NONFICTION

Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of 55 Hits That Changed Rock, R&B, and Soul

by Marc Myers
Grove. Dec. 2022. 336p. ISBN 9780802160201. $27. MUSIC
COPY ISBN
What do the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water,” Kenny Rogers’s “The Gambler,” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” have in common? Each is discussed in this collection of insightful pieces taken from and expanded upon Myers’s column in the Wall Street Journal. As he did in his 2016 book, Anatomy of a Song, Myers blends research and personal interviews with artists, songwriters, arrangers, producers, and others to create an appealing mix of pop music classics, from Dionne Warwick’s 1964 “Walk On By” to Sheryl Crow’s 1996 “If It Makes You Happy.” Each entry begins with a crisp black-and-white photo of the song’s artist, and, like an album’s liner notes, these pieces provide context and the backstory for each selected song.
VERDICT Pop-music fans of a certain age will enjoy this collection and might even use it as a playlist.
Reviewed by Carolyn M. Mulac , Oct 01, 2022
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

MEDIA

The Last Shot: City Streets, Basketball Dreams
by Frey, Darcy
NONFICTION

The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture
by Lemmey, Karen & others
NONFICTION

A Guide to Medical Cannabis: Your Roadmap to Understanding and Using Cannabis and CBD for Health
by Hasse, Javier & Nicolás Jose Rodriguez
NONFICTION

One Thousand Vines: A New Way To Understand Wine
by Lepeltier, Pascaline
NONFICTION

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024
by McKibben, Bill & Jaime Green
NONFICTION

Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan
by Halteman, Matthew C.
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?