33 Revolutions per Minute (book): Difference between revisions

Non-fiction book

33 Revolutions per Minute: A History of Protest Songs, from Billie Holiday to Green Day is a 2011 non-fiction book written by music critic and journalist Dorian Lynskey [Wikidata]. Written because he wished to document a “still-vital form of music”, each of the book’s 33 chapters describes the historical background, writing process, and influence of a notable protest song. The book begins with a chapter on the song “Strange Fruit“, before moving from a discussion of protest music’s origins to a broader discussion focusing on its expansion across countries and genres. 33 Revolutions per Minute has received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its scope despite being “thin on critical insight”.

Dorian Lynskey [Wikidata] is a British music critic and journalist who has written for publications like The Guardian, The Observer, and Q.^[2][3] In the epilogue of 33 Revolutions per Minute, Lynskey wrote how he initially began doing research into protest songs in order to document what he believed to be a “still-vital form of music”.^[4] When selecting songs to cover, Lynskey noted in an interview that he first and foremost sought songs he enjoyed listening to, so that he would be willing to listen to them repeatedly. He also attempted to cast a wide net across genres and causes for protest, though he emphasized that the book was not meant to be a definitive list of protest songs and acknowledged that his selection of songs was “limited…to western pop music”.^[4][5]

33 Revolutions per Minute was first released on April 5, 2011,^[1] being published by Faber & Faber in the United Kingdom^[6] and Ecco Press in the United States;^[7] an eBook was published the same year.^[8] In 2012, a French-language edition of the book was published by Payot et Rivages [fr] in Paris;^[9] in 2015, a Spanish-language edition of the book, and its eBook counterpart, were published by Malpaso Editorial [es] in Barcelona.^[10]

33 Revolutions per Minute consists of 33 chapters, in addition to a prologue, an epilogue, sources, and appendices. Each chapter details one notable protest song, including information about the song’s influence, its writing process, and the historical background surrounding the song’s release. Chapters are organized by chronological order, and split into five parts.

Part one (1939–1964) depicts the early years of protest music, and how it first intersected with popular music. Part two (1965–1973) demonstrates the continued evolution of protest music, with songs reflecting events like the Vietnam War and the black power movement. Part three (1973–1977) depicts various international scenes of protest music, used to illustrate its expansion outside the United States. Finally, parts four (1977–1987) and five (1989–2008) reflect on more modern examples of primarily American and British protest music, covering political scenes like opposition to the presidency of Ronald Reagan and the premiership of Margaret Thatcher, the 1984–1985 United Kingdom miners’ strike, and the Iraq War.

33 Revolutions per Minute received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its comprehensiveness despite being “thin on critical insight”.^[11] Kirkus gave the book a starred review, writing how Lynskey “presents a difficult, risky art form in all its complexity” and commended his “complete command of the music and the events that sparked it”.^[1] Vanessa Bush of Booklist similarly gave 33 Revolutions per Minute a starred review, praising the book for being “comprehensive and beautifully written”.^[12] Sean Wilentz, writing for The New York Times, gave the book a positive review for its comprehensiveness and Lynskey’s “crisp prose”.^[2] However, Dwight Garner, also writing for The New York Times, gave 33 Revolutions per Minute a mixed review, criticized the book for being “mostly torpid and colorless” despite its wide selection of songs.^[13] In addition, Michael Azerrad, writing for The Wall Street Journal, criticized the book’s lack of focus, noting that “most chapters devote only a few paragraphs to the song they’re ostensibly about, then delve into deep, deep background”.^[14]

Martin Chilton of The Telegraph praised the book for its scope and Lynskey’s nuanced description of the musicians he covered.^[15] Dave Shiflett of The Washington Post similarly praised the book for Lynskey’s balanced coverage, commenting that he “writes passionately and often admiringly but doesn’t stint on the criticism”, and particularly praised his coverage of Dylan.^[16] In contrast, Carolyn Kellogg of the Los Angeles Times criticized Lynskey’s coverage of Dylan as shallow, and wrote that 33 Revolutions per Minute, despite its “robust” list of protest songs, lacked “a sense of what they’re good for”.^[17]