LoveSong by Boo Hewerdine & Ken Cox
Why Songs Matter & How they are Written:
Adventures in Songwriting
Insights from renowned songwriters revealed by Boo Hewerdine & Ken Cox
A compelling exploration of why songs move us and how great songs are crafted.
An Insightful Look at Songwriting's Power
This warm, authoritative book from Boo Hewerdine and Ken Cox offers an endlessly readable journey through song craft, legendary songwriter insights, the neuroscience of music, and its economic realities, revealing what songs tell us about being human.
Boo Hewedine:
"Songs are the most democratic art form there is. Everyone has one that matters to them.
This book is for all of those people — not just the ones who write songs, but everyone who has ever wondered why a song can break your heart or lift your spirits in under three minutes."
Over 70 years of combined experience in songwriting and literature inform this authoritative exploration of music and songwriting.
Why do certain songs stay with us for a lifetime? Why can a three-minute melody unlock a memory more vividly than any photograph — and why, even in people living with advanced Alzheimer's, can music persist when almost everything else has faded?
Love Song: Adventure in Songwriting sets out to answer these questions and many more, Love Song is both a masterclass in the craft of songwriting and a wide-ranging exploration of why songs matter so deeply to human beings.
Drawing on the wisdom of hundreds of legendary songwriters — from Cole Porter and Joni Mitchell to Nick Cave, Kate Bush, Paul Simon and Stephen Sondheim — the book unpacks the elements that make a great song: melody, lyrics, structure, hooks, riffs and choruses. It ranges across love songs, murder ballads, folk, jazz standards, rap and songs of protest.
But Love Song is far more than a technical guide. It traces the evolutionary role of song across thousands of years of human society, examines the neuroscience of how music is stored and recalled in the brain, and tackles the hard business realities of the modern music industry: how songs are published, what writers earn from a hit, how songs can be stolen and end up in court, and whether, in an age of AI, songwriters will always be needed.
Love Song is for song and music lovers, listeners, aspiring songwriters, music industry professionals and anyone who has ever sung along in the car and wondered why it felt so good.
100+
The Wisdom of 100+ Songwriters
The book references the work and wisdom of over 100 legendary songwriters to illustrate the craft and impact of songwriting. Paul Mcartney, Kate Bush, Smokey Robinson, Nick Cave, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Chris Difford, Tom Waits and many more.
The authors
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Boo Hewerdine is a renowned songwriter, performer, tutor and music producer. After success with The Bible in the late 1980s, he built an acclaimed solo career and has served as songwriter and bandleader for Eddi Reader, producing her celebrated Robert Burns album. He is a sought-after co-writer whose collaborators include Sia, Chris Difford, Beth Nielsen Chapman and Kris Drever. His songs have been recorded by kd lang, Natalie Imbruglia, Sarah Jane Morris, Jerry Douglas and David McAlmont.
Ken Cox is a horticulturalist, gardener, world-leading rhododendron expert, plant hunter and award-winning author of 14 gardening books — and a passionate songwriter. He attended Boo Hewerdine's songwriting workshops and has studied the craft with Gretchen Peters, Kathryn Williams, Rodney Crowell, Kathryn Williams, Kenny Anderson, Jon Boden and others in the UK and Nashville.
Unique Perspectives on Songwriting and Its Impact
Combining expert songwriting knowledge with scholarly research, the book appeals to music lovers, songwriters, creators, and curious readers alike.
Written by Experts
Combining Boo Hewerdine’s songwriting career and wisdom with Ken Cox’s narrative expertise & research.
Engaging Storytelling
Narrative that makes complex ideas about music readable and appealing.
Get Your Copy of LoveSong Today
Join Boo Hewerdine and Ken Cox on a compelling journey into songwriting’s heart. Order your copy of Love Song , to discover why songs matter.
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