The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #158941 Message #3762907
Posted By: GUEST,.gargoyle
04-Jan-16 - 05:18 PM
Thread Name: Review: BOOK - Unprepared To Die
Subject: Review: BOOK - Unprepared To Die
Unprepared to Die - America's Greatest Murder Ballads by Paul Slade
Great songs produce great performances. This book is riveting. The stories are amazing. Even more so is the historical discography of artists who recorded a version of the song; it reads like a "who's who" melding field recordings of folk artists and modern rock.
This is a solid, academic work. But, it reads like a best seller from the New York Times list.
If you have the Lomax brothers, Randolph, Cohen, and Lighter on your bookshelf....Slade should snuggle up close.
You will discover the wonderful transitions of the "folk process" as lyrics morph and change. There is an element of historical genius as Slade brings an entire catalogue of recorded music together.
Sincerely,
Gargoyle
This is a great book. I recommend it most highly to Dick, Susan, Max and Joe ... and anyone else that appreciates the MC founder's genre.