Music Books

Received it as a gift and it sits on my coffee table (always viewed by guests). I bought it for my stepdad who said "It's a great toilet book--I read an entry every day."

I purchased this as a gift for a friends 15 year old daughter (who has become a huge Beatles fan). When she opened it up, her eyes said it all...she absolutely loved the photo's and the captions for each picture. I thought it was literally one page/ picture for each day of the calendar year...so I went to look for June 15...and it wasn't there, but there were about 4 pages on June 8. So it does add up to 365 days and crosses the years from 1964-1970, but if you are like me and wanted to see what the Beatles were doing on your birthday, you might not get to find out. But it's a great book and a great gift.

Absolutely stunning! Beautiful and personal photos that covers all four with stunning acuracy.

This book is an absolute treasure and worth every penny of the steep price I payed for it.The pictures are large and extremely high quality and most of them are in vivid color.Another wonderful thing is the fact that they are in chronological order,almost day by day from the end of 1962 to 1970.This is perfect for students of the Beatles because it gives an accurate visual history of the band to suppliment all of the written histories.This leads me to another important point.Anyone with eyes knows that not only is the music great but The Fab Four were indeed VERY nice to look at!And I don't think you have to be a woman,as I most certainly am,to notice that!This book is alot of fun.Because of the date order you see that Paul is wearing the same shirt almost two days in a row on their 1966 American tour!Wonder what happened?! Didn't Neil get to the local cleaners?No clean shirts left?I bet Paul was less than thrilled.To see their clothing styles change every 6 months or so is also interesting.The pictures of the concerts are fantastic especially the color ones.Some of them are large closeups.It also includes some of Bob Whiticker's beautiful photos.He took some of the best pictures of the Fabs and I don't mean the silly Butcher shots.This book should be in every Beatlemaniac's collection.

Excellent book with hundreds of rare photos.
High quality paper.
Recomended.

An absolute necessity for anyone who collects music or is interested in the history of Rock/Pop music in the United States. A must have book that will Never be on the shelf but always close by for reference.

Just overflowing with fabulous info. I only wish there was a paperback version available from Amazon. I'm sure there's one somewhere, since this book was published in '03 and there were always paperback versions of older Whitburn books. It would've been less expensive (and lighter!).

It's a great book for any music fan of the last fifty or more years. It lists all the artists, song titles and chart information for every year. Even a small bio of each artist. It is the bible of popular music. All of Joel Whitburn's books are excellent.

This book is a great help in searching for old records, who sang on these singles, what date they came out, etc etc. I discovered some minor errors though, but hopefully they will be corrected for the revised edition!! Kind of thought it is a waste of space to list who has the most popular songs, this and that; but otherwise I highly recommend this book.

If you are considering this book, you are probably 39 and holding, like I have been for the past 25 years. I started wondering "what was the title of that song?" and "who sang that one?". All those good tunes I grew up listening to in the late 50's on through the 80's. I bought this book (through Amizon of course) and just seeing the titles printed jarred loose melodies that have long been burried under the dust of time. Noboby plays them anymore, but the mind is a juke box of sorts and seeing a title is akin to putting a "nickle in the nickleodeon". This book is fun. Find music by artist or title. Lot's of trivia on the singers (Neil Diamond once considered changing his name to Noah Kaminsky and wrote for the TV show THE MONKEES). If you love the oldies, this book is great. KHF

I can't even put it into words. We enjoyed this tape so much when my son was a baby! I hear the music now and it brings tears to my eyes. I would sit for hours, rocking him to this music and the songs are so beautiful. Whenever I have to buy a gift for a baby shower, I always buy this cassette because it's loved by everyone who receives it. Go out and get this tape immediately, I promise, you won't be sorry!

I'm surprised we didn't wear out this tape! My son is now 12 and we played this, together with classical music, for the first several years of his life! Very sweet - easy to sing along with, catchy tunes. I really missed it when we misplaced it - and just bought another for his Christmas stocking! BTW - he now has a very good ear for music.

My kids are now in their teens and still like this collection of songs. I buy it for every new mother I know and they just love it as we do. It's a must have!! It is just so beautiful

I bought this tape and booklet in 1998 when I had my first child. I am purchasing another now for my second child, because we played the other one so many times we wore it out. All of the songs are very soothing and easy to listen to. I love to listen to the instrumental side and sing to my babies too. This is one of the best children's tape we own.

I know this will sound funny, but here goes anyway....

I have four sons, ages 17, 14, 13 and 6. I first got this as a cassette when my first son was born in 1987. I started playing it as I nursed him at bedtime. It became a routine to play the tape for him each night at bedtime, alternating sides. He always settled right in to bed, wherever he was he always felt at home, comforted.

For each of the teenage boys, I did the same... thankful my cassette managed to last (prior to internet days). Now I have my six year old, and believe it or not, all three of the older boys actually sing the songs to and with him, and sometimes linger in the hallways to catch their favorite song at bedtime! They fondly remember the day when I tucked them in an pressed play.... Was it the singing night? or the music night? is a common guessing game we play. You know that this is an awesome tape when it's instrumental night and your six year old sings each and every word on cue as he drifts off to sleep!!! He even sings when he has his buddies spend the night for a sleepover - no embarassment whatsoever.

We are so thankful to the person who gave it to us so many years ago. I'm now ordering it as a CD, knowing that someday not so far off, I'll be Grandma....with the lullabye disc!

I don't know if I am musically hopeless, but I certainly have never gotten much out of a harmonica. In a few short lessons with this book and tape, I was able to play "Oh Susanna" in straight harp (accent on the blow notes) and was on my way to playing single notes, "cross harp" (blues, accent on the draw notes) and riffs.

The little harmonica that comes with the book is a 10 note key of C Hohner. It is surprisingly sweet-sounding and a very good little instrument. That impressed me; I imagine once I get better at this I will still be happily playing on it. The harmonica has a protective plastic case-- the whole thing is no bigger than a candy bar. The slim paperback book is well-illustrated with a back section of quite a few straight harp folk tunes that you can play even if you don't read music. The tape is pleasant--plenty of blues guitar to jam with, and many example riffs that are the backbone of learning basic blues. The tape is also invaluable for hearing what a single note, a "bent" note, and the wah-wah sound effects are like.

If you want to teach yourself or your kids a musical instrument with not a lot of money or musical knowledge, this little kit might just do it for you.

When I wanted to learn blues harmonica I started asking around and searching the net. Everyone pointed me in the same direction. They told me Jon Gindick is the undisputed champ when it comes to harmonica teaching materials. And they told me to get this package. I got it, and couldn't be happier. The only thing I knew about music is that I liked it. Jon takes you through step by step from how to hold the harmonica, to basic music theory, to bending notes, and other techniques to get that blues sound you seek. Jon is clearly interested in getting people started on their way to a playing successfully. And the book is quite entertaining. Finally, getting a book, cassette, AND harp for this price is unbeatable. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Yes, I am a piano-lessons-dropout. Never could play a musical instrument, but now I am jammin' with a blues guitar! I practice along with the included instruction tape in the car and my commute is just a blast. It did not take long at all to get addicted and there is plenty on this tape to keep you busy for a long time. I imagine that I will eventually outgrow this 'first-timer' tape and get the intermediate instruction, but it will last you a lot longer than you think. It's fun to play along with the tape over and over again -- each time hearing yourself get better! I used the book just once to get started, went to the tape, and stayed with the tape ever since. The first time I heard the cool riffs on the tape, I thought "That is SO cool. I would love to play like that!" Now I am doing it! and coming up with my own variations. My plan is to get a tape that is 100% guitar (no instruction) and show my friends my jam session! I'll hedge my bets and make sure they enjoy a few drinks beforehand.

Incredible, and what a deal for so much fun. By the way, when I bought this, [they] said it's a book and instruction tape. When it arrived it also had a harmonica (Honer Pocket Pal). This is my thrasher, throw-it-in-the-glove-compartment harp. Based on recommendations I found on the web, I bought a quality harmonica that's solid for beginners and can support you to intermediate levels (Lee Oskar Major Diatonic, Key of C). It plays very well.

Musically Hopeless No More. By studying Jon's books, Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless and Rock n Blues Harmonica, I have learned how to play with a band in 9 months. Gindick speaks the language of the people while carefully teaching you the basics in a way that is interesting and fun. Since Jon recommended that I learn from as many people as I could, I have scoured the blues "how to" literature. Gindick's books are my favorites.

This method really worked for me. Whenever anyone asks me how I got started with the harmonica or says they are interested in playing, I send them right to this book. The lessons are easy to follow and the tape is a great way to start to learn how to play.

I picked up this book/tape about six years ago and am now playing in three bands. A contemporary Christian band, a blues band and a classic rock. The book is fairly humorous and keeps your interest until you are ready to use the tape alone. This is the only training I have in how to play harmonica. You'll enjoy it.

This book is very enjoyable and fun to play. The selections are very interesting and I feel like I'm actually improvising. I love the arrangements and look forward to practicing!

Dan Coates writes in a style much like my own, so I really enjoy the selection of songs and his arrangements of them. I've searched for years for a book like this! So pleased with it. There are 77 songs, most of them will always be timeless favorites. Some of the pieces are a little challenging, but I like that. I've been asked to play for a wedding and reception. Most all of these songs will be appropriate for the occasion, and they are professional-sounding, too. I'll be proud of this book for years to come, unlike many I wish I had never wasted my money on and are now collecting dust.

This is one of my favorite piano solo books. Some of the music takes work as it is mostly level 4-5, but the arrangements are wonderful. I take this book with me wherever I know there will be a piano. I'm a senior citizen who has played for years and Dan Coates improvisations fit my abilities very well. I hope there will be another book from him one of these days.

I play for numerous weddings where the bride chooses piano for the service music. These arrangements are a wonderful resource for these events. They are absolutely gorgeous, and they are a great source with a mix of classical, sacred, and modern songs. The arrangement of "Prayer" is worth the price for the whole volume. It is one of the best values I've encountered in many years.

I bought this for my wife who studied the piano up to a pretty advanced level, but stopped playing regularly about 6 years ago. Other reviews made me think that it would be a challenging book for her...in fact, she is enjoying the variety and smoothness of it. I guess that is both an advantage and disadvantage...depends on your expectations. One thing is for sure...she is loving it.

Ian Hunter's self-titled solo debut is one of the best British rock albums to come from a glam-rocker in 1975. The former Mott The Hoople vocalist attempts to attack the whole rock & roll scenemaking machine, as well as anything honoring false gods, on this CD, and he succeeds magnificently, starting with the opening track, "Once Bitten Twice Shy." Even if the Bethany Hamilton shark attack hadn't happened, I'd still prefer Hunter's original version of this great song to Great White's (named after a man-eating shark) wimpy, Top-Ten-selling remake. Another song here, "It Ain't Easy When You Fall", which excoriates the dangers of excessive self-indulgence, is making me think twice about using wine to toast my grandfather on his 95th birthday, or my grandparents on their 75th wedding anniversary, as well as inspiring me to keep myself looking well in all ways for any number of pretty actresses. It's unfortunate that this cautionary recording wasn't a bigger hit here in the U.S.

Ian Hunter makes meat and potatoes rock'n'roll with more than usual head and heart. King of the midtempo rocker, he's turned in some mean ballads as well. The man who penned DIARY OF A ROCK STAR has always been his own best subject, so it stands to reason this deeply personal record would stand among his finest. It also rocks like a #&@*%$! Hunter swings from swagger to intropection while the great Mick Ronson backs him up with articulate arrangements and explosive guitar solos. Ronno's lead on "Lounge Lizard" is one of the nastiest slow burns ever, all drama, attitude and corrosive texture. The album's self reflective core peaks with the remarkably naked "It Ain't Easy When You Fall/Shades Off" before closing with the jubilant "I Get So Excited". When this record (back in '75, remember) came out it was Rolling Stone's album of the month. their headline nailed it: "Ian Hunter professes faith: Rock Saves".

Those who like their Hunter more personal than political should seek out his 2001 indie "comeback" RANT on Fuel Records. It's great.

And for those who like macho rockers dragged kicking and screaming into self awareness, you should check out Bob Mould, Richard Thompson and Graham Parker if you haven't already.

I concur with all the other reviews. This is a below-the-radar masterpiece. If you like classic rock, you'll like this.
"3,000 Miles From Here" is not one of my favorites, but everything else is top-notch. "Once Bitten Twice Shy" is a classic and the collage of "It Ain't Easy When You Fall"/"Shades Off"/"I Get So Excited" is just amazing. I dare you to erase "I Get So Excited" from your brain. Later solo albums from Ian Hunter were spotty and not this consistent.

Ian Hunter's debut solo disk remains, 30 years after the fact, one the the finest albums released during the seventies. Fresh from the breakup of Mott the Hoople and alledgedly, a nervous breakdown, Hunter teamed with Mick Ronson to record some Hoople leftovers and some new tracks.

The album kicks off with three undisputable hard rockers, ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY (the most famous song from this set), WHO DO YOU LOVE and LOUNGE LIZARD. The ballad BOY is supposedly about former pal David Bowie, and depicts a tale a star who loses touch via fame and drugs. The heavy rocker THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH... marries a Lennonesque theme to a crunching rock tune. Ronson solos with a venegence on this one. The album winds down with a triolgy of songs, the poignant IT'S NOT EASY (WHEN YOU FALL), a poem, the touching autobiography SHADES OFF and finally another searing rocker, I GET SO EXCITED.

To me, this was the apex of Hunter's career. Though he had a number of notable albums with Mott the Hoople and a long successful solo career, nothing matches the power, emotions and consistancy of this record. It sounds as fresh in 2006 as it did in 1975!

Ian Hunter by Ian Hunter and featuring Mick Ronson is one of the finest albums to come out of the seventies. Not only are the songs tight, spirited, and well played, but they seem to have stood the test of time. Listening to them now they sound as good as they did back in 1975 when I first bought the lp and wore it out. Though Hunter may not be a 70's rock and roll poetic genius like Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen or even Paul Simon, he can still write a genuinely captivating song, as can be heard with "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," "Lounge Lizard," or "Boy."

I absolutely love this album, and I would put it in my list of top ten albums from the seventies, which is a difficult task. I think what makes it so great is the combination of Ian Hunter's songwriting and vocals mixed with Mick Ronson's guitar and production work. Ronson is easily one of the most over looked talents from the seventies, and his work with Ian Hunter is simply devine rock and roll. By all means buy this album.

I am a big fan of the Doors, and Jim Morrison (went to his grave in Pere La Chaise twice) and I had long been looking for a coffee table book on Jim that was both interesting to look at and a fine read, too. This pop-up book has pockets and slides of letters, photos and mementos so well reproduced they look like originals; it's a must-have for anyone who loves arts and crafts and The Doors! Enjoy it!!

I am a devoted Jim Morrison/Doors fan but wasn't aware of this book until my nephew mentioned it to me while we were at a Ozzie/Rob Zombie concert. I promised to give it to him for his birthday. I bought it from Amazon and before I wrapped it I spent at least two hours going through it. This is the most well-conceived, cohesive, unbelievably put-together book I have ever seen. I could not stop going through it and taking all the papers out of their pockets and reading Jim Morrison's letters to his mother, report cards, letters to Jim from his pastor, teachers, etc. Every insert looks like the original document. I cannot say enough good things about this book. I gushed over it so much I hope my kids get the hint and give it to me for Mother's Day!

Excellent collector's edition book for any Jim Morrison/The Doors fan. Full of never before published pictures, handwritten lyrics and letters by Jim Morrison. A must buy for any Doors fan.

My husband loved this book and all it has to offer. This is for a true fan of The Doors and collectors.

The Jim Morrison Scrapbook *****

With the abundance of material that has been released and re-released and alternately released from the Jim Morrison estate in the past decade very little of it has been any good. It is mostly things that had already been released on one thing or another deeming it pointless to own, but not The Jim Morrison Scrapbook. Oh-no! This is phenomenal and a must have for Doors-geeks like myself. This shows sides of Morrison rarely or never shown.

Chronicling the genius from birth, poet, songwriter, lover, performer, and death. This is a book explaining all of those things about the man, but with actually tangible documents like his will, report cards, letters, his handwritten lyrics, rare seen photos; some of which have never been released to the mass public.

The Jim Morrison Scrapbook is the first in a series of "scrapbooks" being released of famous legends. As of right now a Bob Dylan, and John Lennon version is also available. This is essential for all rock fans! A must read!

I had never heard the real King Arthur tale. I enjoyed it tremendously! Sean Bean's narration of this tale is exquisite. His voice is perfect for books on tape. Such depth. You felt you were really there. I would recommend this to anyone!

The whole family is hooked on this. The classical music that accompanies it is compelling. You think you are there.

Sean Bean does an awesome job on this production. His range of voices and dialects are amazing. Very eerie in the parts that are supposed to be.

It's hard to take such a well known tale and still make it fun to listen to, but Sean Bean's voice and cadences kept me listening to the end.

This CD was bought for our then seven year old son and we listened to it on a long car trip. What a fantastic way to pass the time. Sean Bean is phenomenal as the narrator and characters of the story. We have listened to it so many times and still never get tired of this great story, excellently told.

Thrown into this great story is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, another exciting story within the story of King Arthur.

This story on CD appeals to all ages from our seven year old to our sixteen year old and to adults. It is one of a few stories that you really can listen to again and again and still be enthralled. I would highly recommend keeping it in the car for the long trips.

I really think that everyone who wants to do an audition should get this book because the music is great and it is even better in the vocal book so yeah.

. . . I will be singing these songs. I grant you that the piano music requires a talented pianist (and even the vocal range is nothing to sneer at, particularly if you sing both a Jamie and Cathy song), but OH, the beauty! This is one of my favorite musicals of all time, and this songbook, though perhaps not Quite complete (I wish, I wish, I WISH it had See I'm Smiling. Still, it's more complete than the vast majority of musical's songbooks!), is incredible. If you love JRB, L5Y, or just are looking for a good audition piece, this is where your life begins!

The songs, lyrics, and rhythm beautifully portray the love/hate story of Jamie and Cathy. Jason Robert Brown's dreams and styling really show through. The arrangements are probabley best for intermediate-advanced piano players. It's wonderful!

Great piano/vocal arrangements! This sheet music is very true to the cast recording. The arrangements reflect varying degrees of complexity, with the piano score averaging moderate playing difficulty. Pianists/vocalists who enjoy "The Last Five Years" will find this to be a very satisfying sheet music purchase.

Jason Robert Brown has been among my favorite composers in the business for quite a while. His books are among the most played music in my collection, and for good reason. They cover a tremendous emotional range, and this book is well worth the money.

A few caveats: I'm a music major, having played piano for 15 years and sung for most of my life, and I still think this music is HARD! Be aware if you're a less experienced musician that you may find most of his work frustratingly difficult. Also, if you own the vocal selections books from his individual shows (I own all but Parade), you will find considerable overlap in these books. From each of the shows so far that such books are available, this book includes 3 songs that you may already have and one new song. It also includes, however, many songs that are not available anywhere else, and is still very much worthwhile for what is left.

Kevin Sheehan has simplified the great qualities of important leaders and placed them in an entertaining text. A gift which I have passed on to my dearest friends, this book is both inspirational and educational. My highest recommendation.

Poignant, powerful stories. Beautifully written with a distinctive and important design. This book's not to be missed--by you, your friends, your business colleagues. Bravo!

Within his book A Leader Becomes A Leader, Kevin Sheehan delightfully illustrates the essence of true leadership. He poignantly definies a diverse group of past and present leaders; while exploring their life events and characteristics of greatness. Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to read this motivational book!

The author does a phenomenal job of breaking the topic down into small manageable and inspiring readings; also covers a great cross-section of leaders and the characteristics that made them successful. I ordered a dozen copies as executive and motivational gifts.

J. Kevin Sheehan presents a celebration of what's possible in his biographical snapshots of great leaders. By focusing on the unique character traits of outstanding leaders the author transforms the mysteries of leadership into something very real. He answers the question "what made them great?" in an extremely concise and inspirational style. Great as a corporate gift or graduation present. My children have used it for school projects and I have found inspiration for my own business. No home or school library should be without this most valuable tool.