Have you ever heard a song on the radio that just touched your heart, your soul, your very being and it became one of your favorites just because of the message and feeling it brought into your life? What made this song so special to you? What was the inspiration the songwriter had for writing your new favorite tune? Now you may find out. Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song is filled with one-hundred-and-one personal stories by the songwriters of some of the greatest and most beloved songs ever.
Entertainment industry executive Jo-Ann Geffen had an idea. A big idea. As she attended meetings in Las Vegas and listened to the success story behind the Chicken Soup for the Soul franchise, this big idea popped into her head. When she had the opportunity, she presented it to Bob Jacobs, president of the publishing company; he said “I love it. Let’s do it.” From there started the makings of a great book with so many wonderful and powerful stories. Sure some are funny, some are sad, but all of them seem to have a magical tale about the birth of a song.
Songwriters and artists like Christina Aguilera and Kanye West have stories to tell. For songwriters, the best way for them to tell a story is through their music. Some of the songwriters have chart topping hits, but those are not the stories they chose to tell. They tell stories about the first song they ever wrote, the song that tells someone else they are being missed, the song that helped someone through a rough time, or the song that told the world they are survivors. There is a song for every occasion and season of life.
When I started reading this book I could not put it down. I loved it! I was so enthralled by every story. As I read the story behind the song and then the lyrics memories from my own lifetime came into view. I was intrigued by the stories that built the songs. I found it interesting that a few of the more well known and popular songs were written in a matter of minutes. Songs such as Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting” and Amanda McBroom’s “The Rose” performed by Bette Midler are just a couple of many where the songwriters felt that the words and melodies just came to the them as if by a miracle. There are so many stories in the book that describe how some of the most powerful and memorable songs came into the world.
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