The first thing I realized when I started reading Bob Dylan’s new book, The Philosophy of Modern Song, is that Dylan knows a lot about music. Dylan analyzes 66 songs and reveals how and why they work. In addition to dissecting the songs, Dylan provides background information on the artist, the composer, and influences–sometimes from classical music–that impacted the music.
And, Dylan being Dylan, you’ll find surprising connections like a profile of science fiction and mystery writer Leigh Brackett as part of the Chapter 56 on Santana’s “Black Magic Woman.” Dylan proves he’s well read, too.
If you’re a Bob Dylan fan, you’ll want to own this book. If you’re interested in music, you’ll want to check out The Philosophy of Modern Song to learn about how a song is constructed, how it works, and how it should be sung. Dylan also includes some music history and cunning literary references like “there is assuredly nothing dearer to a man than wisdom, and though age takes away all else, it undoubtedly brings us that”–words of Cicero (p. 268). So, yes, there are surprises on almost every page of this book.
Do you remember these 66 songs? Are any of them your favorites? GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
“Detroit City”
(Bobby Bare– 1963)
“Pump It Up”
(Elvis Costello & the Attractions — 1978)
“Without a Song”
(Perry Como — 1951)
“Take Me From This Garden of Evil”
(Jimmy Wages — 1956)
“There Stands the Glass”
(Webb Pierce — 1953)
“Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me”
(Billy Joe Shaver — 1973)
“Tutti Frutti”
(Little Richard — 1955)
“Money Honey”
(Elvis Presley — 1956)
“My Generation”
(The Who — 1965)
“Jesse James”
(Harry McClintock — 1928)
“Poor Little Fool”
(Ricky Nelson — 1958)
“Pancho and Lefty”
(Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard — 1983)
“The Pretender”
(Jackson Browne — 1976)
“Mack the Knife”
(Bobby Darin — 1959)
“The Whiffenpoof Song”
(Bing Crosby — 1947)
“You Don’t Know Me”
(Eddy Arnold — 1956 )
“Ball of Confusion”
(The Temptations — 1970)
“Poison Love”
(Johnnie & Jack — 1950)
“Beyond the Sea”
(Bobby Darin — 1958)
“On the Road Again”
(Willie Nelson — 1980)
“If You Don’t Know Me by Now”
(Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes — 1972)
“The Little White Cloud That Cried”
(Johnnie Ray — 1951)
“El Paso”
(Marty Robbins — 1959)
“Nelly Was a Lady”
(Alvin Youngblood Hart — 2004 )
“Cheaper to Keep Her”
(Johnnie Taylor — 1973)
“I Got a Woman”
(Ray Charles — 1954)
“CIA Man”
(The Fugs — 1967)
“On The Street Where You Live”
From “My Fair Lady” (Vic Damone — 1956)
“Truckin’”
(The Grateful Dead — 1970)
“Ruby, Are You Mad?”
(The Osborne Brothers — 1956)
“Old Violin”
(Johnny Paycheck — 1986)
“Volare”
(Domenico Modugno — 1958)
“London Calling”
(The Clash — 1979)
“Your Cheatin’ Heart”
(Hank Williams — 1953)
“Blue Bayou”
(Roy Orbison — 1963)
“Midnight Rider”
(The Allman Brothers Band — 1970)
“Blue Suede Shoes”
(Carl Perkins — 1956)
“My Prayer”
(The Platters — 1956)
“Dirty Life and Times”
(Warren Zevon — 2003)
“Doesn’t Hurt Anymore”
(John Trudell — 2001)
“Key to the Highway”
(Little Walter — 1958)
“Everybody Cryin’ Mercy”
(Mose Allison — 1968)
“War”
(Edwin Starr — 1970)
“Big River”
(Johnny Cash — 1957)
“Feel So Good”
(Sonny Burgess — 1957 )
“Blue Moon”
(Elvis Presley — 1964)
“Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves”
(Cher — 1971)
“Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy”
(Uncle Dave Macon — 1924)
“It’s All in the Game”
(Tommy Edwards — 1958)
“A Certain Girl”
(Ernie K-Doe — 1961)
“I’ve Always Been Crazy”
(Waylon Jennings — 1978)
“Witchy Woman”
(Eagles — 1972)
“Big Boss Man”
(Jimmy Reed — 1960)
“Long Tall Sally”
(Little Richard — 1956)
“Old and Only in the Way”
(Charlie Poole — 1928)
“Black Magic Woman”
(Santana — 1970)
“By the Time I Get to Phoenix”
(Glen Campbell — 1967)
“Come On-a My House”
(Rosemary Clooney — 1951)
“Don’t Take Your Guns to Town”
(Johnny Cash — 1958)
“Come Rain or Come Shine”
(Ray Charles — 1956)
“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”
(Nina Simone — 1964)
“Strangers in the Night”
(Frank Sinatra — 1966)
“Viva Las Vegas”
(Elvis Presley — 1964)
“Saturday Night at the Movies”
(The Drifters. — 1964)
“Waist Deep in the Big Muddy”
(Pete Seeger — 1967)
“Where or When”
(Dion and the Belmonts — 1959)
