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The Beatles and the 1960s: Reception, Revolution, and Social Change
by Kenneth L. CampbellThe Beatles are widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history and their career has been the subject of many biographies. Yet the band's historical significance has not received sustained academic treatment to date. In The Beatles' Reception in the 1960s, Kenneth L. Campbell uses the Beatles as a lens through which to explore the sweeping, panoramic history of the social, cultural and political transformations that occurred in the 1960s. It draws on audience reception theory and untapped primary source material, including student newspapers, to understand how listeners would have interpreted the Beatles' songs and albums not only in Britain and the United States, but also globally. Taking a year-by-year approach, each chapter analyses the external influences the Beatles absorbed, consciously or unconsciously, from the culture surrounding them. Some key topics include race relations, gender dynamics, political and cultural upheavals, the Vietnam War and the evolution of rock music and popular culture. The book will also address the resurgence of the Beatles' popularity in the 1980s, as well as the relevance of The Beatles' ideals of revolutionary change to our present day.This is essential reading for anyone looking for an accessible yet rigorous study of the historical relevance of the Beatles in a crucial decade of social change.
The Beatles and the 1960s: Reception, Revolution, and Social Change
by Kenneth L. CampbellThe Beatles are widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history and their career has been the subject of many biographies. Yet the band's historical significance has not received sustained academic treatment to date. In The Beatles' Reception in the 1960s, Kenneth L. Campbell uses the Beatles as a lens through which to explore the sweeping, panoramic history of the social, cultural and political transformations that occurred in the 1960s. It draws on audience reception theory and untapped primary source material, including student newspapers, to understand how listeners would have interpreted the Beatles' songs and albums not only in Britain and the United States, but also globally. Taking a year-by-year approach, each chapter analyses the external influences the Beatles absorbed, consciously or unconsciously, from the culture surrounding them. Some key topics include race relations, gender dynamics, political and cultural upheavals, the Vietnam War and the evolution of rock music and popular culture. The book will also address the resurgence of the Beatles' popularity in the 1980s, as well as the relevance of The Beatles' ideals of revolutionary change to our present day.This is essential reading for anyone looking for an accessible yet rigorous study of the historical relevance of the Beatles in a crucial decade of social change.
The Beatles and the Beatlesque: A Crossdisciplinary Analysis of Sound Production and Stylistic Impact
by Dario Martinelli Paolo BucciarelliThe Beatles and the Beatlesque address a paradox emanating from The Beatles’ music through a cross-disciplinary hybrid of reflections, drawing from both, musical practice itself and academic research. Indeed, despite their extreme stylistic variety, The Beatles’ songs seem to always bear a distinctive identity that emerges even more in similar works by other artists, whether they are merely inspired, derivative or explicitly paying homage. The authors, a musicologist and music producer, emphasize the importance of record production in The Beatles' music in a way that does justice not only to the final artifacts (the released songs) but also to the creative process itself (i.e., the songs "in the making").Through an investigation into the work of George Martin and his team, as well as The Beatles themselves, this text sheds light on the role of the studio in shaping the group's eclectic but unique sound. The chapters address what makes a song “Beatlesque”, to what extent production choices are responsible for developing a style, production being understood not as a mere set of technicalities, but also in a more conceptual way, as well as the aesthetics, semiotics and philosophy that animated studio activity. The outcome is a book that will appeal to both students and researchers, as well as, of course, musicophiles of all kinds.
The Beatles and Vocal Expression (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series)
by Bláithín DugganThe Beatles and Vocal Expression examines popular song through the topic of paralanguage – a sub-category of nonverbal communication that addresses characteristics of speech that modify meaning and convey emotion. It responds to the general consensus regarding the limitations of Western art music notation to analyse popular song, assesses paralinguistic voice qualities giving rise to expressive tropes within and across songs, and lastly addresses gaps in existing Beatles scholarship. Taking The Beatles’ UK studio albums (1963–1970), paralinguistic voice qualities are examined in relation to concepts, characteristics, metaphors, and functions of paralanguage in vocal performance. Tropes, such as rising and falling intonation on words of woe, have historical connections to performative and conversational techniques. This interdisciplinary analysis is achieved through musicology, sound studies, applied linguistics, and cultural history. The new methodology locates paralinguistic voice qualities in recordings, identifies features, shows functions, and draws aural threads within and across popular songs.
The Beatles and Vocal Expression (Ashgate Popular and Folk Music Series)
by Bláithín DugganThe Beatles and Vocal Expression examines popular song through the topic of paralanguage – a sub-category of nonverbal communication that addresses characteristics of speech that modify meaning and convey emotion. It responds to the general consensus regarding the limitations of Western art music notation to analyse popular song, assesses paralinguistic voice qualities giving rise to expressive tropes within and across songs, and lastly addresses gaps in existing Beatles scholarship. Taking The Beatles’ UK studio albums (1963–1970), paralinguistic voice qualities are examined in relation to concepts, characteristics, metaphors, and functions of paralanguage in vocal performance. Tropes, such as rising and falling intonation on words of woe, have historical connections to performative and conversational techniques. This interdisciplinary analysis is achieved through musicology, sound studies, applied linguistics, and cultural history. The new methodology locates paralinguistic voice qualities in recordings, identifies features, shows functions, and draws aural threads within and across popular songs.
The Beatles Are Here!: 50 Years after the Band Arrived in America, Writers, Musicians & Other Fans Remember
by Penelope RowlandsThe arrival of the Beatles was one of those unforgettable cultural touchstones. Through the voices of those who witnessed it or were swept up in it indirectly, The Beatles Are Here! explores the emotional impact—some might call it hysteria—of the Fab Four’s February 1964 dramatic landing on our shores. Contributors, including Lisa See, Gay Talese, Renée Fleming, Roy Blount, Jr., and many others, describe in essays and interviews how they were inspired by the Beatles. This intimate and entertaining collection arose from writer Penelope Rowlands’s own Beatlemaniac phase: she was one of the screaming girls captured in an iconic photograph that has since been published around the world—and is displayed on the cover of this book. The stories of these girls, who found each other again almost 50 years later, are part of this volume as well. The Beatles Are Here! gets to the heart of why, half a century later, the Beatles still matter to us so deeply.
The Beatles Book
by Hunter DaviesTHE BEATLES BOOK is the ultimate authority on the fab four.Hunter Davies, the only ever authorised biographer of the group, brings together three eminent Beatles experts to compile an invaluable and essential guide. Divided into four sections – People, Songs, Places and Broadcast & Cinema – The Beatles Book covers every element of the band’s history and brings every influence that shaped the incredible Beatles phenomenon vividly to life. Hunter and his team have also rated entries to show how important, influential or meaningful that characteristic was in the history of their lives and creations.Illustrated with material from Hunter's remarkable private collection of personal artefacts and memorabilia, this compendium is an beautiful, insightful and entertaining treasure for any Beatles fan.
The Beatles by Terry O'Neill: Five decades of photographs, with unseen images
by Terry O'Neill'An incredible photographer and good friend' -RINGO STARR The definitive collection of the breathtaking Beatles photographs of Terry O'Neill.Iconic photographer Terry O'Neill worked with the Beatles across five decades, capturing the band at the beginning of their rise to the top and the solo years beyond.From recording sessions, rehearsals and larking around town at the height of Beatlemania, to intimate shots at weddings, at home and on tour in the solo years after the band had split, O'Neill captured countless photographs – many of which are being published for the very first time here.With more than 300 photographs and including quotes from Terry collecting his personal memories of working with the band, The Beatles by Terry O'Neill is a unique visual portrait of the story of John, Paul, George, Ringo and the music they made.
The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four
by Kenneth WomackThis condensed paperback encyclopedia documents the enduring cultural impact and musical legacy of the Beatles, providing readers with a one-stop resource to the Fab Four's compelling story and breadth of achievements.Legendary in music and popular culture, the Beatles were one of the most successful bands of all time. The collective achievements of the Fab Four affect a broad demographic that includes today's children, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers. This one-volume condensed paperback edition of The Beatles Encyclopedia brings the Beatles' dramatic story alive, highlighting the humanity of the quartet of artists that has made them an enduring artistic and social phenomenon.The entries in this condensed encyclopedia provide in-depth biographical information about the Beatles and their circle as well as fascinating historical background and key details about their most important works, giving readers broad coverage that addresses the major aspects of the band's and its individual members' phenomenal achievement. The easy-to-use A–Z resource also includes a biographical chronology and a discography as well as a bibliography that directs readers to excellent sources of additional information in print and online.
The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four
by Kenneth WomackThis condensed paperback encyclopedia documents the enduring cultural impact and musical legacy of the Beatles, providing readers with a one-stop resource to the Fab Four's compelling story and breadth of achievements.Legendary in music and popular culture, the Beatles were one of the most successful bands of all time. The collective achievements of the Fab Four affect a broad demographic that includes today's children, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers. This one-volume condensed paperback edition of The Beatles Encyclopedia brings the Beatles' dramatic story alive, highlighting the humanity of the quartet of artists that has made them an enduring artistic and social phenomenon.The entries in this condensed encyclopedia provide in-depth biographical information about the Beatles and their circle as well as fascinating historical background and key details about their most important works, giving readers broad coverage that addresses the major aspects of the band's and its individual members' phenomenal achievement. The easy-to-use A–Z resource also includes a biographical chronology and a discography as well as a bibliography that directs readers to excellent sources of additional information in print and online.
The Beatles Encyclopedia [2 volumes]: Everything Fab Four [2 volumes]
by Kenneth WomackA fascinating look at the history of the Beatles, from their formative years through the present day, as detailed in hundreds of entries chock-full of information never before shared with the public.The Beatles have sold at least 2.3 billion albums; achieved 6 Diamond, 24 Multi-Platinum, 39 Platinum, and 45 Gold albums in the United States alone; and continue to experience impressive commercial success—now more than at any other time. What is it about this iconic group which continues to draw attention from each successive generation, even more than 40 years after their disbandment? The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four provides casual fans and aficionados alike with a comprehensive study of the historical, cultural, and musical influence of the Beatles, providing hundreds of insightful entries that address the people, places, events, and other details that have contributed to the band's status as a global phenomena.
The Beatles Encyclopedia [2 volumes]: Everything Fab Four [2 volumes]
by Kenneth WomackA fascinating look at the history of the Beatles, from their formative years through the present day, as detailed in hundreds of entries chock-full of information never before shared with the public.The Beatles have sold at least 2.3 billion albums; achieved 6 Diamond, 24 Multi-Platinum, 39 Platinum, and 45 Gold albums in the United States alone; and continue to experience impressive commercial success—now more than at any other time. What is it about this iconic group which continues to draw attention from each successive generation, even more than 40 years after their disbandment? The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four provides casual fans and aficionados alike with a comprehensive study of the historical, cultural, and musical influence of the Beatles, providing hundreds of insightful entries that address the people, places, events, and other details that have contributed to the band's status as a global phenomena.
The Beatles in Scotland
by Ken McNabWonderful photographs and I-was-there accounts ... superb' - Sunday Times 'One of the most audacious additions to Fab Four literature' - The Herald This paperback edition marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' first Top 20 hit 'Love Me Do' in 1962. A magical history tour of eyewitness accounts, anecdotes and many never-before-seen photographs. Discover the truth about McCartney's Kintyre drug busts and Lennon's Highland car crash. The Fab Four: George, John, Paul and Ringo, a quartet of working-class kids whose magical songs and revolutionary influence still inspires four decades on. More has been written about The Beatles than any other rock group in history and it is difficult to imagine that there remains anything new to say, but lifelong Beatles fan Ken McNab reveals for the first time, in intimate detail, the pivotal part Scotland played in the genesis of the group and the extraordinary connections that were fostered north of the border before, during and after their meteoric rise to global fame. McNab follows The Beatles as rough and ready unknowns on their first tour of Scotland in 1960 - when they were booed off stage in Bridge of Allan - and again, in 1964, as all-conquering heroes. He also discovers that the momentous decision to break up the band was made in Scotland and provides details of the McCartneys' lives in Mull of Kintyre and Lennon's childhood holidays in Durness.
The Beatles Lyrics: The Unseen Story Behind Their Music
by Hunter Davies The BeatlesMany books have appeared over the years about the Beatles lyrics -- about the words of those songs which the whole world knows and sings, and will sing for ever, as long as we have the breath to hum the tunes. But no one has ever tried to track down and publish the original versions of the classic songs -- showing the words in the Beatles' own handwriting, how they first wrote them, how they scribbled them down on pieces of paper or backs of envelopes, with all the crossings out and changes.By revealing and publishing these original manuscripts for the first time we gain a unique insight into the creative process of Lennon and McCartney, how they did it, what they were thinking, how they changed their minds, and then came up with the words we now all know.Such a book has never been published, firstly because of copyright reasons, with ownership divided between Michael Jackson and Sony, and secondly because no one has been able to track them all down. The author of the only authorised biography of The Beatles, Hunter Davies, has sought out nearly one hundred Beatles lyrics. His expert introduction describes the creativity of the greatest ever rock band -- then he lists and illustrates each song, in chronological order, putting each song in context: what the Beatles were doing at the time, how and when they came to write and then record it, how the original version differs from the final one. The wonder is that almost every Beatles song has a great story behind it -- whether it is 'In My Life', 'For No One', 'Yesterday', 'Eleanor Rigby', or 'Yellow Submarine'.
The Beatles on Screen: From Pop Stars to Musicians
by Stephanie FremauxThe 1960s ushered in a time of creative freedom and idealism reflected in the popular music and films on both sides of the Atlantic. At the forefront of driving that creative change were four mop-topped musicians from Liverpool, The Beatles. While many scholars have examined their role as songwriters, as countercultural and political figures, and as solo artists, few have considered the important role film played in The Beatles' career. This book focuses on the overlooked films the Beatles performed in from 1964 to 1970 in order to chart their journey from pop stars to musicians. Through these case studies, The Beatles on Screen uncovers how the relationship between film and pop music has changed the ways in which bands communicate with their fans.
The Beatles on Screen: From Pop Stars to Musicians
by Stephanie FremauxThe 1960s ushered in a time of creative freedom and idealism reflected in the popular music and films on both sides of the Atlantic. At the forefront of driving that creative change were four mop-topped musicians from Liverpool, The Beatles. While many scholars have examined their role as songwriters, as countercultural and political figures, and as solo artists, few have considered the important role film played in The Beatles' career. This book focuses on the overlooked films the Beatles performed in from 1964 to 1970 in order to chart their journey from pop stars to musicians. Through these case studies, The Beatles on Screen uncovers how the relationship between film and pop music has changed the ways in which bands communicate with their fans.
The Beatles' Shadow: Stuart Sutcliffe & His Lonely Hearts Club
by Pauline SutcliffeStuart Sutcliffe is the most famous contender for the crown of 'fifth Beatle'. One of the founding members, a close friend of Lennon, he left the band after their Hamburg sojourn in order to pursue his promising career as an artist, dying shortly thereafter of a brain haemorrhage. For years his sister Pauline has tried to protect his memory against the Beatles' need to sanitise their early history and now she is ready to tell the real story. In so doing she sheds new light on their formative period - the rivalry with McCartney, how George Harrison tried to keep the peace, the truth about Stuart's intense relationship with Lennon and why Lennon was haunted by guilt over her brother's death. And she describes what it was like for those like herself and Cynthia Lennon who have had no choice but to live with the Beatles all their lives. 'Gripping . . . the story of Stuart Sutcliffe. . . holds the key to the birth of pop's greatest group' Daily Mail 'An odd, fascinating book' MOJO
The Beatles through a Glass Onion: Reconsidering the White Album (Tracking Pop)
by Mark OsteenThe Beatles, the 1968 double LP more commonly known as the White Album, has always been viewed as an oddity in the group’s oeuvre. Many have found it to be inconsistent, sprawling, and self-indulgent. The Beatles through a Glass Onion is the first-ever scholarly volume to explore this seminal recording at length, bringing together contributions by some of the most eminent scholars of rock music writing today. It marks a reconsideration of this iconic but under-appreciated recording and reaffirms the White Album’s significance in the Beatles’ career and in rock history. This volume treats the White Album as a whole, with essays scrutinizing it from a wide range of perspectives. These essays place the album within the social and political context of a turbulent historical moment; locate it within the Beatles’ lives and careers, taking into consideration the complex personal forces at play during the recording sessions; investigate the musical as well as pharmaceutical influences on the record; reveal how it reflects new developments in the Beatles’ songwriting and arranging; revisit the question of its alleged disunity; and finally, track its legacy and the breadth of its influence on later rock, pop, and hip-hop artists. The Beatles through a Glass Onion features the scholarship of Adam Bradley, Vincent Benitez, Lori Burns, John Covach, Walter Everett, Michael Frontani, Steve Hamelman, Ian Inglis, John Kimsey, Mark Osteen, Russell Reising, Stephen Valdez, Anthony D. Villa, Kenneth Womack, and Alyssa Woods. John Covach’s Afterword summarizes the White Album’s lasting impact and value. The Beatles through a Glass Onion represents a landmark work of rock music scholarship. It will prove to be an essential and enduring contribution to the field.
Beats and Elements: No Milk for the Foxes; DenMarked; High Rise eState of Mind
by Conrad MurrayThis collection of three hip hop plays by Conrad Murray and his Beats & Elements collaborators Paul Cree, David Bonnick Junior and Lakeisha Lynch-Stevens, is the first publication of the critically acclaimed theatre-maker's work. The three plays use hip hop to highlight the inequalities produced by the UK's class system, and weave lyricism, musicality and dialogue to offer authentic accounts of inner-city life written by working-class Londoners. The plays are accompanied by two introductory essays: The first gives a specific social and historical context that helps readers make sense of the plays, the second positions hip hop as a contemporary literary form and offers some ways to read hip hop texts as literature. The collection also includes a foreword by leading hip hop theatre practitioner Jonzi D, interviews with the Beats & Elements company, and a glossary of words for students and international readers.
Beats and Elements: No Milk for the Foxes; DenMarked; High Rise eState of Mind
by Conrad MurrayThis collection of three hip hop plays by Conrad Murray and his Beats & Elements collaborators Paul Cree, David Bonnick Junior and Lakeisha Lynch-Stevens, is the first publication of the critically acclaimed theatre-maker's work. The three plays use hip hop to highlight the inequalities produced by the UK's class system, and weave lyricism, musicality and dialogue to offer authentic accounts of inner-city life written by working-class Londoners. The plays are accompanied by two introductory essays: The first gives a specific social and historical context that helps readers make sense of the plays, the second positions hip hop as a contemporary literary form and offers some ways to read hip hop texts as literature. The collection also includes a foreword by leading hip hop theatre practitioner Jonzi D, interviews with the Beats & Elements company, and a glossary of words for students and international readers.
Beaumonster: A Memoir
by Jesse DaytonA behind-the-scenes look at the celebrity-filled adventures of first-rate storyteller, guitarist, and relentless road dog, Jesse Dayton Jesse Dayton's story reads like a who's who of American music. After sneaking into night clubs to play gigs in his youth, Dayton begins packing clubs and theaters as he enters early adulthood on the Texas scene with his trio in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. He records his first solo record titled "Raisin' Cain" for Justice Records with featured guest luminaries, Doug Sahm, Flaco Jiminez and Johnny Gimble that hits Number 1 on the Americana Radio Charts. Jesse tours around the world opening for punk legends Social Distortion, The Supersuckers and X. Jesse is then asked to help arrange and play guitar on The Supersuckers biggest selling record, "Must've Been High." While in Nashville doing press, Waylon Jennings spots him on Nashville TV show 'Crook & Chase' and calls Jesse out of the blue at his hotel to play lead guitar on his record, "Right for The Time." Dayton blows off his flight back to Austin, heads to Woodland Studios where Waylon has sent a car for him, and knocks on the door. Johnny Cash answers it and says, "we've been waiting for you." This leads to Dayton recording guitars on records and film with Cash, Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Johnny Bush and Glen Campbell. Just when you thought the story couldn't get any cooler, horror director/rockstar, Rob Zombie hears Dayton's record at a party, hunts him down, and calls him to write and record a soundtrack for his film 'The Devils Rejects' which lands him in Rolling Stone magazine. Then they co-write songs for Rob's follow up franchise film, 'Halloween 2' (which Dayton appears in playing the part of character 'Captain Clegg'). Then Dayton writes and records songs for a third Rob Zombie film (this one animated) titled, 'The Haunted World of El Super Beasto.' After years of pounding the pavement day-in and day-out, Jesse buys a house in Austin, and heads back on tour in his 40-foot redneck RV with his band of hillbilly punks. Dayton has had over 50 songs licensed to film and television and even ended up writing and directing a horror film shot in New Orleans called 'Zombex' starring Malcolm McDowell, Sid Haig, Lew Temple from Walking Dead and John Doe from the band X. The film was sold to a distributor and got a theatrical release. After stockpiling songs during his film work, he heads into the studio to record "The Revealer" (back where it all started at Sugarhill Studios in Houston), and the first single "Daddy Was A Badass" becomes a hit on SiriusXM's Outlaw Country channel. As this is happening, Dayton gets a call from the aforementioned, John Doe and is asked to fill in for guitarist Billy Zoom on 40-city U.S. tour with the original line- up of iconic punk band X while Zoom was taking time away from the band to undergo cancer treatment.
Beautiful Affair: A Journey In Music, Food And Friendship
by Mike HanrahanFrom the early days of his music with Stockton’s Wing to his time training at Ballymaloe Cookery School, food and music have been parallel lines that have kept Mike Hanrahan on track his entire life.
Beautiful Cosmos (PDF): Performance And Belonging In The Caribbean Diaspora
by Tina K. RamnarineWhat are the musical sounds that people remember in the diaspora? What are the sounds they create? Recognising the importance that people attach to musical performances, this book explores the significance of widespread Caribbean genres in diaspora politics.
Beautiful Mornin': The Broadway Musical in the 1940s
by Ethan Mordden"Music and girls are the soul of musical comedy," one critic wrote, early in the 1940s. But this was the age that wanted more than melody and kickline form its musical shows. The form had been running on empty for too long, as a formula for the assembly of spare parts--star comics, generic love songs, rumba dancers, Ethel Merman. If Rodgers and Hammerstein hadn't existed, Broadway would have had to invent them; and Oklahoma! and Carousel came along just in time to announce the New Formula for Writing Musicals: Don't have a formula. Instead, start with strong characters and atmosphere: Oklahoma!'s murderous romantic triangle set against a frontier society that has to learn what democracy is in order to deserve it; or Carousel's dysfunctional family seen in the context of class and gender war. With the vitality and occasionally outrageous humor that Ethan Mordden's readers take for granted, the author ranges through the decade's classics--Pal Joey, Lady in the Dark, On the Town, Annie Get Your Gun, Phinian's Rainbow, Brigadoon, Kiss Me, Kate, South Pacific. He also covers illuminating trivia--the spy thriller The Lady Comes Across, whose star got so into her role that she suffered paranoid hallucinations and had to be hospitalized; the smutty Follow the Girls, damned as "burlesque with a playbill" yet closing as the longest-run musical in Broadway history; Lute Song, in which Mary Martin and Nancy Reagan were Chinese; and the first "concept" musicals, Allegro and Love Life. Amid the fun, something revolutionary occurs. The 1920s created the musical and the 1930s gave it politics. In the 1940s, it found its soul.
The Beautiful Ones
by Prince'A triumph... The Beautiful Ones rivals the Beastie Boys Book – or even your favourite Prince song – as a masterclass in the bottling of its subject’s seductive essence... his presence in this book is so strong that it’s hard to believe he has really left the building’ *****MOJO______________________________________________From Prince himself comes the brilliant coming-of-age-and-into-superstardom story of one of the greatest artists of all time—featuring never-before-seen photos, original scrapbooks and lyric sheets, and the exquisite memoir he began writing before his tragic death. Prince was a musical genius, one of the most talented, beloved, accomplished, popular, and acclaimed musicians in pop history. But he wasn't only a musician—he was also a startlingly original visionary with an imagination deep enough to whip up whole worlds, from the sexy, gritty funk paradise of his early records to the mythical landscape of Purple Rain to the psychedelia of Paisley Park. But his greatest creative act was turning Prince Rogers Nelson, born in Minnesota, into Prince, the greatest pop star of his era. The Beautiful Ones is the story of how Prince became Prince—a first-person account of a kid absorbing the world around him and then creating a persona, an artistic vision, and a life, before the hits and fame that would come to define him. The book is told in four parts. The first is composed of the memoir he was writing before his tragic death, pages that brings us into Prince's childhood world through his own lyrical prose. The second part takes us into Prince's early years as a musician, before his first album released, through a scrapbook of Prince's writing and photos. The third section shows us Prince's evolution through candid images that take us up to the cusp of his greatest achievement, which we see in the book's fourth section: his original handwritten treatment for Purple Rain—the final stage in Prince's self-creation, as he retells the autobiography we've seen in the first three parts as a heroic journey. The book is framed by editor Dan Piepenbring’s riveting and moving introduction about his short but profound collaboration with Prince in his final days—a time when Prince was thinking deeply about how to reveal more of himself and his ideas to the world, while retaining the mystery and mystique he’d so carefully cultivated—and annotations that provide context to each of the book’s images. This work is not just a tribute to Prince, but an original and energizing literary work, full of Prince’s ideas and vision, his voice and image, his undying gift to the world.