How To Write Songs On Guitar by Rikky Rooksby (Book Review)

I was very impressed with this book.  It explained the different types of chord progressions and examples of their use in popular music. There is also a chapter on the different types of song structures. The diagrams are very clear for even novice guitar players like myself.  I finally understand key changes when I hear it, so now I am detecting key changes in the songs that I hear on the radio.  There is even a chapter on making demo recordings!

However unfortunately there is one blemish that I was shocked to discover in this book.  Although I found the chapter on writing lyrics highly informative I was left feeling quite cross with Mr Rooksby when I read what he wrote on page 129 under the title named Songs About Writing Songs.  The songs that Mr Rooksby claimed were 'rogue galleries' I disagreed with, and these included the following: Pop Muzik, Thank You For The Music, I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing and Silly Love Songs.  I know that's everyone has their own preferences, but that's exactly my point.  Just because Mr Rooksby, (the big I Am), doesn't like these songs, it doesn't mean that they are 'rogues'.  Some of these tracks were huge hits, and some of them are revered, so Mr Rooksby has got no right what so ever to call them rubbish just because he says so.  Who does he think he is?

He then went on to slag off Spandau Ballet's True, how bloody dare he?  There are many people who love that track, myself included.  There was also a list of what Mr Rooksby deemed 'acceptable', in his eyes only but again he stated it as a fact.  The problem is that I much preferred the songs from the 'rogue gallery'.  Why are liberals are so arrogant?  What makes them express an opinion as a fact time and time again?


Mr Rooksby further made a out of himself when he incorrectly claimed that U2's Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of as an example of a song that's about writing a song. No it isn't.  The meaning behind the lyrics of this song is about the suicide of one of Bono's best friends Michael Hutchence from INXS.  He has said in many interviews (if Mr Rooksby had bothered to find any of them), that it's also about an argument between two friends, the conversation Bono wish he had with him before he died.  It's got nothing to do with writing a song about writing a song.

Oh, and another thing, These Words by Natasha Beddingfield is not called Gonna Write A Classic, and that was an ok song as well.

Mr Rooksby has been very cheeky indeed.