Anatomy of 55 Hit Songs

<b>Marc Myers </b>is a frequent contributor to the <i>Wall Street Journal</i> where he writes about jazz rock and soul as well as the arts. He is the author of <i>Rock Concert</i> <i>Anatomy of a Song</i> and <i>Why Jazz Happened</i>. <b>** Now with three bonus songs**</b><br><b>'Go Your Own Way' by Fleetwood Mac</b><br><b>'Come on Eileen' by Dexys Midnight Runners</b><br><b>Why Can't We Be Friends?' by War</b><br><br>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 alter the direction of music. In this follow-up to his classic <i>Anatomy of a Song</i> writer and music historian Marc Myers tells the stories behind fifty-five more rock pop R&amp;B country and reggae hits through intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them.<br><br>Part oral history part musical analysis <i>Anatomy of 55 Hit Songs</i> 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 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. Fifty-five oral histories of iconic rock and R&amp;B hits based on the popular <i>Wall Street Journal</i> column 'Anatomy of a Song'. Myers <b>has a knack for capturing the artistry of songwriting </b>and easily shows why these tracks are iconic but not tired. This melodic collection will strike a chord with music fans. <b>Myers adds important context</b> by interviewing and extensively quoting the principal artists composers and producers. Especially recommended for collections where the first book found favor. <b>Insightful</b>...Pop-music fans of a certain age will enjoy this collection and might even use it as a playlist. Myers does a fine job of getting behind the hits...With snippets of business creativity techno-wizardry and raw emotion <b>a pleasure for music fans.</b> A treasure trove of music trivia between hard covers... [A] splendid volume. [T]he anecdotes give flesh to the meaning of the lyrics. Musical influences that get passed from artist to artist are equally fascinating - and often surprising... Myers' book is big-fun forensic musicology. A winning look at the stories behind 45 pop punk folk soul and country classics. A cultural history of the elusive hit single focused on artists' recollections and studio alchemy . . . The book's strength lies in thoughtful wry reflections from artists including Elvis Costello Jimmy Cliff Stevie Wonder Booker T. Jones Dr. John and Debbie Harry. An entertaining record of the soundtrack of the baby boomer era. Myers <b>has a knack for capturing the artistry of songwriting </b>and easily shows why these tracks are iconic but not tired. This melodic collection will strike a chord with music fans. <b>Myers adds important context</b> by interviewing and extensively quoting the principal artists composers and producers. Especially recommended for collections where the first book found favor. <b>Insightful</b>...Pop-music fans of a certain age will enjoy this collection and might even use it as a playlist. Myers does a fine job of getting behind the hits...With snippets of business creativity techno-wizardry and raw emotion <b>a pleasure for music fans.</b> A treasure trove of music trivia between hard covers... [A] splendid volume. [T]he anecdotes give flesh to the meaning of the lyrics. Musical influences that get passed from artist to artist are equally fascinating - and often surprising... Myers' book is big-fun forensic musicology. A winning look at the stories behind 45 pop punk folk soul and country classics. A cultural history of the elusive hit single focused on artists' recollections and studio alchemy . . . The book's strength lies in thoughtful wry reflections from artists including Elvis Costello Jimmy Cliff Stevie Wonder Booker T. Jones Dr. John and Debbie Harry. An entertaining record of the soundtrack of the baby boomer era.