Over the Counter # 45

The latest book to catch my eye as it passed over my library counter and under my scanner this week was The Girl in the Song by Michael Heatley and Frank Hopkinson.  Subtitled: The True Stories Behind 50 Rock Classics. I am a classic rock fan and had lots of fun leafing through this one!

From the publisher Chicago Review Press:

"Women have long inspired rock artists, but what do fans really know about these muses? The Girl in the Song focuses on the girlfriends, wives, rivals, exes, groupies, celebrities, mothers, children, and even complete strangers who inspired 50 of rock’s greatest songs. Who was the Emily in Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play”? Did life change for Prudence Farrow after John Lennon wrote “Dear Prudence”? And whatever happened to “the girl with mousy hair,” an ex-girlfriend David Bowie sings about in “Life on Mars”?

Songs are typically short and one-sided, and rarely do justice to their subjects. But author Michael Heatley explains how each woman inspired the song written about her, when the song was released, and the impact it had on the charts, the performer, and the woman. He also includes a mini biography of the song’s muse. Music buffs will also appreciate sidebars on the performers who wrote about the women in their lives--Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett would include as many as four girls in the same song--as well as trivia from recording history. It’s the perfect book for anyone who’s ever wondered, “Who was the girl in that song?”

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)