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Title: The Definitive Dylan Songbook by Bob Dylan ISBN: 0-8256-1774-X Publisher: Omnibus Press Pub. Date: 01 February, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (5 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: good collection - bad binding
Comment: This book is an excellent example of the addage "you can't tell a book by its cover."
Overall, the collection makes an excellent one-stop resource for a majority of Dylan's work. Others have commented that some lyrics are incorrect (true to a point, but then who has ever heard Dylan do ANY of his songs twice the same way?)or that the chords, or tunes are not quite on the money. All that is more or less acceptable and curable with even a modicum of musical chops.
As far as the book's organization, that's more problematic. It departs from its primarily alphabetical format at the most inconvenient of times, leaving the reader scratching his or her head. An index of first lines would have been worth its weight in gold.
Ultimately, however, the single greatest drawback to this collection is the shabby quality of its binding. The cover on my copy completely broke loose by the time I'd played 10 songs. While this problem was easily corrected with a liberal application of good quality contact cement, it's the principle of the matter. To charge more than $35 for a volume with a binding that's less adequate than an old ten-cent Scrooge McDuck comic is unacceptable.
Great book - lousy cover.
Rating: 5
Summary: For The Love of Bob...
Comment: I most recently found Bob - and less recently have been learning to play the guitar. It just makes it easier to have the words to songs I love - and songs I don't believe I have heard before, but now I know they exist! His natural style has always amazed me, this is just one way I have found to get that much closer. Thanks Bob!
Rating: 3
Summary: Adequate for Most, But Don't Blame Bob
Comment: What's wrong with the songbook is outweighed by what's right about it. Every song has complete lyrics. Almost every well-known Dylan song is included, including those he covered or co-wrote. There are no photos, graphics or pics to get in the way when you're trying to turn pages as you perform a song. Simple (i.e. melody) sheet music with guitar tablature is included, giving most Dylan wannabes or admirers with acoustic guitars and harmonicas more than enough to get by on for a nice set.
Problems: The songs are arranged in ROUGH chronological order, making it frustrating to find what you need in a hurry--especially if you're playing "unplugged and seated" at a coffee house and need to get to the next song quickly. Also, the guitar tabs and melody notation is nice, but how hard would it have been to include piano chords and bass lines for our non-guitar playing musician friends? Here's the big hurdle you'll face if you buy this book: The sheet music is hit-or-miss when it comes to getting the correct keys and chords of the original songs. Though many of them are close enough that a savvy player can make a quick mental note to transpose (eg., songs listed in F major that are actually in E major can be played by thinking 1/2 step down), some of them are not only in the wrong key--their chords are nothing at all like the original versions! I'm taking about substituting minor chords that should be major and augmented chords that should be simple triads (i.e. basic "cowboy chords" in the first position). If you have a pencil, pen or marker, you can make your own changes above the incorrectly notated chords, but that's not much help if you get a request during a gig, or worse, refer to the sheet music while you're playing and hit a chord that's not even close to what it should be.
The sadly out-of-print songbook, "The Very Best of Bob Dylan," didn't have the notation problems, and even though it is a much slimmer collection, it's worth seeking out.
If you plan to learn lots of Dylan's songs to play with a band or solo guitar/vocal, this book is a good starting point, but be sure to listen carefully to the original tracks when you're learning songs from this book. You may be surprised to learn that the chord progressions are way off the mark.
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Title: The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook by Hal Leonard, Beatles ISBN: 0634022296 Publisher: Hal Leonard Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Lyrics: 1962-2002 by Bob Dylan ISBN: 0743228278 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 01 January, 2005 List Price(USD): $45.00 |
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Title: Like a Complete Unknown: The Poetry of Bob Dylan's Songs, 1961-1969 by John Hinchey ISBN: 0972359206 Publisher: Stealing Home Press Pub. Date: 23 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Bob Dylan: In His Own Words by Bob Dylan, Miles, Christian Williams, Chris Williams ISBN: 0711932190 Publisher: Omnibus Press Pub. Date: June, 1993 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title:Bob Dylan - Don't Look Back ASIN: B000035P7X Publisher: New Video Group Pub. Date: 04 January, 2000 List Price(USD): $24.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $20.46 |
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