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Bert Burns

It's amazing to me that someone as talented and prolific a rock and roll writer can go so unnoticed by so many for so long. Maybe it's just me, but I never heard of Mr. Burns until I saw the off-Broadway show: "Piece of my Heart" this weekend. Perhaps other here have heard of him (in fact, I'm sure of that given the level of expertise demonstrated on this site).
I've heard all the music (as I'm sure most of you have also), but never thought about who wrote those great tunes. Very good show about a great rock and roll writer/producer. If you are in NYC try and get tixs, you won't be disappointed.
ebuzz
loomisjohnson
1,943 posts
 
i know of him through his affiliation with early van morrison, but just looked him up on wikipedia--didn't realize how many great classics he wrote--twist and shout, here comes the night, i want candy, cry to me, etc. etc. died very young, unfortunately.
ebuzz OP
104 posts
 
Yes, all those plus don't forget "Piece of my heart." it's also a very interesting story. Now I know who "Candy" is!
loomisjohnson
1,943 posts
 
i've been reading "here comes the night," by joel selvin; nominally a biography of bert berns, but more a look at the 50s/60s ny songwriter/production milieu (brill building, atlantic records, etc.). not great literature--there's not a lot of character analysis--but a very comprehensive history of an era. they really don't write songs like these anymore.
casey33
260 posts
 
Loomis,imagine clocking in to work at 9 AM and your boss pops his head in the office and says"you're going to have a song for me by lunch,right?".I'll look for that book,sounds right up my alley,lots of facts.By the way I think that actually they do "write songs like these anymore" maybe they just can't sell them.On the plus side if we live long enough to see it they'll probably come back in style.
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