THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE: 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die

The work of completing a formal proposal for my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) trudges on, and I hope to finish it soon (so I can get back to the far more interesting prospect of working on the book itself). Here's a section from the proposal's study of comparable books:

1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die (subtitle; And 10,001 You Must Download), edited by Robert Dimery, Universe Publishing, 2010, $36.95, 960 pages, hardcover, ISBN 978-0-7893-2089-6

Although a selection of 1001 songs (with a whopping 10,001 songs in total) dwarfs the mere 100 discussed in The Greatest Record Ever Made!, 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die shares some surface similarities with my book. Both books focus on individual songs and the stories behind those songs, celebrating each song individually and eschewing the notion of trying to rank them; a song is either great or it’s not. Robert Dimery’s book is a collaborative effort with 48 other writers under his supervision; that provides a wider perspective than the work of a single author, but also sacrifices the unique POV that only a single author can provide. I’ve worked on a few various-writers compilations, and I may do so again. They can be a great experience for reader and writer alike.

Still, a bunch of songs discussed by insightful but independent pop journalists isn’t the same as a bunch of songs discussed by one pop journalist. The former can’t give context from one song to another; does the writer waxing rhapsodic about The Sex Pistols’ “God Save The Queen” agree with the writer extolling the virtues of The Shirelles’ “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” No? Maybe? It doesn’t matter, if the goal of the book is just to provide information and guidance. It matters a great deal if one is seeking a deeper understanding of a book’s choices and aesthetic, and it matters if one is trying to gauge how the author’s taste compares with the reader’s own likes and dislikes.

(Dimery’s book also risks trivializing the importance of the songs simply by including so many of them; 1001 is a lot of songs to consider to begin with, but listing 10,001 essential tunes almost seems to devalue the songs rather than exalting them. To be fair, one could probably say the same thing about my insistence that there are an infinite number of candidates for the title of greatest record ever made, but I think I get away with it by focusing on one song at a time, and only 100 in one volume. And nor does Dimery’s book succumb to that risk, but the risk is worth acknowledging.)

The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is ultimately more personal than anything contained within 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. Some readers will prefer just the facts. Some readers will enjoy reading a presumably compelling story to go along with those facts. As a reader, I can appreciate both approaches, and 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die accomplishes the former quite well. There’s still room on my shelf for pop journalism that feels, something that understands the personal connection that can develop between a song and those of us who fall in love with that song. It’s the music-fan equivalent of Frank Capra’s Why We Fight: it’s why we listen.

Now: back to work!

TIP THE BLOGGER: CC's Tip Jar!

You can support this blog by becoming a patron on Patreon: Fund me, baby! 

Hey, Carl's writin' a book! The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) will contain 100 essays (and then some) about 100 tracks, plus two bonus instrumentals, each one of 'em THE greatest record ever made. An infinite number of records can each be the greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Updated initial information can be seen here: THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (Volume 1)

Our new compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is now available from Kool Kat Musik! 29 tracks of irresistible rockin' pop, starring Pop Co-Op, Ray Paul, Circe Link & Christian Nesmith, Vegas With Randolph Featuring Lannie Flowers, The Slapbacks, P. Hux, Irene Peña, Michael Oliver & the Sacred Band Featuring Dave Merritt, The Rubinoos, Stepford Knives, The Grip Weeds, Popdudes, Ronnie Dark, The Flashcubes, Chris von Sneidern, The Bottle Kids, 1.4.5., The Smithereens, Paul Collins' Beat, The Hit Squad, The Rulers, The Legal Matters, Maura & the Bright Lights, Lisa Mychols, and Mr. Encrypto & the Cyphers. You gotta have it, so order it here. A digital download version (minus The Smithereens' track) is also available from Futureman Records.