SKU: 19991219849

Words and Music Into the Future: A Songwriting Treatise and Manifesto

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Description

Words and Music Into the Future: A Songwriting Treatise and ManifestoLiterary criticism, songwriting analysis, and cultural commentary, Words and Music Into the Future is an uncompromising examination of the current state of popular songs and songwriting in the English speaking world. Devoid of hero worship and celebrity gossip, using mostly well known songs from recent decades as examples, Michael Koppy presents a compelling case that we listeners have been force fed a steady diet of industrial illiteracy, and that

Literary criticism, songwriting analysis, and cultural commentary, Words and Music Into the Future is an uncompromising examination of the current state of popular songs and songwriting in the English-speaking world. Devoid of hero worship and celebrity gossip, using mostly well-known songs from recent decades as examples, Michael Koppy presents a compelling case that we listeners have been force-fed a steady diet of industrial illiteracy, and that the timer has come for songwriting and song criticism to riser to greater heights.

Whether you agree or disagree with the challenging, even heretical ideas presented in Words and Music Into the Future, it will forever change how you think about and hear popular music.

Sample chapters:

1. No, Don, the Levee Wasn't Dry--And No One Was Drinking Whiskey and Rye

2. There Goes The Robert E. Lee?

3. To What End?

4. A Personal Remembrance

5. A Later Kick in the Pants

6. Don't Shoot, Dammit I'm Just the Messenger

7. Politics? Religion? How About SONGS? ?

8. Ground Rule Number One

9. I'm Your Fan You're My Hero

10. Herds of Wildebeests Stampeding Across the Veldt

11. Why Peeing Your Pants Beats the Hell Out Of Nostalgia

12. Madonna, Kanye, Coldplay, Bieber, U2, One Direction--Effluvia, Ephemera, Etcetera, Etcetera

13. See You at the Grammys --A Note on Industrial Smarm Festivals

14. Ethics? In Popular Music...? ?

15. Dunno Much 'Bout Art, But I Know What I Like

16. Ever Notice the Worst Writing in an Insightful Pop Music Review--Even a Rave--Usually Shows Up When the Critic Quotes the Band's Lyrics?

17. Those Pesky, Over-Idealized Nineteen-Sixties

18. So Where Are We?

19. "Yeah, But You Really Hafta See 'Em Live "

20. Over the Top? Ya Think?

21. Yes, We Too Are All So Very Sorry You Weren't Born on a Mississippi Cotton Plantation

22. Art School Confidential

23. Dance? Okay, Fine. Dance Now Go Away.

24. It's All Greek--French, Swahili, Latin, Klingon--To Me.

25. Country Music is "Three Chords and the Truth" Computerized Drums, a Catering Truck, and a Smirk

26. Country's Brainier Half-Sibling: Americana

27. Tradition and Illusions of Same

28. The Disarmingly Enabling Inscience of Rap and Hip-Hop

29. Come to the Cabaret, Old Chum

30. Under a Stack of Marshall Amplifiers

31. Ethics? In SONGWRITING ITSELF...? ?

32. The Twentieth Century Ended Two Decades Ago

33. The Insolvency of 'Po-Mo'

34. Song Lyrics vs. Poems

35. "But It's Poetry "--Refuge for the Inarticulate

36. Sincerity Ain't Depth

37. The Kids Are Alright

38. La-Da-Da / Sha-La-Ti-Da

39. Is 'The Folk Process' an Expired Merchanism?

40. Lessons from Browne's "These Days" and Kristofferson's "Bobby McGee"

41. How About That Some Country Music Is...

42. Get Me Rewrite

43. Bob Dylan: Bad Writer, Bad Influence

44. Shallowness, Thy Name is Bob

45. Dying is Easy, Comedy is Hard

46. If Ya Wanna Send a Message...

47. McCartney's Song Writing Lesson

48. Steve Sondheim Desperately Wishes He Were Right

49. Didn't I Just Hear That Song in a Commercial for Paper Towels? Insurance? Gum?

50. Should We Use A Number 37-A?

51. On Brightly Wrapped Packages

52. On Gilded Frames

53. Making Sausages

54. Making Music

55. Sure 'Authenticity' is Great--But It Doesn't Guarantee Good Work

56. Form Follows Function

57. Words Seek Music. Object: Matrimony.

58. Rules Were Made to be Broken. However--

59. Swan Song



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Good Track Records
Published: 08/07/2019
ISBN: 9780996640022
Pages: 358
Weight: 1.16lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.80d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 06/24/2019
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SKU: 19991219849

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4.8 ★★★★★
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Verified Purchase
Deb J
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 4
Nice partition for my basement
Color: Beige, Size: B-102''-3 Panel
This 3-panel room divider showed up well-packaged with all the parts and even a little tool for putting it together. The instructions were easy to follow, and while one person can definitely assemble it, having two makes it quicker and less frustrating. It does exactly what I needed—gives quick, easy coverage in an open area. I'm using it in my basement to hide the furnace and water heater, and it works great for that. It looks nice overall, but I picked the beige fabric (which is really more of a tan), and the black frame makes it stand out more than I’d like. A white or lighter frame would’ve blended better. Not sure that I would use it anywhere besides the basement It’s lightweight and pretty sturdy. The wheels make it easy to move, but it does get a bit wobbly, and the panel clips need to be readjusted every time you roll it somewhere new. Still, for the price, it’s a solid buy. I’m happy with it and planning to order another one.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2025
T
TexNewMex
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
Fantastic
Color: Beige, Size: A-132''W-6 Panel
I am perennially in the process of rearranging, reorganizing, getting ready for yard sales, changing the functions of various rooms, moving everything out of a room to do a deep clean, etc, which means that there is always SOME part of my house, if not the entire thing, that is a disaster zone. Having someone knock on my door triggers a "duck and cover" reflex because it's so embarrassing for anyone to see that I live like this. (I *feel* like I don't, really, because I know that all the various stages are all temporary, but when there's always something temporary going on, it might as well be permanent, you know?) So THANK HEAVENS for a room divider that is not only large enough to divide my uncomfortably long den in half the long way so I can shove all the messy parts up against the back wall -- that is not only simple and attractive and neutral and (this is important) NOT BLACK because I have multiple pets and anything black in this house will be pet-hair-colored within 20 seconds -- that not only has **SIX** panels for lots of options of how I want to divide the space/s -- but is also on WHEELS. Someone out there really does love me, it's true! The panels are stable *enough* - I'm not going to lie and say that nothing is going to knock them over, because I have some balance issues, and I also have cats, and both of those circumstances has resulted in a mess on at least one occasion. But in the cats' defense, they've never dealt with a room partition that didn't hang from the ceiling before; and in my defense, I just grabbed the first thing I could reach on the way down. Not the product's fault in either case. Assembly was a little dicey as I am currently in **bilateral** (oh yes, that's fun) wrist braces, so I had to give up until I had help. But I think if you're able-bodied, you shouldn't have any difficulty. The only down side is, now that I've hidden away all the mess so I can break out the holiday decorations, you know what happens next, right?? That's right... the PERMA-MESS ZONE. Oh no. Oh well. Full item name: Room Divider 132''W Wall Divider for Room Partition (Heavy Duty Base) 6 Panel Partition Room Dividers, Freestanding Room Divider Screen Separation W/Wheel Folding Privacy Screen Panel Space Separator (six panels, beige)
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Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2025
E
Verified Purchase
E. Leon
Carnegie, US
★★★★★ 3
Difficult assembly, doesn’t fold well, looks good fully open
Color: Grey, Size: B-88''W-4 Panel
The instructions for this divider are very inadequate. After having to redo parts of the assembly, I have finally assembled it. The divider itself seems very nice when it is fully open, however it is not possible to fold it well as all the bars with the wheels go in various directions making it impossible to fold it neatly. And it has a large footprint. It is possible that I did not assemble it fully well because of the lack of adequate instructions. I am not even sure if I will keep it because I need to fold out of the way when nothing in use.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2026
K
Verified Purchase
K.L
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 4
Slightly challenging build
Color: Beige, Size: A-88''W-4 Panel
This was my second screen set I've purchased, first of this style. Not the easiest to assemble. Lots of pulling and tugging; not a highlight in my day.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2026
L
LBZ
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 5
Commercial grade divider suitable for many needs
Color: Beige, Size: A-132''W-6 Panel
This item will be used at a future event where we need to separate a single locker room into two large areas, without any construction. This divider is perfect for the job because the partitions can be 1 to 6 panels and it will roll into place. When the event is over, the divider will fold/roll away and the locker room will return to its original design. The unit is very heavy, which will ensure that it is sturdy and stable. All the components arrived, wrapped in plastic to prevent damage. The screen material is a woven polyester in a cream color that will occlude any visibility but it may be possible to see shadows on the opposite side. The height is about 6ft, which would require a very tall person to "peep over" the divider. I needed a quality unit for this project and the frame, screens, and mobility will meet the needs. The divider is not the same as the small decorative dividers -- it is more of a commercial grade product, yet tasteful. If you want/need a small divider as an accent piece, this is not the best choice. This item could be used in a medical office, treatment/massage room, to divide an office room into two, or block a hallway in a building.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2025

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