WIWS Banner

The Second Disc

Expanded and Remastered Music News

  • Home
  • Holiday Gift Guide
  • News
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Features
    • Release Round-Up
    • Giveaways!
    • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Release Calendar
    • Coming Soon
    • Now Available
  • About
  • Second Disc Records
    • Full Catalog
  • Contact

/ News

Soul and Inspiration: Dawn Eden Goldstein Pens Memoir "Sunday Will Never Be the Same"

April 23, 2019 By Joe Marchese 10 Comments

BUY NOW FROM AMAZON.COM

The world of rock and roll has seen many amazing journeys, but few like Dawn Eden Goldstein's.  Using the pen name of Dawn Eden, Goldstein carved out a niche in the 1990s as a rock historian.  As the concept of the deluxe CD reissue took hold, she contributed essential liner notes to albums by artists including Harry Nilsson, The Hollies, and The Seekers, and wrote for publications such as Billboard and The Village Voice.  But Goldstein was a seeker herself.  Born into a Jewish family, she found herself upon a spiritual odyssey that would take her first to Christianity and then, finally, to Catholicism.  Her latest book, the conversion memoir Sunday Will Never Be the Same: A Rock and Roll Journalist Opens Her Ears to God (Catholic Answers Press), chronicles her journey of faith and music in often moving and even quirkily humorous fashion.

Sunday Will Never Be the Same, titled after Spanky and Our Gang's ebullient 1967 sunshine pop hit and decorated with a wonderful cover by Steve Stanley of Now Sounds, is presented in diary style.  In a clever touch, each chapter bears the name of a relevant pop song ("God Only Knows," "Soul and Inspiration," "Along Comes Mary," etc.).  The breezy, easily digestible format quickly draws the reader in, and Goldstein keeps interest high throughout.  She displays enormous candor reflecting upon both the difficulties she has endured and overcome - sexual abuse, thoughts of suicide, a battle with depression, a rocky relationship with her parents - and the moments of pivotal discovery that occurred along the way.

Goldstein's gifts as a memoirist are abundant.  She vividly conjures the underground scene of Greenwich Village in the 1980s and 1990s, now seemingly lost forever to the new landscape of Starbucks and luxury condominiums.  She deftly recalls her experiences attending New York University in a music business program as well as her extracurricular life as a budding rock journalist.  Many of these recollections are universal, such as a beautiful passage in which she describes the thrill of seeing a favorite artist, Robyn Hitchcock, perform live.  Naturally, there are period references a-plenty, whether to Tower Records, The Dive, The Ritz, or Maxwell's across the river - not to mention nostalgia for the days when like-minded individuals bonded not over the internet but via fanzines.  (And remember when you had to pay for a call to long-distance information?)   Other now-shuttered haunts, like the louche music and video emporium Mondo Kim's (where Goldstein was once employed), figure into some of her more unpleasant memories.

The search for connection is a key theme of the book.  Goldstein made profound connections with the music of artists like the late Curt Boettcher; the arc of her relationship with the sunshine pop guru behind The Millennium, The Ballroom, and Sagittarius makes for truly affecting prose.  Upon hearing the Boettcher production of The Millennium's "It's You," she asks, "How is it possible for something to be so perfectly calculated and yet so authentically affecting?  It was like the musical equivalent of those Impressionist paintings that look from a distance as though they are painted the usual ways, but when you get up close you find they are actually thousands of tiny dots."  Not only did she uncover the pointillism in Boettcher's layered yet accessible works, but her quest to uncover the man behind the music actually gave her a reason to live at a difficult moment.  Her descriptions of his music will leave you reaching for your CD player (or digital app) for a soundtrack as you read: "Curt's impossibly pure voice, sounding every bit as angelic as that ethereal photo on his solo-album cover [1973's There's an Innocent Face] looks, asks the object of his affection if she - he? - will ever know how he feels," Goldstein writes.  "Again he is reaching out toward a love of seemingly cosmic dimensions.  The sense of longing is so intense, I can hardly bear it."

Goldstein's longing to answer the questions of faith she faced in her life is palpable, as is her thrill and relief at her eventual spiritual discoveries.  As for music fans, they will delight in her mentions of Judee Sill, Lou Christie, or Tommy Roe, and especially her warm, often unexpected, and altogether poignant encounters with rock royalty like Dave Davies, Del Shannon, and John Carter (the British songwriter of hits like "Little Bit O' Soul," "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat" and "Beach Baby").  The latter two are particularly significant.  Goldstein shared a tender and eye-opening moment with Shannon not long before his tragic death; as for Carter, she arranged for him to perform his first concert in New York, which led to one of the crucial appearances of the divine in her life.

The author is frank about her bumpy experience as a copy editor and headline writer at The New York Post as well as her embrace of political conservatism.  Sunday details how Goldstein was inspired by St. Maximillian to pursue her interest in pro-life doctrine and ultimately immerse herself into the Catholic faith.  While some hot-topic opinions expressed in these climactic chapters may not align with all readers' views, Goldstein's book is not a polemic.  Late in Sunday, she describes the luck of snagging a seat close to the stage for a theological speech, much as she had earlier in her life for countless rock shows.  There's a sense of coming full circle as Goldstein found herself and her calling in Catholicism, learning from her past life and work rather than renouncing them.

Sunday Will Never Be the Same concludes in 2009 upon Goldstein's acceptance of Mary.  Over the last decade, Goldstein has become the first woman to earn a doctorate in sacred theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake, and today, she is currently an assistant professor of dogmatic theology in the online division of Holy Apostles Church and Seminary.  She's continued writing about Catholicism and its tenets, and has even occasionally returned to the liner notes fold, as with The Goldebriars' 2014 collection Walkin' Down the Line on Now Sounds.

"No longer can I walk these paths for they have changed," Spanky McFarlane sang in "Sunday Will Never Be the Same."  Happily, Dawn Eden Goldstein has revisited her past paths in edifying style.  Whether or not you're a person of faith, Catholic or otherwise, interested in the author's spiritual travels or you're a music fan looking to learn more about a favorite writer (or both!), Sunday Will Never Be the Same is a colorful and compelling read.

Sunday Will Never Be the Same is available now at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada.

Categories: News, Reviews Formats: Books Tags: Curt Boettcher, Del Shannon

Avatar photo

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with Real Gone Music, has released newly-curated collections produced by Joe from iconic artists such as Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Chet Atkins, and many others. He has contributed liner notes to reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, and Andy Williams, and has compiled releases for talents including Robert Goulet and Keith Allison of Paul Revere and the Raiders. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

Connect With Joe: FacebookTwitter

You Might Also Like

  • Handy Man Best of Del ShannonEdsel Holiday Round-Up: Del Shannon, The Box Tops, Donna Summer
  • Gary Usher Happy in HollywoodLet's Go to Heaven In My Car: Ace Collects Productions and Songs of Gary Usher
  • record store day logo5The Second Disc's Guide to Record Store Day 2022: Our Essential Picks and More!
  • T Rex The Slider RSDRock On: Demon Music Group's RSD Line-Up Includes Donna Summer, Del Shannon, Pixies, T. Rex, Belinda Carlisle, More

Comments

  1. Eric V says

    April 25, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    Is this a press release or the liner notes to the album? It reads that way. If she has found her way to a spiritual enlightenment that gives her peace then more power to her. I take comfort and strength in my religion on a daily basis-the same religion she embraces. Stating that her story is "not a polemic" makes me think otherwise. I'm so tired of people who "find God" and, really, only try to use it to for their own glorification or to try to bully other people. I will read her book since it sounds very interesting. As for my self-I never had a problem reconciling my faith with my love of music or partying hardy while I was dancing in combat boots in the late 70's.

    Reply
  2. Ed Silverman says

    April 27, 2019 at 3:03 pm

    There are so many books, why is this one reviewed? What are the standard and litmus tests?

    Reply
    • Avatar photoJoe Marchese says

      April 27, 2019 at 3:50 pm

      The standard is quite simple: whether the editorial staff feels the book will be of interest to our readers. As a memoir by a respected music historian with a background in catalog music reissues, this book fit the bill. So did producer Bruce Kimmel’s memoir a while back, the upcoming Joni Mitchell “Morning Glory on the Vine” book, and the others we’ve covered over the years. When a publisher or author contacts us about possibly covering a book, we consider it the same way we do a CD, LP, DVD or Blu-ray.

      Reply
      • ed says

        April 29, 2019 at 8:46 am

        Thanks, Joe. But why wait until a publisher or author contacts you? Why not be more proactive? There are many memoirs and biographies that this site doesn't review.

        Reply
        • Avatar photoJoe Marchese says

          April 29, 2019 at 10:59 am

          Ed, this is the same way it works vis-à-vis CDs/LPs/DVDs/Blu-rays: We receive a press release and/or an item with a request for coverage, and we determine its newsworthiness and whether to review. As far as "there are many memoirs and biographies that this site doesn't review," there are also many CDs, etc. that we don't review. We would need a staff of many times our size to cover every catalog title released. 🙂 What we review comes down to our making a decision as to what to spend our time and bandwidth on. Ms. Goldstein's memoir dealt with many classic pop rock figures, and she herself is a public figure of interest as a well-known liner notes author; that was all I needed to know to agree to cover the book.

          I truly don't see how her book is any more "off topic" than any of the other books we've covered here. We've also reviewed Thomas Dolby's memoir, in which he wrote about his journey from the music biz to the fields of technology and education. Would you also consider that off topic? I think the discomfort here has to do with the fact that Ms. Goldstein is also writing about religion. I understand that's a subject that makes many people uneasy, but I'm not about to make any topic here taboo. Dialogue is always a positive thing, especially in today's climate. If Bob Dylan ever writes a second volume of his memoirs and chooses to open up about his own (very well-publicized) conversion, would that also be off topic? Perhaps you'd answer "yes," and I, of course, would respect that even as I disagree. Again, Ed, thanks for reading. I understand your concerns here, but we stand by the decision to cover "Sunday Will Never Be the Same."

          Reply
          • ed says

            April 29, 2019 at 9:35 pm

            Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'll just agree to disagree. From the review, it seems the book is ultimately more about her personal journey through religions than her journey through the music biz. I get the 'big tent' notion, but its still seems less than relevant

            Reply
            • Avatar photoJoe Marchese says

              April 29, 2019 at 9:57 pm

              Thanks for reading, Ed. Indeed, I'm happy agreeing to disagree on this one...but I hope there's plenty coming each day here that's more to your taste. All my best.

              Reply
  3. Phil Cohen says

    April 27, 2019 at 7:38 pm

    Maybe it would be better to keep this forum on topic. It's a forum about CD & vinyl music releases. I have some CD's with liner notes by Ms.Eden/Goldstein in my collection, but her book is basically preaching to the choir; to fellow believers. If she is happy, good for her. Personally, I'm secular (not a believer or participant in organized religion), but I'm not going to go write a book about my beliefs (or lack thereof)

    Reply
    • Avatar photoJoe Marchese says

      April 27, 2019 at 8:35 pm

      Hey Phil! Indeed, this isn’t the appropriate venue for extended discourse on the subject of religion (or politics!). But as far as covering the book goes, I believe our coverage was as every bit as appropriate as our covering Dylan’s Christian period, or the contemporary Christian albums of Glen Campbell or B.J. Thomas. (I’m sure there are other examples over our near-decade, too!)

      Ms. Goldstein has stated that she intended her memoir "to reach people who can’t even imagine why anyone with a choice, let alone a Jewish rock and roll journalist...would want to become Catholic." Seeing as her liner notes are so familiar to the readers here, I found her story to be germane for our general audience. As I endeavored to point out in the review, there are plenty of great music memories in it that I believe will be entertaining and edifying, regardless of one’s religious beliefs. Thanks as always for reading.

      I’m glad the review has sparked dialogue here; that’s always welcome here.

      Reply
      • ed says

        April 29, 2019 at 8:49 am

        Joe - I agree with Phil. I'm more interested in music topics than her personal journey, which is off topic, no matter how much she recounts her time in the music biz. I think the litmus test for this review misses the boat.
        Again, you want to review books, review books that are out there and not wait to be approached by authors or publishers.

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Upcoming Releases

  • Carole Bayer Sager Sometimes Late at Night
    Sometimes Late at Night: Expanded Edition
    Carole Bayer Sager
    February 03, 2023
  • Carole King Home Again
    Home Again: Live in Central Park
    Carole King
    February 10, 2023
  • Robert Palmer Island Years
    The Island Records Years
    Robert Palmer
    February 17, 2023
See Full Calendar

Connect

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,544 other subscribers

Popular

  • headquarters
    Review: The Monkees, "Headquarters: Super Deluxe Edition" posted on January 24, 2023 | under Reviews
  • Bob Dylan Fragments Bootleg 17 Cover
    Release Round-Up: Week of January 27 posted on January 27, 2023 | under Release Round-Up
  • Marshall Crenshaw 40
    Something's Gonna Happen: Marshall Crenshaw's Expanded Debut Coming Back to CD posted on January 26, 2023 | under News

Comments

  • small faces here come the nice2
    Return To Itchycoo Park: Small Faces' "Here Come The Nice" Deluxe Box Set Arrives In January [UPDATED 12/3] 84 comments | by Joe Marchese | posted on December 3, 2013 | under News
  • the beatles u s albums box2
    British Invasion! The Beatles Unveil "The U.S. Albums" Box Set in January 69 comments | by Joe Marchese | posted on December 12, 2013 | under News
  • Rolling Stones in Mono
    Out of Their Heads: Stones Plan Mono Box Set 47 comments | by Mike Duquette | posted on August 10, 2016 | under News

Music Resources

  • Addicted to Vinyl
  • Crap from the Past
  • Discogs
  • Film Score Monthly
  • IMWAN Forum – From the Vaults
  • MusicTAP
  • Musoscribe
  • Pause & Play
  • Popblerd
  • Popdose
  • Record Racks
  • Slicing Up Eyeballs
  • Steve Hoffman Music Forums
  • Ultimate Classic Rock
  • Vintage Vinyl News
  • Viva La Mainstream
  • Wolfgang's Vault

Labels of Note

  • Ace Records
  • Analog Spark
  • Bear Family
  • BGO Records
  • Big Break Records
  • Blixa Sounds
  • Cherry Red Label Group
  • Craft Recordings
  • Demon Music Group
  • Friday Music
  • Funky Town Grooves
  • Iconoclassic Records
  • Intervention Records
  • Intrada
  • Kritzerland
  • La La Land Records
  • Legacy Recordings
  • Light in the Attic
  • Masterworks Broadway
  • Now Sounds
  • Omnivore Recordings
  • Real Gone Music
  • Resonance Records
  • Rhino Entertainment
  • Rock Candy Records
  • SoulMusic Records
  • Sunset Blvd. Records
  • Supermegabot
  • Varese Sarabande
  • Vinyl Me, Please
  • Wounded Bird
Copyright © 2023 The Second Disc. All rights reserved. · Site by Metaglyphics

The Second Disc is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy