Videos by American Songwriter
Lots of people have attempted to copy John Lennon’s songwriting style. But multi-talented singer-songwriter Nellie McKay has taken it one step further; in her review of the exhaustive biography, “John Lennon: The Life” by Philip Norman, for the New York Times, McKay perfectly mimics Lennon’s playful, nonsensical prose style, which he used to write 1964’s head scratcher In His Own Write.
Nobody can get to the heart of our Johnny, or ears,” she writes. “Gary Oldman lied but nobody licked him, being a journalist. Phyllis Diller’s “The Wife” is very impressive and lull that, but who’s got the money these days? (All the wrong pimple, that’s who — backoff scullards, go mount your monkey.) Nonetheless to fins this book is like Jo dine all over gin.”
Lennon’s imaginative writing resembled both Lewis Caroll and the back cover to Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited. McKay shows in her review that she has not just a great ear for music, but for language as well. Read the full review here.
McKay’s latest album is Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute To Doris Day.
Although I think, when reading her review of Philip Norman, that she’s two Cuticle Halves, I do think it’s much better than Suzanne Vega’s review of the book on the One Cuticle.
“Lennon’s imaginative writing resembled both Lewis Caroll and the back cover to Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited.”
And a bit of James Joyce & e.e. cummings, I do believe.