Written in My Soul: Rock's Great Songwriters Talk About Creating Their Music

by Bill Flangan

Interviews with twenty-seven top rock singers, songwriters, and musicians share their feelings about their careers and music

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography

472 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love 70s and 80s music, this is a fun trip down memory lane with some of the most influential singer/songwriters of the era. The timing was interesting, as "Graceland" hadn't come out yet (nor, of course, won the "album of the Year" Grammy) and "Dream of the Blue Turtles" hadn't had a #1 hit yet, so Flanagan doesn't ask Paul Simon or Sting about them. Still, the interviews are insightful, as Flanagan focused on the songwriting experience rather than "what is this song about?" type questions.

[David Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful Q&As with singer-songwriters out of the rock (not pop or soul) tradition. Overwhelmingly male and white, true, and some of the choices (Mark Knopfler, Rickie Lee Jones, Lowell George) haven't stood the test of time. But Flanagan gets illuminating answers from people as disparate as Carl Perkins, Elvis Costello and Joni Mitchell, and Dylan gives one of his better interviews.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A interesting book .Some of the people interviewed aren't favorites of my personal taste. But many are all in all a great read.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some eye-opening and some downright confusing talks with pop and rock musicians. Sadly, since this was published in 1986, some of his choices as "legends" are laughable (Jackson Browne? Rickie Lee Jones? REALLY?)

There also is a lot of commentary fluff written by a possibly high Flanagan in order to get a reasonable book length and avoid trying to talk to even more temperamental artists. Some nice black and white photos of all interveiwees, which include:

* Bob Dylan
* Elvis Costello
* Pete Townshend
* Chuck Berry (really! He is notorious for not doing interviews.)
* Willie Dixon (you know more of his songs than you realize)
* Kris Kristopherson
* Tom Waits (brilliant!!!!!!!!)
* Sting
* Lowell George -- done 11 days before he died
* Joni Mitchell
* Joan Armastrading
* Keith Richards
* Mick Jaggar
* Van Morrison (hey -- he talks!)
* Lou Reed
* Mark Knopfler
* David Byrne
* Sting
* Bono closes the book in one of the less egotistical interviews given in the 1980s.

And oh, yeah --

* Rickie Lee Jones
* Jackson Browne

[Drew Masse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for an AP Literary analysis paper. I used the author's setting up of the interviews as an appeal to the audience. I enjoyed it (as I enjoy music), and I would recommend it to anyone else who enjoys music and songwriting!

[Dave Donahoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

read during my semester abroad at Cambridge University, England