Songs Inspired By Literature: Chapter One

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 10, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: United Musicians
• ASIN: B000069B18
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,765 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Evil Night Together - Jill Tracy (Inspired by Lue Sante's "Love Life")

2. Tell Your Story Walking - Den Talen (Inspired by Jonathan Lethem's "Motherless Brooklyn")

3. Ghostworld - Aimee Mann (Inspired by Dan Clowes "Ghostworld")

4. Tolstoy - Bob Hillman (Inspired by Leo Tolstoys "War and Peace")

5. Einstein's Brain - Lynn Harrison (Inspired by Michael Paterniti's "Driving Mr. Albert")

6. Rejoyce - Grack Slick (Inspired by James Joyce's "Ulysses")

7. The Last Temptation of Odysseus- Justin Wells (Inspired by Homer's "The Odyssey")

8. Still Crying - Essense (Inspired by Mark Levin's "Work Song")

9. Calypso - Suzanne Vega (Inspired by Homer's "The Odyssey")

10. 7th Step - Deborah Pardes (Inspired by Frank McCourt's "Angelas Ashes")

11. Bucking Bronco - Scarth Locke (Inspired by Shel Silverstein's "Bucking Bronco")

12. He Can't Come Today - Ray Manzarek (Inspired by Samuel Beckett's "Waiting For Godot")

13. Twas Her Hunger Brought me Down - Anny Celsi (Inspired by Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie")

14. Dark and Deep - David Lamotte (Inspired by Robert Frost's "Stopping By The Woods on a Snowy Evening")

15. The Legend of Enoch Arden - Diane Zeigler (Inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Legend of Enoch Arden")

16. The Ghost of Tom Goad - Bruce Springsteen (Inspired by John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath")

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mixing Noted artists with Up and Coming Talentt, October 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Songs Inspired By Literature: Chapter One (Audio CD)

Chapter One - Songs Inspired by Literature is not only a wonderful collection of established artists and unknown artists, it is also a CD that raises awareness and funds for the adult literacy epidemic in the United States.

The five celebrity artists serve as a nice collection of fine songwriters. Aimee Mann contributed her song "Ghost World" which was inspired by Dan Clowes graphic novel of the same name. Grace Slick contributed her classic "Rejoyce", Suzanne Vega contributed "Calypso", Ray Manzrek (from the Doors for those who can't quite place his name) contributed "He Can't Come Today", and the haunting song from Bruce Springsteen "The Ghost of Tom Joad".

This CD is a great addition to any CD collection. And, as I have discovered, it's good for car trips...

5.0 out of 5 stars Songs that Make You Want to Read, January 19, 2009

By 

Brigid Cahalan "Librarian" (New York, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Songs Inspired By Literature: Chapter One (Audio CD)

This CD was in my car's CD player when the car was stolen 6 years ago, and I've often planned to get another copy of it--which I'm doing now.

The partnership that sponsored this project, led by founder and performer Deborah Pardes, includes the Library of Congress' Center for the Book, the California State Library and several other organizations devoted to literacy, reading, and/or books. Star performers like Bruce Springsteen, Suzanne Vega, and Grace Slick provide several of the tracks. Lesser-known artists performed many of the other songs, but I feel that the songs combine harmoniously to make for a delicious listening experience. The uniformly excellent product may be because it is the result of a competition held in 2001 in which 357 musicians, from 38 states and eight countries, participated.

Though styles vary wildly, each piece is a love song to one of the singer's favorite works of literature, and each performer beckons the listener to search out and read their beloved work. My personal favorite tracks: Lynn Harrison's "Einstein's Brain," inspired by Michael Paterniti's Driving Mr. Albert; Deborah Pardes' "7th Step," inspired by Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes; and Diane Zeigler's "The Legend of Enoch Arden," inspired by Tennyson's poem of the same name.