Lyrics

by Bryan Ferry, James Truman (Introduction)

Signed Edition

Bryan Ferry's evocative lyrics of aspiration and romantic longing, introduced by the author and published on the 50th anniversary of the first Roxy Music album


Bryan Ferry's work as a singer and songwriter, both as a solo artist and with Roxy Music, is legendary.

Lyrics collects the words written for music across seventeen albums, from the first iconic Roxy album of 1972 via the masterpiece of Avalon to 2014's Avonmore, introduced by the author, with an insightful essay by James Truman.

All the classic Roxy anthems are here - 'Virginia Plain', 'Do the Strand', 'Love is the Drug', 'The Thrill of it All' - songs in which the real and the make-believe blend in a kaleidoscopic mix, shot through with cinematic allure.

Also included are the evocative lyrics of romantic longing and lost illusions for which Ferry is rightly revered: 'Slave to Love', 'Mother of Pearl', 'More Than This'. As he writes in his preface, 'The low points in life so often produce the most keenly felt and best loved songs.' And, it might be added, some of the best poetry.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

308 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2022

Reviews

[Evelyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant lyrics, true poetry ❤️

[Gloomy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But marriages made in heaven, can they survive in this life?"

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collected lyrics of Super Geordie. Why now? At the time of writing Bryan Ferry is 76 and his last two albums have been orchestral. Is this signalling the end of his writing career - his last few recordings have been covers? I hope not as his music has been the soundtrack to my life since I first saw Virginia Plain on Top of the Pops. The quality of this body of work speaks for itself.

[Hollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can recite most of Roxy Music’s lyrics by heart. Seeing them written down in this form reminds you how important they were to the success of the band. Sound obviously super important but the lyrics are equally magical, transporting and packing with pop culture. The written equivalent of Hamilton’s Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?

[Dan Ream · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading all these lyrics on the printed page was a pleasure, but I had hoped this book would include stories about the songs as Paul McCartney’s recent book of lyrics dud so well. No such stories included here, sadly.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

He’s a master songwriter, but not really a storyteller, nor a poet. His thing is rhythm, and certain lines that shine. He builds worlds though, or a world — every song feels related. This family reunion of all the cousins, all in one place, is perfect for fans. And I loved it.

[Aaron Badgley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always thought his lyrics read like poems and this book demonstrates this.

[Tosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my review here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/tosh/p/...