Rich History Of Pop Music Built On Classic Songs

"The first record I bought for myself was Fats Domino's Blueberry Hill. By this time I was responsible enough to operate Dad's phonograph, and I played the shiny black 78-rpm until I memorised every nuance..."

In his Preface to the book, *'1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die' Tony Visconti, record producer and musician recalled his days as a child in the 40s when he listened to brittle shellac discs that could "smash to small pieces."

He continued to explain how he started the addictive hobby of record collecting and "made me who I am and what I do today." Visconti had since written books about music and worked with notable artistes like The Moody Blues, David Bowie and other pop singers.

Together with Visconti was Robert Dimery the general editor who summarised that the songs in the book had, "changed the world (so) find out why; then listen to them." According to Dimery "the volume has been a highly collaborative effort" and "uncovers fascinating stories about extraordinary songs and performers."

Covering recordings of songs from Enrico Caruso's O Solo Mio in 1916 to Gorillaz' Stylo in 2010, the heavy, thick but comprehensive 998-page book is worth its weight in gold. I read why fans cried when Johnny Ray sang, Cry (1951), which singer inspired Bobby Darin to cover Mack The Knife (1959) and which one of the Rolling Stones made Paint It Black (1966) a more succinct and successful excursion into psychedelia. These were stellar tales of songs, successes, survivals and sorrows.

Then there were the recordings from the 70s, the 80s, the 90s up to the year 2010. Enough reviewed. It's an encyclopedic volume of knowledge, worthy of shelf space in your home - if you're a pop song enthusiast - otherwise just borrow it from our National Library. Worth the 6 weeks I kept the book. Comment anyone?
Reference is: 781.640266 ONE - [ART].

*1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die: Robert Dimery, Tony Visconti. Cassell Illustrated. An Hachette UK Company, Copyright 2010 Quintessence 226 City Road London ECiV2TT.

Image: Google Images.
Original article: Andy Lim.
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