Description
Book SynopsisEverybody has to start somewhere. Businessmen start on the ground floor and try to work their way up the corporate ladder. Baseball players bide their time in the minor leagues wishing for an opportunity to move up and play in the majors. Musical compositions aren't very different some songs just don't climb the charts the first time they're recorded. However, with perseverance, the ideal singer, the right chemistry, impeccable timing, vigorous promotion, and a little luck, these songs can become very famous. So writes Bob Leszczak in the opening pages of Who Did It First?: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists. In this third and final volume to the Who Did It First? series, readers explore the hidden history of the most famous, indeed legendary, rock songs and standards. Did you know that the Wild Ones had a Wild Thing before the Troggs? Were you aware that it took a second shot for Double Shot of My Baby's Love to make the charts? Had you heard that Guy Villa
Trade ReviewAs in the other books, it is easy to find a familiar song just browsing between the covers. What is often surprising, however, is the realization that the hit song you grew up with was minor compared to an earlier hit. Sometimes the situation is reversed – the massive radio hit you grew up with would never have been possible without the relatively obscure, original “unsung” recording to inspire it. This book provides good examples of both situations, as well as various other twists and turns in the life cycles of famous rock songs. . . . This compact hardcover includes also a simple navigational list of songs, a list of illustrations, an integrated index, and a convenient appendix listing select artists heavily referenced in cover songs. . . . Its usefulness to students of popular culture and music will make this reference book an easy addition to any library. * American Reference Books Annual *
Significantly, Who Did it First? never presents itself as something it is not (say, a scholarly work), and its tone is designed for a casual reader, not a trainspotting boffin who can’t help but play gotcha! when reading it. Who Did it First? is a lightweight, fun and informative trip through rock’s history. * Musoscribe *
[Who Did It First: Great Rock and Roll Cover Songs and Their Original Artists, Who Did It First: Great Pop Cover Songs and Their Original Artists, Who Did It First: Great Rhythm and Blues Cover Songs and Their Original Artists] are well organized, and everything is readily accessible. . . .[T]hese are outstanding books from which any lover of popular music, from the neophyte to the most advanced, will gain much knowledge and enjoyment. * Journal of American Culture *
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Songs Acknowledgments Introduction Songs Appendix: The Extras Section Bibliography Index About the Author
