Pop Shots – Feeling Bookish

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, with my latest book, One Hit Wondering: The Stories of 40 One Hit Wonders + Other Tales From The Crates, coming out TOMORROW, I’m dedicating this week’s column to songs about books.

Yes, it’s shameless self-promotion, but it’s also a fun playlist of eight songs, including a few from legendary artists, that put the focus on literature, reading, and writing.

Of course, since this is Pop Shots you know everything is seasoned with a little bit of attitude.

The Beatles – Paperback Writer

Leading things off is the song pretty much everyone thinks of when it comes to music about books, “Paperback Writer.” Not only is it a great song, who doesn’t love The Beatles???

“Paperback Writer” is 60 years old, and still sounds incredible, which is a total credit to The Beatles, and the fact that they were both of their time, and ahead of their time.

Incidentally, One Hit Wondering will be available in paperback. Just sayin’!

Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Every Day I Write the Book

Maybe I didn’t spend every day writing One Hit Wondering, but since it’s a collection of my columns, I did spend over three years writing it, so with that in mind I feel like I can sing this song with some confidence that it’s at least slightly applicable.

Wait … Elvis’ writing of a book was a metaphor? Damn!

Library Voices – Reluctant Readers Make Reluctant Lovers

Legendary filmmaker John Waters once said, “If you go home with somebody and they don’t have books, don’t fuck them.” I think Library Voices would agree with that sentiment, as they’ve clearly learned “Reluctant Readers Make Reluctant Lovers.”

This sounds like yet another reason to pick up One Hit Wondering tomorrow.

* Disclaimer – There is no guarantee picking up One Hit Wondering will get you laid, but go back to that John Waters quote, and you’ll see it can certainly help.

Talking Heads – The Book I Read

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz is a longtime friend of the site, so you know I had to have “The Book I Read” in this playlist.

While Talking Heads are singing about a book, my book is about songs, so there’s a fun yin yang thing going on here.

What would happen if someone were to sing a song about my book that’s about songs? Would that cause the universe to implode?!?!

These are the things I think about.

They Might Be Giants – So Crazy For Books

If you’ve ever been to my home, or seen me at a library book sale, you know this song applies to me, because not only do I write books, I read everything I can get my hands on.

Books, and music, are the two things my home is overflowing with, and I’m currently looking for a new place so I can have more room for both!

Cake – Open Book

Here’s a pretty good life rule – if you can find a way to work a Cake song into a playlist, you absolutely should.

“Open Book” is from their sophomore album, Fashion Nugget, which happened to have been part of the soundtrack to my freshman year of college. Oddly, I wasn’t very interested in the books that were assigned to me that year, but sometimes – actually, most of the time – it’s up to us to find the types of books we’ll love. Never let assigned reading dissuade you from the good stuff!

Belle and Sebastian – Wrapped Up in Books

Not only does this song have the word books in the title, the video is filled with books, as well!

OK, so the song isn’t actually about books, but I, for one, enjoy getting wrapped up in books, and I hope you’ll enjoy getting wrapped up in One Hit Wondering when it comes out tomorrow.

Monotones – The Book of Love

After The Beatles’ “Paperback Writer,” I’m betting most people thought of this tune when seeing this column would be about book themed songs.

I remember this song fondly from listening to Don K. Reed’s Doo Wop Shop on CBS-FM after family dinners as a kid. It’s now only slightly painful that the station that once aired such oldies now airs songs from the ‘80s and ‘90s, which means I’m the old one now.

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop … and pick up One Hit Wondering tomorrow on Amazon!!!