33 Revolutions per Minute (book)

Last updated
33 Revolutions per Minute
33 Revolutions per Minute Dorian Lynskey cover.jpg
First edition (UK)
AuthorDorian Lynskey
LanguageEnglish
Genre Non-fiction
Publisher Faber & Faber (UK)
Ecco Press (US)
Publication date
April 5, 2011
Pages656 [1]
ISBN 978-0-061-67015-2
OCLC 641532418
782.42
LC Class ML3780 .L97 2011

33 Revolutions per Minute: A History of Protest Songs, from Billie Holiday to Green Day is a 2011 non-fiction book written by music critic and journalist Dorian Lynskey. Written because he wished to document a "still-vital form of music", each of the book's 33 chapters describes the historical background, writing process, and influence of a notable protest song. The book begins with a chapter on the song "Strange Fruit", before moving from a discussion of protest music's origins to a broader discussion focusing on its expansion across countries and genres. 33 Revolutions per Minute has received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its scope despite being "thin on critical insight".

Contents

Background and publication

Dorian Lynskey is a British music critic and journalist who has written for publications like The Guardian , The Observer , and Q . [2] [3] In the epilogue of 33 Revolutions per Minute, Lynskey wrote how he initially began doing research into protest songs in order to document what he believed to be a "still-vital form of music". [4] When selecting songs to cover, Lynskey noted in an interview that he first and foremost sought songs he enjoyed listening to, so that he would be willing to listen to them repeatedly. He also attempted to cast a wide net across genres and causes for protest, though he emphasized that the book was not meant to be a definitive list of protest songs and acknowledged that his selection of songs was "limited...to western pop music". [4] [5]

33 Revolutions per Minute was first released on April 5, 2011, [1] being published by Faber & Faber in the United Kingdom [6] and Ecco Press in the United States; [7] an eBook was published the same year. [8] In 2012, a French-language edition of the book was published by Payot et Rivages  [ fr ] in Paris; [9] in 2015, a Spanish-language edition of the book, and its eBook counterpart, were published by Malpaso Editorial  [ es ] in Barcelona. [10]

Synopsis

33 Revolutions per Minute consists of 33 chapters, in addition to a prologue, an epilogue, sources, and appendices. Each chapter details one notable protest song, including information about the song's influence, its writing process, and the historical background surrounding the song's release. Chapters are organized by chronological order, and split into five parts.

Part one (1939–1964) depicts the early years of protest music, and how it first intersected with popular music. Part two (1965–1973) demonstrates the continued evolution of protest music, with songs reflecting events like the Vietnam War and the black power movement. Part three (1973–1977) depicts various international scenes of protest music, used to illustrate its expansion outside the United States. Finally, parts four (1977–1987) and five (1989–2008) reflect on more modern examples of primarily American and British protest music, covering political scenes like opposition to the presidency of Ronald Reagan and the premiership of Margaret Thatcher, the 1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike, and the Iraq War.

The first chapter of 33 Revolutions per Minute covers the history of "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday (pictured). Billie Holiday 1947 (cropped).jpg
The first chapter of 33 Revolutions per Minute covers the history of "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday (pictured).
In the third section of 33 Revolutions per Minute, Lynskey tells the stories behind various protest songs outside the United States, including that of "Manifesto" by Victor Jara (pictured). Victor-Jara-in-Helsinki-1969 (cropped)2.jpg
In the third section of 33 Revolutions per Minute, Lynskey tells the stories behind various protest songs outside the United States, including that of "Manifesto" by Víctor Jara (pictured).
The final chapter of 33 Revolutions per Minute covers the song "American Idiot" by Green Day (frontman Billie Joe Armstrong pictured) Billie Joe Armstrong-cropped.jpg
The final chapter of 33 Revolutions per Minute covers the song "American Idiot" by Green Day (frontman Billie Joe Armstrong pictured)
Chapters in 33 Revolutions per Minute
PartChapterSongArtist(s)
One

(1939–1964)

1"Strange Fruit" Billie Holiday
2"This Land is Your Land" Woody Guthrie
3"We Shall Overcome" Zilphia Horton, Frank Hamilton, Guy Carawan, Pete Seeger
4"Masters of War" Bob Dylan
5"Mississippi Goddam" Nina Simone
Two

(1965–1973)

6"I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die" Country Joe and the Fish
7"Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" James Brown
8"Give Peace a Chance" Plastic Ono Band
9"War" Edwin Starr
10"Ohio" Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
11"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" Gil Scott-Heron
12"Living for the City" Stevie Wonder
Three

(1973–1977)

13"Manifesto" Víctor Jara
14"Zombie" Fela Kuti and the Africa 70
15"War Ina Babylon" Max Romeo and the Upsetters
Four

(1977–1987)

16"White Riot" The Clash
17"I Was Born This Way" Carl Bean
18"Sonny's Lettah (Anti-Sus Poem)" Linton Kwesi Johnson
19"Holiday in Cambodia" Dead Kennedys
20"The Message" Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, featuring Melle Mel and Duke Bootee
21"How Does It Feel?" Crass
22"Two Tribes" Frankie Goes to Hollywood
23"Pride (In the Name of Love)" U2
24"Nelson Mandela" The Special AKA
25"Between the Wars" Billy Bragg
26"Exhuming McCarthy" R.E.M.
Five

(1989–2008)

27"Fight the Power" Public Enemy
28"Her Jazz" Huggy Bear
29"Their Law" The Prodigy, featuring Pop Will Eat Itself
30"Of Walking Abortion" Manic Street Preachers
31"Sleep Now in the Fire" Rage Against the Machine
32"John Walker's Blues" Steve Earle
33"American Idiot" Green Day

Reception

33 Revolutions per Minute received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its comprehensiveness despite being "thin on critical insight". [11] Kirkus gave the book a starred review, writing how Lynskey "presents a difficult, risky art form in all its complexity" and commended his "complete command of the music and the events that sparked it". [1] Vanessa Bush of Booklist similarly gave 33 Revolutions per Minute a starred review, praising the book for being "comprehensive and beautifully written". [12] Sean Wilentz, writing for The New York Times , gave the book a positive review for its comprehensiveness and Lynskey's "crisp prose". [2] However, Dwight Garner, also writing for The New York Times, gave 33 Revolutions per Minute a mixed review, criticized the book for being "mostly torpid and colorless" despite its wide selection of songs. [13] In addition, Michael Azerrad, writing for The Wall Street Journal, criticized the book's lack of focus, noting that "most chapters devote only a few paragraphs to the song they're ostensibly about, then delve into deep, deep background". [14]

Martin Chilton of The Telegraph praised the book for its scope and Lynskey's nuanced description of the musicians he covered. [15] Dave Shiflett of The Washington Post similarly praised the book for Lynskey's balanced coverage, commenting that he "writes passionately and often admiringly but doesn't stint on the criticism", and particularly praised his coverage of Dylan. [16] In contrast, Carolyn Kellogg of the Los Angeles Times criticized Lynskey's coverage of Dylan as shallow, and wrote that 33 Revolutions per Minute, despite its "robust" list of protest songs, lacked "a sense of what they're good for". [17]

See also

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33 Revolutions per Minute may refer to:

References

  1. 1 2 3 "33 Revolutions per Minute". Kirkus Reviews . December 1, 2010. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Wilentz, Sean (April 29, 2011). "A History of Protest Songs". The New York Times . Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  3. ↑ King, Philip (March 12, 2011). "The songs and the struggles". The Irish Times . Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Jones, Thomas (March 19, 2011). "33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs by Dorian Lynskey – review". The Guardian . Retrieved October 3, 2024.."
  5. ↑ Lynskey, Dorian (May 17, 2011). "Rock Book Show Interview:Dorian Lynskey "33 Revolutions Per Minute"" (Interview). Interviewed by Kimberly Austin. Retrieved September 26, 2024– via YouTube.
  6. ↑ OCLC   721311610
  7. ↑ OCLC   641532418
  8. ↑ OCLC   759582071
  9. ↑ OCLC   820665918
  10. ↑ OCLC   927847468 , 1083469276
  11. ↑ "33 Revolution per Minute". The New Yorker . May 30, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  12. ↑ Bush, Vanessa (March 1, 2011). "33 Revolutions per Minute: A History of Protest Songs, from Billie Holiday to Green Day". Booklist . Vol. 107, no. 13. Chicago: American Library Association. p. 10.
  13. ↑ Garner, Dwight (April 28, 2011). "Sing It Loud: Changing the World With a Stirring Cri de Coeur". The New York Times . Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  14. ↑ Azerrad, Michael (April 9, 2011). "Book Review: 33 Revolutions Per Minute". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  15. ↑ Chilton, Martin (March 8, 2011). "Protest songs: posing or inspiring?". The Telegraph . Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  16. ↑ Shiflett, Dave (May 13, 2011). "Book World: '33 Revolutions Per Minute' traces protest-song history". The Washington Post . Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  17. ↑ Kellogg, Carolyn (April 7, 2011). "Book review: '33 Revolutions Per Minute' by Dorian Lynskey". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 27, 2024.
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