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1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 A chatty, conversational book of lists about classic rock n' roll Jan 08, 2008
Debra Godin's Papa Do Run is a love story about rock n' roll. The author is an upbeat, chatty fan of everything rock n' roll related who has published a book of lists, covering everything from censored songs to love songs to political songs to women in music. She tells the stories behind some of rock's greatest songs, like which musicians are described in Don McLean's "American Pie," to whom Carly Simon is singing in "You're So Vain," and whether "Puff the Magic Dragon" is a song about drug use or not. Like all great legends, the answer to all of these questions is "who really knows?" but Godin sets up the socio-political climate and lines up the usual suspects for each of rock's great legends. One could locate this information (and more) with some quick Internet searches, but it is nice to enjoy them in a unified chapter, and the book would be a great trip down memory lane for the baby boomer generation (of which Godin is a proud self-proclaimed member).
Author Godin is oblivious to the fact that anyone could have a fanhood as great as hers. In the third paragraph of her introduction, she flat-out tells any twenty-something readers that there is no way they will get sentimental over their "hard core heavy/acid/metal/head0banger/punk/gansta/grunge number so loud it makes your ears bled" when they are in their 50's. Godin believes that her precious rock n' roll transcends all other fanhoods, so if you are a more casual fan of the genre, or if you have eclectic tastes, her generalizations may be off-putting.
However, I don't think Godin wrote this book for the twenty-somethings she disparages. If you lived through the era, I'd give this 4/5 stars as a solid trip down memory lane. She has near-perfect lyric recall and an encyclopedic knowledge of 50's and 60's rock n' roll, so the reader is bound to discover personal forgotten gems among her musings. However, if you're a fan of music throughout the decades and centuries of the world, this is a 2/5 star read.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Fun, Breezy Read from Vintage Rock and Roll Believer Nov 23, 2007
Last week's death of legendary 60s Philadelphia rock and roll disc jockey Hy Lit distanced pop music, and its youth culture, another step from its early roots. Its first fans are aging as their beloved music from rock's first 10 years slips from mainstream radio to Internet and alternative sources.
In breezy, conversational prose dotted with personal remembrances, groaningly bad puns, some Canadian flag-waving and a few fun facts, Deborah Godin's "Papa Do Run" sweetly salutes rock and roll's first golden era, its stars and songs. But light as they are, hers are the words of a rock and roll believer. "You see, I had the good fortune to be born early enough in the 20th century that when rock and roll hit the airwaves, I was already old enough to pay attention," she writes in the first paragraph. "And I unabashedly admit it was love from the very start."
Part of "Papa Do Run's" fun,fun fun is Ms. Godin's seeing these classics through today's lens, rather than the murky Cold War culture they grew in. She devotes chapters (each named for a golden oldie lyric or title) to rock censorship ("Louie,Louie," "Wake Up Little Susie") political incorrectness (the cads of "The Wanderer" and " Oh, Pretty Woman," the misguided devotionals "Bobbie's Girl," and "Johnny Get Angry.") misheard lyrics ("Under the Boardwalk," Along Comes Mary,") and rock mysteries (her explanation of Don McLean's enigmatic "American Pie," is nothing if not original.)
Ms. Godin misses few touchstones (though she short shrifts the Brtitish Invasion throughout, especially the Beatles). She salutes nearby Motown by telling a life story timeline through its lyrics, recalling Berry Gordy's commanding his songwriters write in present tense. A language lover who created and defined her own words for her poetry book "World of Wonders," she spends chapters 4-6 walking through key rock and roll phrases with changed modern meanings, or piling classic doo-wop nonsense phrases into her own poem.
Ms. Godin sometimes spends too much time telling what she can't tell us (due to copyright or other restrictions). But no lawyer will fight over describing "Louie, Louie"'s organ riff, the drums slamming Elvis Presley's cell door "Jailhouse Rock," or the French horn flourish on Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" (to name three humorous essays). Despite retelling the song stories with proper smirk, she doesn't quite share the exhilaration of the songs themselves, the reason why they keep their place in so many memories.
During his radio shows, Hy Lit often said, "I'm the good guy that raised you, I taught you to love this music." He and others (Ms. Godin praises Canada's CKLW) connected their music to the lives of what's still America's dominant, pervasive generation. Ms. Godin looks long and even laughs gently at these songs and performers, but also shares sincere love for classic and even overlooked songs. This alone makes "Papa Do Run" a welcome read for anyone knowing and loving early rock and roll music.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 LAUGH OUT LOUD TWISTS Nov 18, 2007
What a fun way to remember and to be tweaked. The reoccurring frequency reading PAPPA DO RUN rings I was there in the 60's but hadn't thought of it that way. I enjoyed 'laugh out loud' twists as the humour tickled.
Debra Godin's unique chatty, slang filled voice rings true, creating a time capsule, enhancing shared memories.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Kool and Groovy! Nov 05, 2007
What a tender and wonderfully fun book about the oft times difficult teen years and the great music that kept we teenagers in the Detroit area sane! Just the mention of the CKLW Radio Station in Windsor took me right back there to Motown where I grew up in the sixties. An awesome account of the times, the places and the music. BRAVO!
 Nostalgic and irreverent romp into the early days of rock Nov 02, 2007
As a music fan(atic), I am always interested in a good book about the history of rock. There are many different styles of books: a band or artist biography, a collection of album reviews, an analysis of a certain period of rock, etc. This book generally falls into the latter (i.e. the early days of rock), but brings it with its own twist.
In "Papa Do Run" (283 pages), author Deborah Godin vividly describes growing up in Detroit in the fifties as rock gets off the ground, and then as a teenager in the sixties (check out how she describes having 'advanced knowledge' about the Beatles in 1963 due to a friend traveling to England). Godin's twist to the discussion of the early days of rock it that it's almost entirely brought by having list of songs to discuss a particular topis (car songs, tragedy songs, protest songs, etc.), and always keeping a light touch on things, with plenty of good humor (but thorough knowledge of the subject matter). For example, in the "Crazy dance songs" list, Godin writes: "The Freddie (Freddie & The Dreamers): five year olds can automatically do this one; adults shouldn't unless accompanied by a five year old." The "answer songs" list (such as Neil Sedaka's 1959 hit "Oh Carol", which is followed by Carol King's "Oh Neil" in 1960) was particularly well done: I didn't know that there were so many of them, and the insights provided on each of the songs is amazing, and entertaining. The chapter on "classic rock enigmas" was another one I really enjoyed (what is Peter Paul & Mary's big hit "Puff the Magic Dragon really about?). Without knowing it, you find yourself turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
About one fourth way into the book, out of the blue and for no good reason Godin makes a plug for her next book, on music trivia, and I can't tell whether this is serious or tongue-in-cheek, but I decide to chalk this one up in the same sense of irreverent fun that is demonstrated throughout the book. I had a fun time reading this, and if you are a music buff, you will too.
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