Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting
Book Review: Some truth from the heart of a real songwriter
Summary: 5 Stars
I felt at home almost immediately with the author's style. He talked about the songwriting art in such a way that I felt like sitting next to him while he was working. He explains his own feelings, his own reasoning with the song while creating it. He also gives away a number of "secrets" - tips that you can remeber to improve your own effeciency. It gave me courage to continue when I realised that it IS in fact HARD WORK to become a good songwriter - all my own sweat is not wasted! Jimmy does not only have excellent knowledge and skill - he also has practical experience and a track record. You may take him seriously when he explains the technical detail about creating a song and the different approaches that can be followed. I found myself often going back in the text and I use the book as a reference all the time. This is an invaluable book of knowledge for any songwriter!Book Review: TUNESMITH: INSIDE THE ART OF SONGWRITING
Summary: 5 Stars
It's an event when Jimmy Webb, the songwriter who epitomized both the romance and the innovation that characterized the songcrafting of the sixties and seventies ("By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman," "MacArthur Park," "Up, Up, and Away," etc.) turns his attention to writing a book about the songmaking process. Not only a great songwriter, Webb in his heyday was also admired as the possessor of a bright youthful intellect and a zany, happy sense of humor. The bulk of his hit-laden song catalog was completed by age twenty-five or so, at which time Webb mostly disappeared. For those insiders and fans who have been paying close attention, Webb has added to that catalog in more recent years, contributing such underpublicized gems as "If These Walls Could Speak" (Amy Grant, et al, early eighties) and "California Coast" (Linda Ronstadt, about 1990), a song that also helped celebrate the comeback of Brian Wilson, who created delicious and plaintive Beach-Boys-style background vocals for the cut. In TUNESMITH, we're allowed to be there as Jimmy Webb explains which writers and which songs he has admired, and we watch in fascination as Webb dissects a few of these personal favorites to lay bare the structure and the art within. Jimmy Webb is said to have spent four full years creating TUNESMITH, and his love for the craft is obvious as you turn the pages and absorb the insights being shared. A tip for researchers: Paul Zollo did an excellent retrospective interview with Webb after the songwriter had been silent for at least a decade. The original interview can be found in the annals of SongTalk, the journal of the National Academy of Songwriters, or much more easily in Zollo's excellent book of reprints, SONG- WRITERS ON SONGWRITING. And finally, a trivia question for Webb fans: on which pop album can a version of Jimmy Webb's very first song, "There's Someone Else," written as a teenager in Oklahoma, be found? Answer: Art Garfunkel's "Watermark."Book Review: TUNESMITH WILL HELP TUNE YOUR MIND
Summary: 5 Stars
Excellent book. The title is well-chosen. Insight and enlightenment, I got a little of both.The author uses song examples, slices of life (Hmm. good song title), historical perspective, and a bunch of other tools to make his point and inform the reader.
Indeed, you'll follow the author as he takes an idea through his songwriting process to a finished work. In my opinion, it's worth the price of the book alone.
I started reading around page 168 and then went back and read the entire book. Some of the earlier chapters were not 100% of interest to me but others are sure to love them.
I once heard John Breheny talk about how one must work at the "craft of songwriting." I think now I understand exactly what he means.
If you are serious about your craft, I believe this book is a good investment of your time.
Book Review: fascinating but flawed journey into the world of songwriting
Summary: 4 Stars
Jimmy Webb is one of the greatest songwriters in the history of pop music. He does his fans a great honor here by inviting them to sit beside him on the piano bench as he talks about the creative process. Because I am not a professional musician, however, I found that I really enjoyed about two-thirds of this book. Those are the parts of the book that deal with the world of a songwriter, how he gets inspiration for his songs, Webb's own career and his dealings with some of the major figures of pop music. I found myself skimming over long, extremely detailed passages about the intricacies of writing melodies and lyrics. I felt some of this material belongs in a textbook for music students. This may be an unfair criticism on my part, criticizing something because I didn't understand it. But as a reader, that's how I felt. I also would have like to learn a lot more about Jim's personal life, his family, etc.Book Review: Simply a great book about songwriting and writing in general
Summary: 5 Stars
A key part of my teaching is to know books about writing. I can't say enough good about this book. It's one of the best books about writing as a career or just as a practice that I've ever read, and it's right on the mark about what aspiring (song)writers should learn and do. It's beautifully and literately written, and Jimmy has indeed done his homework. I have a brother (Jerry) and a son (Henry) in popular music, both successful, and I think they'd agree with everything he says.