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AMERICAN POPULAR SONG

Now, in a 50th anniversary edition, popular music scholar Robert Rawlins brings the book fully up-to-date for the 21st century. Whereas previous editions featured only piano scores, the format has been changed to lead sheet notation with lyrics, making it accessible to a wider readership. Rawlins has also added more than sixty music examples to help complete the chapter on Irving Berlin.
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a WEAVING OF WORDS

The use of textile language as metaphor continued to expand and develop. The warp and the weft (or woof), referring to the weaving together of horizontal and vertical yarn, has come to signify the building blocks or components of life or of an argument. More mundanely, losing the thread, cottoning on, and lining the pocket, are all self-explanatory terms. Dyed in the wool emphasises that cloth dyed before weaving retains its deep colour and is superior to the wool that is dyed in the piece.

A DELIGHTFUL DISCONCERTO

as had been obvious by the laughter during the performance the audience had enjoyed themselves and were taking happy memories home with them and it is possible that members of this somewhat non-traditional audience for this genre of muisc might well return for more.

THE FIRST OF FIVE

There is no such thing as too much Mendelssohn.
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SONGS AND FILMS FROM BOTH SIDE NOW

Till’s is a story we can grasp, not of unnamed millions but of a single knowable martyr to racial hatred. The sadism of his killers, the horrific beating they inflicted on the boy still shock us today. The Till case also reminds us of our long history of racism in criminal justice, from policing all the way through trial and incarceration. His fate reminds us too that white supremacy was never just a set of ideas and opinions, but a charter for violence inflicted on living bodies.
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ANATOMY OF 55 MORE SONGS

Who would've ever guessed the inspiration behind Gladys Knight's soul-stirring Midnight Train to Georgia was '70s pinup queen Farrah Fawcett? T

WRITTEN FOR OTHERS by Paul Simon

“I spend more time writing music than writing words. The music always precedes the words. The words often come from the sound of the music and eventually evolve into coherent thoughts—or incoherent thoughts. Rhythm plays a crucial part in the lyric-making as well. It’s like a puzzle to find the right words to express what the music is saying.”

(EFE) FOLK IN FINE FETTLE

Having barely managed to catch our breath over the Christmas break, we're back on the road again towards the end of January for a packed run of industry conferences / showcases,starting withYour Roots Are Showing, Ireland's new conference, running from 22nd-26th January in Coolshannagh in Monaghan, Ireland. TheUK Americana Music Week in London runs from 24th-26th January and before that ends, Showcase Scotland kicks off in Glasgow, running from 25th-29th January.

JOY AT THE LOST AND FOUND for Emmylou

Like doing harmonies to go along with that lead, you’re making sure you’re not overshadowing, you’re just trying to partner with them so you have to be mindful of that. But ultimately, in any situation it’s about serving the song. So you just become other instruments, just like the lead guitar player, or pedal steel player. That’s just a wonderful experience.”

a news ARTicle for the coming weeks

Sidetracks And Detours will, of course, continue throughout 2023 to share with our readers any news we receive of visual arts and artists. If you have news you would like us to print on the genre please e-mail me at normanwarwick55@gmail.com.