Last week, I began looking into the process of self-publishing my long-threatened book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). That still seems like a promising prospect, but I am pausing that effort for the time being.
The reason for the pause is because a friend suggested that I should consider offering the book to another publisher. That specific publisher seems like it might be a good fit for GREM!, so I submitted a basic email proposal. We'll see what happens next.
It's possible that self-publishing is the best way for me to get GREM! to retail, and that may be true even if this potential publisher winds up being interested in doing the book. For now, I'm going to wait, just a little bit longer, to see what develops. One way or the other, I am determined to get this book published.
It's been a while since I posted my pitch for The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1), so that appears below. Thank you again to all who've offered support and encouragement. I swear to do my best to make this infinite path lead...somewhere!
Our favorite records don’t live in isolation. Each one has a story.
Insisting that an infinite number of tracks can each be THE greatest record ever made (as long as they take turns), writer and DJ Carl Cafarelli's book THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (VOLUME 1) ties together threads connecting classic rock, soul, pop, punk, hip hop, and bubblegum across decades of hits, misses, critics’ darlings, one-hit wonders, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, and complete unknowns. The result reads like an irresistible mix tape in book form, compelling the reader to follow its flow from song to song and chapter to chapter as if it were a novel.
As an experienced pop historian and journalist, Cafarelli knows the importance of recording facts and figures accurately. But passion is of equal importance. We don’t crank the volume for fave rave sounds as academics; we listen as fans, as people living our complicated lives with music as not merely its soundtrack, but as its heartbeat. Records reflect our hopes, our disappointments, our successes, our mourning, our love, our bitterness, our fear, and our will to dance in spite of it all.
Why did the Monkees go from the top of the pops in 1967 to seeming has-been status in 1968? How did James Brown respond to the British Invasion? What minefields of racism, sexism, homophobia, ambition, frustration, depression, or loss were navigated by Little Richard, Dusty Springfield, the Go-Go's, Elvis, Sly and the Family Stone, the Kinks, the Beach Boys, the Supremes, and Material Issue's Jim Ellison? Were the Ramones as much a bubblegum band as they were a punk band? When does a group succeed or fail in its quixotic quest to be the next Beatles?
And why does listening to pop music sometimes make us want to cry?
Carl Cafarelli is the author of the 2023 book Gabba Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones. He has written for Goldmine, DISCoveries, The Syracuse New Times, Feral House, Routledge, Visible Ink Press, AHOY Comics, and Rhino Records. Since 1998, he has been the co-host (with Dana Bonn) of the internationally-renowned weekly broadcast and internet radio show This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl, and he is the author of the daily blog Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do). THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (VOLUME 1) mixes history lessons, artist appreciation, and the ways in which the records we love can deeply affect our personal lives.
THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (VOLUME 1) is unlike any other rock or pop book you’ve ever seen. The infinite awaits. It's our turn now.
And here's the Table of Contents:
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DISCLAIMERS AND DECLARATIONS (A User's Guide To The Greatest Record Ever Made!)
THE RAMONES: Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?
BADFINGER: Baby Blue
CHUCK BERRY: Promised Land
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: I Only Want To Be With You
THE SEX PISTOLS: God Save The Queen
ELVIS PRESLEY: Heartbreak Hotel
WILLIE MAE "BIG MAMA" THORNTON: Hound Dog
PATTI SMITH: Gloria
LITTLE RICHARD AND HIS BAND: The Girl Can't Help It
NEIL DIAMOND: Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
CRAZY ELEPHANT: Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'
WILSON PICKETT: In The Midnight Hour
THE HOLLIES: I Can't Let Go
MELANIE WITH THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS: Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)
PETULA CLARK: Downtown
NELSON RIDDLE: Batman Theme
ARTHUR ALEXANDER: Soldier Of Love
TRANSLATOR: Everywhere That I'm Not
LESLEY GORE: You Don't Own Me
THE SHANGRI-LAS: Leader Of The Pack
THE SHIRELLES: Will You Love Me Tomorrow
THE RAMONES: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
AMY RIGBY: Dancing With Joey Ramone
PINK FLOYD: Wish You Were Here
GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS: Midnight Train To Georgia
THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR: I Fought The Law
MERLE HAGGARD AND THE STRANGERS: Mama Tried
THE TEMPTATIONS: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
BUDDY HOLLY: Peggy Sue/Everyday
ROBERTA FLACK: Killing Me Softly With His Song
JOHNNY NASH: I Can See Clearly Now
THE RARE BREED/THE OHIO EXPRESS: Beg, Borrow And Steal
ARTHUR CONLEY: Sweet Soul Music
OTIS REDDING: (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
ARETHA FRANKLIN: Respect
THE MONKEES: Porpoise Song (Theme From Head)
PRINCE: When You Were Mine
THE 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS: You're Gonna Miss Me
THE ROLLING STONES: Get Off Of My Cloud
PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS: Just Like Me
BOB DYLAN: Like A Rolling Stone
THE KINGSMEN: Louie, Louie
BARON DAEMON AND THE VAMPIRES: The Transylvania Twist
THE MARVELETTES: I'll Keep Holding On
THE WHO: I Can't Explain
TODD RUNDGREN: Couldn't I Just Tell You
SHOES: Tomorrow Night
THE FLASHCUBES: No Promise
TELEVISION: Elevation
THE RUNAWAYS: Cherry Bomb
SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES: The Tears Of A Clown
IKE AND TINA TURNER: River Deep--Mountain High
THE RONETTES: Be My Baby
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Girls In Their Summer Clothes
KISS: Shout It Out Loud
THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: Rock And Roll Love Letter
THE KNICKERBOCKERS: Lies
THE WONDERS: That Thing You Do!
INTERLUDE The Tottenham Sound Of...The Beatles?!
THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: Any Way You Want It
JAMES BROWN: Please, Please, Please
GRAND FUNK: We're An American Band
THE FIRST CLASS: Beach Baby
THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Summer Breeze
THE PANDORAS: It's About Time
MARVIN GAYE: I Heard It Through The Grapevine
LINDA RONSTADT: You're No Good
P. P. ARNOLD: The First Cut Is The Deepest
THE DANDY WARHOLS: We Used To Be Friends
SAMMY AMBROSE: This Diamond Ring
BIG STAR: September Gurls
THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET: Take Five
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS: All For Swinging You Around
THE BEATLES: Yesterday
THE BEATLES: Revolution
YOKO ONO: Kiss Kiss Kiss
DONNA SUMMER: I Feel Love
RUFUS: Tell Me Something Good
HEART: Kick It Out
PAUL COLLINS/THE BREAKAWAYS: Walking Out On Love
THE EASYBEATS: Friday On My Mind
THE BYRDS: Eight Miles High
THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS: Time Has Come Today
BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY: Piece Of My Heart
THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES: Shake Some Action
THE CARPENTERS: Only Yesterday
MATERIAL ISSUE: Kim The Waitress
THE 5TH DIMENSION: Medley: Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In (The Flesh Failures)
THE JACKSON FIVE: I'll Be There
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Everybody Is A Star
THE BANGLES: Live
HEADGIRL/MÖTOR HEADGIRL SCHOOL: Please Don't Touch
MILLIE SMALL: My Boy Lollipop
THE FLIRTATIONS: Nothing But A Heartache
THE SPINNERS: I'll Be Around
THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY: I Woke Up In Love This Morning
SUZI QUATRO: I May Be Too Young
DAVID RUFFIN: I Want You Back
LED ZEPPELIN: Communication Breakdown
FREDDIE AND THE DREAMERS: Do The Freddie
THE BANDWAGON: Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache
DON HENLEY: The Boys Of Summer
BEN E. KING: Stand By Me
THE SPONGETONES: (My Girl) Maryanne
THE TRAMMPS: Disco Inferno
HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES: Don't Leave Me This Way
GRANDMASTER AND MELLE MEL: White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: I'll Be Your Mirror
DEL SHANNON: Runaway
THE COCKTAIL SLIPPERS: St. Valentine's Day Massacre
SAM AND DAVE: Soul Man
THE KINKS: Waterloo Sunset
HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Time Will Tell
THE SMITHEREENS: Behind The Wall Of Sleep
THE COWSILLS: She Said To Me
ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS: (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding?
THE FOUR TOPS: Reach Out I'll Be There
VERDELLE SMITH: Life Goes On
INTERLUDE Old Time Rock 'n' Roll
THE BOB SEGER SYSTEM: 2 + 2 = ?
JIVE FIVE WITH EUGENE PITT: What Time Is It?
LULU: To Sir, With Love [Museum Outings Montage]
FREDA PAYNE: Band Of Gold
THE CONTOURS: Do You Love Me
THE GO-GO'S: We Got The Beat
THE SUPREMES: You Keep Me Hangin' On
THE BEACH BOYS: God Only Knows
RASPBERRIES: Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
THE SELECTER: On My Radio
TRACEY ULLMAN: They Don't Know
THE DRIFTERS: On Broadway
THE COASTERS: Yakety Yak
CHEAP TRICK: Surrender
TEGAN AND SARA: Walking With A Ghost
DAVID BOWIE: Life On Mars?
THE O'JAYS: Put Your Hands Together
THE GRATEFUL DEAD: Uncle John's Band
RITA MORENO, GEORGE CHAKIRIS, SHARKS & GIRLS: America
EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS: Do Anything You Wanna Do
JOAN JETT: Bad Reputation
JOAN ARMATRADING: Me Myself I
STEVIE WONDER: I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)
MARYKATE O'NEIL: I'm Ready For My Luck To Turn Around
EYTAN MIRSKY: This Year's Gonna Be Our Year
THE JAYHAWKS: I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
An Infinite Number
INTERLUDE Underrating The Beatles
THE BEATLES: Rain
THE T-BONES: No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)
AFTERWORD
If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar.
Carl's book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. Gabba Gabba YAY!! https://rarebirdlit.com/gabba-gabba-hey-a-conversation-with-the-ramones-by-carl-cafarelli/
If it's true that one book leads to another, my next book will be The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). Stay tuned. Your turn is coming.
This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio. You can read about our history here.
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