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Take a Sad Song

The Emotional Currency of β€œHey Jude”
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Take a Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of "Hey Jude" by James Campion explores the deeper origins, recording, visual presentation, and enduring impact of the Beatles' classic song "Hey Jude." It delves into the personal connection between Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and the historical and social context of the turbulent 1960s. Campion incorporates insights from musicology, sociology, philosophy, psychology, and history, enhanced by commentary from Beatles authors and songwriters, celebrating the song's lasting role in music and culture.
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Format: Hardback
$6718
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for Beatles fans, musicologists, and readers interested in cultural history and songwriting, this book suits those who appreciate detailed explorations of iconic music within wider social and historical contexts.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In Take a Sad Song: The Emotional Currency of "Hey Jude," James Campion dives deeply into the song's origins, recording, visual presentation, impact, and eventual influence, while also discovering what makes "Hey Jude" a classic musical expression of personal comfort and societal unity conceived by a master songwriter, Paul McCartney.

Within its melodic brilliance and lyrical touchstones of empathy and nostalgia resides McCartney's personal and professional relationship with his childhood friend and songwriting partner, John Lennon, and their simultaneous pursuit of the women who would complete them. There are also clues to the growing turmoil within the Beatles and their splintering generation scarred by war, assassination, and virulent protest.

Campion's journey into the song includes the insights of experts in the fields of musicology, sociology, philosophy, psychology, and history. Campion also reveals commentary from noted Beatles authors, biographers, music historians, and journalists and, finally, a peek into the craft of songwriting from a host of talented composers across several generations.

Take a Sad Song is a tribute to how a song can define, inspire, and affect us in ways we do not always fully comprehend, as well as a celebration of a truly amazing track in the Beatles canon that reveals one band's genius and underscores its lasting voice in our cultural and musical landscape.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised for its thorough research and insightful analysis, Take a Sad Song is acclaimed for transforming how readers perceive "Hey Jude." Matt Slys highlights its blend of expert perspectives and compelling facts, guaranteeing the song will never sound the same again. Alan Light commends the book for adding new layers to the story of the Beatles, enriching the band's cultural narrative with love and deep scholarship.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781493062379

Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 June 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Backbeat Books

Illustration: 12 b/w photos

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 148.0mm

Height: 188.0mm

Weight: 520g

Pages: 328

About the Author

James Campion is a syndicated columnist and contributing editor for the pop culture magazine the Aquarian Weekly, where he's reported on and interviewed several and varied musical artists and reviewed concerts and albums for twenty-three years. His long-form music essays are featured in the webzine Dog Door Cultural. His work has also appeared in NY Newsday, North County News, Hackwriters, and Huff Post, among other periodicals. He is also the co-host of the popular music podcast Underwater Sunshine with Counting Crows front man, Adam Duritz. The two host an annual music festival in New York City by the same name.

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