Customer Reviews

Papa Do Run: A Baby Boomer Looks (and Laughs) at Vintage Rock & Roll

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Last week's death of legendary 60s Philadelphia rock and roll disc jockey Hy Lit distanced pop music, and its youth culture, another step from its early roots. Its first fans are aging as their beloved music from rock's first 10 years slips from mainstream radio to Internet and alternative sources.

In breezy, conversational prose dotted with personal remembrances, groaningly bad puns, some Canadian flag-waving and a few fun facts, Deborah Godin's "Papa Do Run" sweetly salutes rock and roll's first golden era, its stars and songs. But light as they are, hers are the words of a rock and roll believer. "You see, I had the good fortune to be born early enough in the 20th century that when rock and roll hit the airwaves, I was already old enough to pay attention," she writes in the first paragraph. "And I unabashedly admit it was love from the very start."

Part of "Papa Do Run's" fun,fun fun is Ms. Godin's seeing these classics through today's lens, rather than the murky Cold War culture they grew in. She devotes chapters (each named for a golden oldie lyric or title) to rock censorship ("Louie,Louie," "Wake Up Little Susie") political incorrectness (the cads of "The Wanderer" and " Oh, Pretty Woman," the misguided devotionals "Bobbie's Girl," and "Johnny Get Angry.") misheard lyrics ("Under the Boardwalk," Along Comes Mary,") and rock mysteries (her explanation of Don McLean's enigmatic "American Pie," is nothing if not original.)

Ms. Godin misses few touchstones (though she short shrifts the Brtitish Invasion throughout, especially the Beatles). She salutes nearby Motown by telling a life story timeline through its lyrics, recalling Berry Gordy's commanding his songwriters write in present tense. A language lover who created and defined her own words for her poetry book "World of Wonders," she spends chapters 4-6 walking through key rock and roll phrases with changed modern meanings, or piling classic doo-wop nonsense phrases into her own poem.

Ms. Godin sometimes spends too much time telling what she can't tell us (due to copyright or other restrictions). But no lawyer will fight over describing "Louie, Louie"'s organ riff, the drums slamming Elvis Presley's cell door "Jailhouse Rock," or the French horn flourish on Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" (to name three humorous essays). Despite retelling the song stories with proper smirk, she doesn't quite share the exhilaration of the songs themselves, the reason why they keep their place in so many memories.

During his radio shows, Hy Lit often said, "I'm the good guy that raised you, I taught you to love this music." He and others (Ms. Godin praises Canada's CKLW) connected their music to the lives of what's still America's dominant, pervasive generation. Ms. Godin looks long and even laughs gently at these songs and performers, but also shares sincere love for classic and even overlooked songs. This alone makes "Papa Do Run" a welcome read for anyone knowing and loving early rock and roll music.

The too-short list of "Then and Now" words was quite good. The section on Canadian artists was informative. However . . .

This book appears to be the product of some very hasty "research." (Example: not knowing that B.Bumble & the Stingers was really the Ernie Freeman Orchestra.) It's mostly about the 'Sixties, *not* the 'Fifties, and it's amazing how many times the author overlooks the original songs from the 'Fifties that were covered by 'Sixties artists.

I guess I had it coming, buying a book with a pun in the title. A clue to the hastily compiled contents is offered on the cover: the picture of the little record player in the lower right-hand corner is printed backwards. I had a turntable just like that and, like all other turntables, the needle arm was on the right, not the left.

As a music fan(atic), I am always interested in a good book about the history of rock. There are many different styles of books: a band or artist biography, a collection of album reviews, an analysis of a certain period of rock, etc. This book generally falls into the latter (i.e. the early days of rock), but brings it with its own twist.

In "Papa Do Run" (283 pages), author Deborah Godin vividly describes growing up in Detroit in the fifties as rock gets off the ground, and then as a teenager in the sixties (check out how she describes having 'advanced knowledge' about the Beatles in 1963 due to a friend traveling to England). Godin's twist to the discussion of the early days of rock it that it's almost entirely brought by having list of songs to discuss a particular topis (car songs, tragedy songs, protest songs, etc.), and always keeping a light touch on things, with plenty of good humor (but thorough knowledge of the subject matter). For example, in the "Crazy dance songs" list, Godin writes: "The Freddie (Freddie & The Dreamers): five year olds can automatically do this one; adults shouldn't unless accompanied by a five year old." The "answer songs" list (such as Neil Sedaka's 1959 hit "Oh Carol", which is followed by Carol King's "Oh Neil" in 1960) was particularly well done: I didn't know that there were so many of them, and the insights provided on each of the songs is amazing, and entertaining. The chapter on "classic rock enigmas" was another one I really enjoyed (what is Peter Paul & Mary's big hit "Puff the Magic Dragon really about?). Without knowing it, you find yourself turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

About one fourth way into the book, out of the blue and for no good reason Godin makes a plug for her next book, on music trivia, and I can't tell whether this is serious or tongue-in-cheek, but I decide to chalk this one up in the same sense of irreverent fun that is demonstrated throughout the book. I had a fun time reading this, and if you are a music buff, you will too.

Godin, a goddess of mirth, writes about rock-n-roll, its culture, and icons with Sienfeldian humor. Music aficionados may want to read this one un-cut and full on. I savor it as my favorite nightly break-book. Besides, if you go to sleep with a smile on your face you are more likely to wake up that way. I encourage all in need of a rib-tickler to buy a copy. This book coupled with the right oldies CD box set will help to make my Christmas shopping a no-brainer. Thanks for the musical memories and for the joy of bee-bopping and doo-langing myself to dreamland.
Respectfully yours,
Sleeping Soundly in Ontario

What a fun book to read. Did Roy O really mean that in Pretty Women? Brought back songs I've not heard in years.This book has me working on my own lists of greatest songs and humor songs and girl groups and...

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/07)


My first glance of the cover let me know I was in for a great read. The cover is designed so that you feel like the book will be energetic and fun to read. The author, Deborah Godin, is a true fan of good old-fashioned rock and roll. She refers to it as "Vintage Rock and Roll." In "Papa Do Run" she reminisces about the songs from the old days and how they impacted her generation. She mentions that each generation will think that they came from the best musical era. While I agree that people might feel that way, I found myself feeling sorry for the most recent generation of youth who are raised on music that tends to be disrespectful and seems like it is more interested in getting away with saying something bad, than saying something that has meaning. Maybe that seems too deep, but when you read "Papa Do Run" and reminisce about music from those days, I think that you will agree with me.

Deborah Godin either has a phenomenal memory, or she has really done a lot of research for this book. She extensively discusses artists, the music, the lyrics, what was happening at the time and what was happening at her life in this time. I also learned about the origins and meanings of many of the songs. I was born a few years after the baby boomer generation ended, yet I still remember a lot of these songs. I also have been fortunate enough to see a few of the bands mentioned in concert like Rush and Jefferson Starship. How incredible it is that they are still playing today!

I wish I had read a book like this when I was taking music classes in school. It really would have given me a greater appreciation and understanding of the origins of this type of music. "Papa Do Run" would make an excellent gift for someone who was raised on music from this time. I was thinking that this would make a great Father's Day gift. If you give this as a gift or read it yourself, you might find yourself up in the attic looking for some old vinyl records! What a great way to drive your kids crazy!

Received book free of charge.

Papa Do Run is must read for baby-boomers who are in love with the good old days when real music rocked the waves. Not only are there a lot of laughs, but also a few tears here and there as wonderful memories are brought back by a gifted writer. To put it simply, Papa Do Run is just plain fun to read.
R Paull, Glendale AZ.

Papa Do Run is a wonderfully informative and humorous trip through Rock and Roll trivia for all you happy trivia buffs. Included are many aspects of pop culture that one might not have easy access to without hours of research time. One of my favorites --- try the chapter on Missheard Lyrics, it brings a whole, new slant to some of our favorite songs we thought we knew so well but really didn't! The author has done her homework for sure, and presents all this information with a great sense of wit and yet reverence for this era's great songs. Papa Do Run is a fun romp for those of us who love vintage Rock and Roll. This one is now on my recommend list. (Think Christmas) Jaye Orr

Debra Godin's Papa Do Run is a love story about rock n' roll. The author is an upbeat, chatty fan of everything rock n' roll related who has published a book of lists, covering everything from censored songs to love songs to political songs to women in music. She tells the stories behind some of rock's greatest songs, like which musicians are described in Don McLean's "American Pie," to whom Carly Simon is singing in "You're So Vain," and whether "Puff the Magic Dragon" is a song about drug use or not. Like all great legends, the answer to all of these questions is "who really knows?" but Godin sets up the socio-political climate and lines up the usual suspects for each of rock's great legends. One could locate this information (and more) with some quick Internet searches, but it is nice to enjoy them in a unified chapter, and the book would be a great trip down memory lane for the baby boomer generation (of which Godin is a proud self-proclaimed member).

Author Godin is oblivious to the fact that anyone could have a fanhood as great as hers. In the third paragraph of her introduction, she flat-out tells any twenty-something readers that there is no way they will get sentimental over their "hard core heavy/acid/metal/head0banger/punk/gansta/grunge number so loud it makes your ears bled" when they are in their 50's. Godin believes that her precious rock n' roll transcends all other fanhoods, so if you are a more casual fan of the genre, or if you have eclectic tastes, her generalizations may be off-putting.

However, I don't think Godin wrote this book for the twenty-somethings she disparages. If you lived through the era, I'd give this 4/5 stars as a solid trip down memory lane. She has near-perfect lyric recall and an encyclopedic knowledge of 50's and 60's rock n' roll, so the reader is bound to discover personal forgotten gems among her musings. However, if you're a fan of music throughout the decades and centuries of the world, this is a 2/5 star read.

What a fun way to remember and to be tweaked. The reoccurring frequency reading PAPPA DO RUN rings I was there in the 60's but hadn't thought of it that way. I enjoyed 'laugh out loud' twists as the humour tickled.

Debra Godin's unique chatty, slang filled voice rings true, creating a time capsule, enhancing shared memories.