Being a
child of the 1950’s I was born along with the real birth of the genre of music
we fondly know as “Rock ‘n Roll”, and then for the genre known as “Pop”. By the time I was eight [1959] and could
really begin to enjoy listening to the old style radios we had I enjoyed
listening to this kind of music. While I might not have understood the meanings
of the songs being sung, I still enjoyed the sound of these songs.
When I was
ten I got my first transistor radio with those rectangle 9 volt batteries I
could listen to my music any time I wanted to. The problem was back then I fell
asleep with the radio on, and as you might have guessed by the time I woke up the
battery had died. I had no music so I wound up, much to my chagrin, having to
ask my parents for money to buy a new battery. Of course, wanting to teach me a
lesson about responsibility [turning off the radio before going to sleep], they
would deduct it from my allowance.
All my
friends had record players which we listened to the 45 rpm records we used to
buy with our allowances. Some of my friends had been lucky as their parents
gave them money to buy their records any time a song became very popular. There
was never a party where records weren’t played, sometimes over and over again.
We used to stack as many records as we could so we wouldn’t have to change the
records on our own. Diners had a small
one at all of the booths they had, and if you were lucky your parents would pay
for your song selections.
We all loved
listening to the songs of the “Rock ‘n Roll” and “Pop”, etc. eras, we never
became interested if there was a reason as to why the singer[s] decided to
write their songs. Even though the eras of this music have died, we’ve never
gotten the music out of our blood. Which is why we’re nostalgic about them
still today, and why, even as adults, we’re always looking for an opportunity
to see our favorite artists live. And along with this nostalgia comes an
interest in knowing if there had been a reason for any of the songs a specific
artist is noted for singing.
The only way
to find out what had brought about the creation of the songs we had loved is to
speak to those involved which is precisely what Marc Myers has done here. By
interviewing these individuals [those still alive] the author takes us into
their minds and the events surrounding the decades of songs the author has
included in this marvelous compendium of the songs we all loved listening to as
we grew up, songs we still love hearing today.
If there’s
song which would epitomize all of the songs and artists in this book it would
be Barry Manilow’s song I Write the Songs:
I've been
alive forever
And I wrote
the very first song
I put the
words and the melodies together
I am music
and I write the songs
[Chorus]
I write the
songs that make the whole world sing
I write the
songs of love and special things
I write the
songs that make the young girls cry
I write the
songs, I write the songs
My home lies
deep within you
And I've got
my own place in your soul
Now, when I
look out through your eyes
I'm young
again, even though I'm very old
[Chorus]
Oh my music
makes you dance
And gives
you spirit to take a chance
And I wrote
some rock 'n' roll so you can move
Music fills
your heart
Well, that's
a real fine place to start
It's from me
it's for you
It's from
you, it's for me
It's a
worldwide symphony
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
This is why I loved Marc Myers efforts in compiling this
compendium of the origins of each of the songs he’s included here. Some of us
might be familiar with the songs included in this book as they come from a
column, of the same name, which the author wrote for the Wall Street Journal
[2011 – 2016]. It must have been a monumental task for the author to select the
45 songs he’s included from all those he’s written about; perhaps if we’re
lucky we might see a second book covering additional songs, songs we’ve listen
to which we’d love to know the origins of.
For bringing
back memories of our younger days and for enlightening us as to the origins of
these songs, how can I not give Mr. Myers 5 STARS for his endeavor here.
