They're Playing Our Song: Conversations With America's Classic Songwriters [Paperback]

Max Wilk (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 21, 1997

The careers, inspirations, and techniques of Jerome Kern, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin and seventeen other classic songwriters are revealed in Max Wilk's unique profiles, comprised of anecdotes, remembrances, reflections, and commentary either by the lyricists and composers themselves or other show business professionals intimately associated with them. The emphasis in each case is on the songs—the magic and the craft behind such hits as "Ol' Man River," "I Wanna Be Loved by You," "My Funny Valentine," "The Lady Is a Tramp," "I'm in the Mood for Love," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," "Lullaby of Broadway," "Moon River," "That Old Black Magic," "Over the Rainbow," "Stormy Weather," "Send in the Clowns," "White Christmas," "God Bless America," and thousands more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

From Charles Champlin, former Los Angeles Times Film Critic:

I can't tell you how delighted I am to have your book. What a gas it must be for the song writer to be able to stop and think, "Hey, they're playing my song.." It is a lot nearer to having a small grasp on immortality to know that somewhere a fragment of one's song can still be heard.

It is amazing and also rather sobering to realize how many of the voices you were celebrating only a very few short years ago have already gone silent. But thank God, their works live on. Your work is now a priceless treasure trove of memory and a recapturing of men and women who have contributed so incredibly much to our lives, our memories, and our carings. It is astonishing to stop now and again and realize and appreciate how deep and enduring an impression the songwriters have left on absolutely every one of us, whatever our race, voice, or condition of servitude.

Thanks again for this lovely and timeless book. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Max Wilk, b.1920, grew up in the theater and movie business, as his father was a Broadway producer and east coast story editor for Warner Brothers. He wrote live television in the late forties and early fifties, sit coms in the late fifties and sixties, and a number of comedy specials with Jonathan Winters and other comic stars. He has published 27 books, both fiction and nonfiction, including the novelization of the Beatles movie, "Yellow Submarine." He continues to write and produce for stage, book and screen. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (March 21, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306807467
• ISBN-13: 978-0306807466
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,520,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not only are they playing our songs, they've written them., April 4, 1998

By 

[e-mail] "Liz A." (NY, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: They're Playing Our Song: Conversations With America's Classic Songwriters (Paperback)

What makes the collection fascinating is that much of this book is in the voices of the songwriters, or in the voices of those who knew them well. And if anyone is an expert on the lore of America's music, it's Max Wilk. The book was originally written in 1971. When it was updated 15 years later, many of the songwriters Wilk had originally interviewed were gone, so reading these chapters in the colorful voices of talents like the late Johnny Mercer, Ira Gershwin, Dorothy Fields, and Harry Warren, who, cigar in his mouth, told him about his three Oscars ("Ah, I use 'em for doorstops!")-- it's irreplaceable. Even Irving Berlin, reclusive and rather irascible, offered his own glimpse into the man behind all those songs. "If it's a collection of gags about the music business," said Berlin, "don't bother talking to me. I'm not a comedian." All these stories are there, plus those of other show business legends like Robert Russell Bennett, Joshua Logan, and nonagenarian P.G. Wodehouse. Taking this wealth of ingredients, Max Wilk put it all together, gave it a stir, got the mix cooking, and then sat back to let the voices take over. For all those who love the heritage of American popular music, get this book, sit back, and read about the masters. Then put on your CDs and listen again to the familiar music they wrote for us.END

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, one of my favourite books, February 25, 2004

By 

Michael H Wall (Lilyfield, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: They're Playing Our Song: Conversations With America's Classic Songwriters (Paperback)

I found this book in a second hand store in Sydney (Australia, where I live) about ten years ago. All I can say is I keep coming back to it and rereading it about once a year. It's chock full of anecdotal gems about famous and not-so-famous songwriters of the 20th century. To read of a young Leo Robin daring to tell Maurice Chevalier how to sing a song, or of Frank Loesser punching a soprano in the nose (and then yelling 'Forgive me') is priceless. If you have any interest in 20th century popular music, get it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars sThis is a dslightfujland erudirteing a song for friendship, April 18, 2008

By 

Maurice Goodman, Jr. "ricegood21" (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: They're Playing Our Song: Conversations With America's Classic Songwriters (Paperback)

This is a delightful and erudite picture of an industry that has touched every one of us, by a master of humor, insight, and deep personal knowledge of his subjectan d subjects. In this, the second...or third... important reprinting one would encourage anyone who enjoys our popular, not rock nor roll nor rap, music history to be amused by this volume.