectable illustrated biography of Dylan's life during the 1950s and 60s. Created in association with Bob Dylan, the scrapbook is crammed with features including rare photographs, facsimiles of handwritten lyrics and rare memorabilia. The text includes interviews with Dylan and his friends and fellow musicians to form a uniquely personal view of the greatest singer songwriter of his generation. A special bonus audio CD contains sixty minutes of early interviews and a rare performance. The Bob Dylan Scrapbook is an altogether handsome slipcased hardback with over 100 photographs and illustrations, and is guaranteed to delight every Dylan fan.
Customer Reviews:
GRRRREAT!!!.......2007-09-24
Really Great pictures of his earlier times--check out two of Bob's stunning pictures--one on page 23 and another on page 38--Wow!! You also get replications of handwritten lyrics and replications of all sorts of interesting memorabilia, plus interesting reading also. This is a must have scrap book for fans. I'm happy I got it. I found it interesting to notice that in a very stunning picture of Joan Baez where she is next to Bob Dylan in a mini booklet inserted on page 28 that she had uncommonly beautiful lips just as Bob Dylan had uncommonly beautiful lips noticeable in many pictures and during the press conference at San Francisco--on the DVD, Dylan Speaks (during the close-ups). They made a beautiful couple indeed. Both had artistic style noses and beautiful lips. There are all sorts of things to discover and look at. What do you see or discover in this scrapbook?
if u've seen "no direction home' then buy this book.......2007-09-05
there are so many keepsakes and rare photos and its just an amazing book. Dont listen to me just buy this BUY it BUY IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A feast for the senses!.......2007-07-21
The Bob Dylan Scrapbook 1956-1966 is a a great addition to any Dylan fan's collection. Not only is it visually pleasing, it is a delight to peruse the pictures, photos, song lyrics etc. The scrapbook also comes with an audio CD, comprising 45 minutes of 18 Dylan interviews.
The book is divided into several parts, namely, The Early Years, 1956-1960, that traces Dylan's early beginnings as a high school musician in Hibbing High School in Minnesota, to his move to Minneapolis, where he discovers Dinkytown, a bohemian refuge, and where Dylan's passion for folk music deepens. Some of the scraps here include Dylan's yearbook picture and entry.
The second part is Talking New York, 1961... some highlights are Dylan's meeting with his mentor, Woody Guthrie. There is also a reproduction of Dylan's handwritten lyrics to Talking New York.
Part 3: The Times They are a Changin' - reproduction of handwritten lyrics to Blowin in the Wind, pictures of Dylan and Suze Rotolo, one of which winds up as the cover picture for his album Freewheelin', touches a bit on his relationship with Rotolo, and also his further delving into songwriting.Also touches on some of Dylan's social activism,his collaboration with Joan Baez, and a full-color poster for the Newport Folk Festival, 1963.
The other parts in brief are 4: Another Side of Bob Dylan, 1964, 5: Bringing it all Back Home, 1965, 6: Blonde on Blonde, 1965-1966.
There are lots more to savor in this scrapbook, just too lengthy for me to list...but, there are lots of treasures here for Dylanphiles to unearth, discover & enjoy!
Bob Dylan Scrapbook.......2007-05-31
This is just plain fun, fun, fun. As in been there done that by a genius of song. Better than the everyready battery bunny for lasting and multiplying and reproducing and keeping us hopping to the tunes of our lives. Can you believe this mortal man's career on planet earth and just imagine what heaven has in store? Go BOB go. This book is a little tiny corner of great big house. I gave one away as a present to a Dylan nut like myself and kept one for me. What can one say about greatness...can I just breath the same air as you...seen his shows three times. Enufff already.
The best gift I've received in 49 years!.......2007-03-17
My son gave me this for Christmas and I have been totally captivated with it since. The intresting odesey of innocent enthusiasm and self preservating isolation through the early life and mind of such a genuis is such a facinating privilage to experience. Please, please Bob, write 1967 through 2007. I will buy every version as it comes out. The scrapbook layout and radio interviews take you back to experience it. His insight and compliments of other artist show him to be most gracious and real. I will treasure this as it answered so many questions I've had over these years. Thanks Bob for sharing so many personal details of yours.
Average customer rating:
- Entertaining, informative, but not definitive yet
- Less Than Definitive
- If you appreciate (or are interested in) Mr. Dylan's art...
- A more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide
- Great Reference Material
|
Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia
Oliver Trager
Manufacturer: Billboard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Reference
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Folk & Traditional
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Rock
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Encyclopedias
| Movies
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
| Actors & Actresses
| Artists, Architects & Photographers
| Authors
| Composers & Musicians
| Dancers
| Entertainers
| Movie Directors
| New Age
| Television Performers
| Theatre
Dylan, Bob
| ( D )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Music
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Television
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Reference Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Dylan: Visions, Portraits, & Back Pages
-
Younger Than That Now: The Collected Interviews with Bob Dylan
-
The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia
-
Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads
-
Lyrics: 1962-2001
ASIN: 0823079740 |
Book Description
The most encyclopedic sourcebook on one of the 20th century's most important artists, Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia completely chronicles this music icon's recorded work. Discussions of all of his officially released albums and collaborative efforts, including year of release, record company, serial number information for all formats (LP, CD, and cassette), track list, musicians, and descriptive analysis of its place in Dylan's career are provided. In addition, it offers critical and historically detailed entries on each of the songs that Dylan has recorded or performed in more than four decades of touring, including composer information, and the album on which the song appeared. Completing this reference are detailed biographical sketches of more than 100 musicians, songwriters, and other individuals associated with Dylan, and a selected list of films in which he has been involved.
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining, informative, but not definitive yet.......2005-08-31
Oliver Trager's "Keys To The Rain" is far from the "definitive" Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. As another reader notes, there are errors including some he didn't mention that I'll add here: The original September 1974 New York recording of "If You See Her, Say Hello," re-recorded in Minneapolis for its release on "Blood On The Tracks," was not included on "Biograph" (Trager may be confusing it with "You're A Big Girl Now"), but on "The Bootleg Series, Volume 1-3." Trager also claims Dylan's 1984 "Real Live" failed to make the charts. Not so. It failed to make the top 100, but it did have a brief, albeit dim, blaze of glory in the Billboard Top 200. There are other errors, most of them fairly minor, but their cumulative effect makes one question Trager's reliability too often.
Despite the faults, this is still an entertaining and informative read with lots of background on the recordings and, more significantly, the songs, including those that Dylan only performed in concert. Yes, it is reasonable to argue that it wasn't necessary to provide two pages on the careers of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini simply because Dylan covered their legendary "Moon River" at a handful of concerts (and if other sources are correct, Dylan only performed it once upon hearing of the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan). But I find these facts to be the main appeal of Trager's book. There are similar biographical details provided for everyone from Mel Tillis (whose "Detroit City" is another hit and run cover from the Never Ending Tour) and Charles Gates Dawes, vice president to Calvin Coolidge and co-author of "It's All In The Game," another chestnut Dylan dug out two decades ago in concert. And, of course, there are pages on less surprising figures, including Woody Guthrie, Blind Willie McTell, Johnny Cash, and Leonard Cohen. The result is that this book is almost a mini-history of popular music as much as it is about Dylan, but I find it contributes to a greater appreciation for Dylan's impressive range of musical styles and influences. On the other hand, a ridiculous amount of space is given to a biography of Catfish Hunter, the baseball player who was the subject of the most inconsequential outtake from the 1976 "Desire" album.
Trager's unpretentious style is refreshing, though, especially in contrast to those who write about Dylan and his songs as though the man was already dead and buried instead of alive, kicking, and as brilliant as ever.
Hopefully, Trager or someone at the publisher's office will pay attention to the complaints provided by the readers, and eliminate the errors in future editions. With a little work, Trager's book may one day live up to its title. It's still worthwhile overall, but Clinton Heylin would have gotten more of the facts straight.
Brian W. Fairbanks
Less Than Definitive.......2005-04-01
Keys to the Rain is undoubtedly a valuable guide to Bob Dylan's recorded output. The book is well-researched and written in a straightforward, accessible style.
Unfortuntately, the book has numerous flaws that make it an often frustrating read. The factual errors include the following: the author states that The Basement Tapes' version of "Million Dollar Bash" is "notable for Dylan's use of the harmonica" when there is no harmonica on the track; the version of "Spanish Is the Loving Tongue" that appeared as the B-side single of "Watching the River Flow" is not the same version that was released on the Dylan lp; "Step It Up and Go" is from the album Good As I Been to You, not World Gone Wrong; and "Down Along the Cove" is erroneously listed as being included on The Band's re-release of Rock of Ages.
Numerous errors in dates dot the book. There is a wonderful photo of Dylan and two youngsters (page 602) that is dated 1966 but comes from much earlier (either 1962 or 1963).
There is one particularly egregious misquotation of Dylan's words, as the phrase "Truth is shadowy" in the World Gone Wrong liner notes becomes "Truth is a shadow" in the book, which changes the phrase's meaning.
Trager writes in the introduction that "unreleased outtakes" and "unreleased material from The Basement Tapes are not included." Yet he includes songs never released by Dylan but recorded and released by other artists (which the author should have explained in the too-brief introduction). There really is no reason for Trager not to have included these songs, since he includes all songs Dylan has played in concert (both original songs and cover versions), and he includes unnecessarily long biographies of the authors of said covers. So the reader gets pages and pages on songwriters such as Sammy Cahn, Merle Travis, Lefty Frizzell and Donnie Fritts (to name a few), but nothing on such great unreleased Dylan songs as "I'm Not There," All-American Boy," "Goodbye Holly" and "Yonder Comes Sin." The author says that "these omissions were made for reasons of space," but surely he could have cut back on his discussion of other artists in a Bob Dylan encyclopedia and made room for all of Dylan's original songs, officially released or not. Nor is there anything on great covers recorded by Dylan in the studio but not released (such as "Freedom for the Stallion"). Including these songs would then have truly earned the book the title of definitive.
If you appreciate (or are interested in) Mr. Dylan's art..........2005-01-06
I've got Trager's 1997 book--The American Book of the Dead: The Definitive Grateful Dead Encyclopedia--and have plucked it off my shelf numerous times. I'll be doing the same with his latest effort, this Dylan encyclopedia. It is interesting that with all the Dylan books out there, it took until 2004 for something like this to appear. For the hardcore aficionado, this will be similar to Krogsgaard's Positively Bob Dylan and Heylin's Stolen Moments (as far as its usefulness), but to the casual observer it's a chance to get to know the songs Dylan has chosen to record and perform--not to mention biographical info. Photos throughout, and enough details in its 700-plus pages to keep one busy throughout 2005 (and 2006 and 2007, etc.) It's not dry either, I'd say Trager has a fondness and apprecation for the music.
Scott Marshall
author of Restless Pilgrim: The Spiritual Journey of Bob Dylan (with Marcia Ford, Relevant Books, 2002)
A more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide .......2005-01-04
Another Bob Dylan book? Yes, and what makes Keys To The Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia a more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide than others is its descriptions of all 44 of his officially released albums including collaborative efforts, entries on over 700 songs he's recorded or performed over the length of his career, and biographical sketches of all musicians, songwriters and others associated with any of his projects, including film. And if that isn't enough... entries include track lists, musician lists, critical analysis, serial number info for all formats including cassette, and background history. It doesn't get any better - or more 'definitive' - than this.
Great Reference Material.......2004-10-15
Absolute must for all those who consider rock and roll "art", and Dylan the ultimate "artist" of the genre. A quick glance will provide such useful info that "Blonde on Blonde" was recorded in Nashville, using primarily studio musicians. Consider that the next time you listen to "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands", and its haunting refrain. Only problem is that in a few years it will be out of date. Sadly, a compilation of Dylan's work will only be complete when Dylan retires which, gratefully, he shows no signs of doing anytime soon.
Average customer rating:
|
The Voices That are Gone: Themes in Nineteenth-Century American Popular Song
Jon W. Finson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Voice
| Instruments & Performers
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Popular
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Music
| Pop Culture
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Country & Folk
| Composers & Musicians
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0195057503 |
Book Description
In this unique and readable study, Jon Finson views the mores and values of nineteenth-century Americans as they appear in their popular songs. The author sets forth lyricists' and composers' notions of courtship, technology, death, African Americans, Native Americans, and European ethnicity
by grouping songs topically. He goes on to explore the interaction between musical style and lyrics within each topic. The lyrics and changing musical styles present a vivid portrait of nineteenth-century America. The composers discussed in the book range from Henry Russell ("Woodman, Spare That
Tree"), Stephen Foster ("Oh! Susanna"), and Dan Emmett ("I Wish I Was in Dixie's Land"), to George M. Cohan and Maude Nugent ("Sweet Rosie O'Grady"), and Gussie Lord Davis ("In the Baggage Coach Ahead"). Readers will recognize songs like "Pop Goes the Weasel," "The Yellow Rose of Texas," "The
Fountain in the Park," "After the Ball," "A Bicycle Built for Two," and many others which gain significance by being placed in the larger context of American history.
Books:
- Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
- Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin
- Self-Healing With Sound & Music
- Singing for the Stars: A Complete Program for Training Your Voice (Book & 2 CD's)
- Slave Songs of the United States
- Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head
- Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel
- T.R.: The Last Romantic
- Ten Little Fingers (Board Books for Babies)
- The Annotated Pride and Prejudice
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Restaurant Managers Handbook: How to Set Up, Operate, and Manage a Financially Successful Food S
- Stack a New Deck: More Great Quilts in 4 Easy Steps
- International Economics: Theories, Themes and Debates
- Laboratory Hamsters
- Medical Terminology for Health Professions
- The Complete Works of Captain John Smith, 1580-1631
- Polar Bear Math: Learning About Fractions from Klondike and Snow
- The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, 17th Edition
- Investment Taxation : Practical Tax Strategies for Financial Instruments
- 1997 Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, Hicss-30
The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader: Histories and Debates
Rock Music Styles
Pro Tools LE and M-Powered: The complete guide
Introduction to Digital Audio, Second Edition
Sound and Recording, Fifth Edition: An Introduction
![American Roots Music [DVD]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00005Q65K.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
