Songwriters On Songwriting [Paperback]

Paul Zollo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 1997

In these fifty-two interviews, the greatest songwriters of our time go straight to the source of the magic of songwriting by offering their thoughts, feelings, and opinions on their art. Representing almost every genre of popular music, from folk to Tin Pan Alley to jazz, from blues to pop rock, these are the figures who have shaped American music as we know it. Here they share their secrets and personal methods for converting inspiration into song: Robbie Robertson of the Band an Tom Petty talk about working with Bob Dylan; Dylan himself, in his only in-depth interview in more than ten years, says that the world doesn’t need any new songs; R.E.M. name their favorite R.E.M. songs; Madonna describes collaborating with Prince; Sammy Cahn talks about writing standards for Sinatra; Pete Seeger recounts hitting the road with Woody Guthrie; Frank Zappa admits to loving ”Louie Louie”; Todd Rundgren explains how he dreams his songs; and, in the book’s most extensive interview, Paul Simon delves into his opus from ”The Sound of Silence” to ”Graceland.” And almost all of them express delight at being able to talk about the mechanics of music itself, something that they have rarely been asked to discuss. Here expanded with new interviews with Burt Bacharach, Laura Nyro, Yoko Ono, Leonard Cohen, Graham Nash, Jackson Browne, Richard Thompson, and many others, Songwriters on Songwriting is a rare volume: one of the best books on the craft of musicmaking, an informative source for musicians and songwriters, and an invaluable historical record of the popular music of this century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If your bookshelf or wallet can only accommodate one book at this moment, it should be this one."

About the Author

Paul Zollo, a singer-songwriter and the editor of SongTalk, has written for magazines such as Sing Out!, Acoustic Guitar, Musician, and more. He lives in Hollywood, California.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 656 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Expanded edition (August 21, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306807777
• ISBN-13: 978-0306807770
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #824,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from SING OUT magazine, September 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Songwriters On Songwriting (Paperback)

By MICHAEL TEARSON

Paul Zollo, himself a singer-songwriter , has assembled a mighty and important book here. He has gathered 52 interviews he conducted for SongTalk. The subjects are a virtual who's who of songwriters. Zollo has an obvious love of song and songmaking and a curiosity about the process that won't quit. These qualities are reflected in his interviewing. So, too, is Zollo's uncanny knack for putting his subjects at ease so they will open up to him and candidly reveal more than they might have expected to. He probes intelligently, asking questions that evoke true responses. I often found myself thinking how good his questioning is. He clearly does his homework so that he can display an encyclopedic knowledge of the artist's full career, often asking specifically about the damnedest, most obscure songs. Two pieces juxtaposed early in the book form a kind of core around which this collection revolves. These are lengthy interviews with first Bob Dylan and then Paul Simon. In each of these, Zollo shows how well he listens and responds in his questioning. Both interviews are tremendously revealing and rewarding. This collection is about just what it is singer-songwriters of all stripes do, plus the how, in the way their various processes work, and the why of their drive to create. Essential questions all. This is compelling, don't-you-dare-miss-it stuff for anybody who writes songs, and equally for anybody else who listens to songs and cares about them.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars open your head!! something to learn from every single entry., August 19, 2001

By 

Jeffrey J. Sanders "psychedelic tunesmith" (www.mountainmirrors.com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Songwriters On Songwriting (Paperback)

I love this book. It really delves into the heart and soul of the songwriter and the idea that the songs don't come as much from themselves, but an unseen force which they are conductive channels to.... I started with the interviews with artists I'd known, like Carlos Santana and Paul Simon, and when I'd eventually gotten to the ones I'd never heard of is when the genius of this collection became more apparent. There is something beautiful and inspiring to be learned from everyone in this book.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An insight into the songwriting process, November 26, 2002

By 

jg_music (CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songwriters On Songwriting (Paperback)

The author interviews songwriters about their songwriting habits, attitudes, experiences and inspirations. Each songwriter has something unique to say. The interviews are educational, insightful, and occasionally inspiring. There are many interviews, so the book is a very good value for the price.

This book tells you how songwriters think and feel. The focus is on intangible artistic creation, vs. mechanical songwriting techniques.