REVIEW
Musical reads deliver on Beatles, Cooke

‘‘The Beatles: The Biography’’ by Bob Spitz, Little, Brown, $29.95

‘‘Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke’’ by Peter Guralnick, Little, Brown, $27.95
By JEFF GUINN
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS

Most biographies of music icons fall into one of two categories: worshipful, extended puff pieces or pompous ‘‘investigative’’ tomes that rely on sensationalism rather than thoughtful insight. Peter Guralnick bucked this trend in 1994 with "Last Train to Memphis" and again in 1999 with "Careless Love," groundbreaking biographies of Elvis Presley that were as much sociology as musicology. They emphasized that upbringing and opportunity are almost as critical to artistic genius as innate talent.

These intensely researched, intelligently presented books set a new, higher standard. Now, two more ‘‘musician’’ biographies deliver equally scintillating quality: Guralnick’s "Dream Boogie" makes an impressive case for Sam Cooke as the catalyst of modern American pop music. And Bob Spitz’s "The Beatles" finally provides coherent context for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr as flawed but gifted human beings instead of one-dimensional, lovable moptops.

Any serious student of modern culture will want to read both, for they’re as much about the cultures that molded these artists as they are about the individuals themselves.

Sam Cook (the ‘‘e’’ was added later as a show-biz affectation) was the son of a preacher; he made his first mark as a performer and recording artist while a member of various gospel quartets and quintets. Guralnick beautifully captures the African-American creative culture of the early 1950s, when church music morphed into rhythm and blues and then crossover mainstream pop. Cooke’s personal ambitions for stardom fueled that change - his ‘‘yodel’’ and other vocal stretches on traditional hymns was integral to the transition. Through careful study of the structure of hymns, Cooke eventually could craft his own songs that celebrated G-rated hedonism (“Another Saturday Night,” “You Send Me”) and social dynamism (“A Change Is Gonna Come”) rather than religion. That Cooke would ultimately become a victim of his own personal excesses, dying under mysterious circumstances at age 33, seems inevitable in Guralnick’s retelling of his life story. You will not be able to put "Dream Boogie" down.