Songs for fat people
Subtitle: affect, emotion, and celebrity in the Russian popular song, 1900-1955
By: David MacFadyen.
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press
Published: 2002
Place of publication: Montreal
Language: eng
Number of pages: 354
Subjects: Popular music -- Soviet Union -- History and criticism; Popular music -- Social aspects -- Soviet Union; Singers -- Soviet Union -- Biography
Genres: Biography.
Description: "David MacFadyen traces the careers of early 20th century Russian singers such as Izabella Iur'eva, Tamara Tsereteli, and others who struggled to continue to perform as they fled the dangers of a Soviet society that had little patience for cafe-culture. MacFadyen follows their trail through Eastern Europe to Paris and London, then across to New York and San Francisco, and back into Russia through the smoky, emigre bars of colourful Chinese towns.

He pays particular attention to the notion of "mass" songs inside the Soviet Union and explores the relationship of official and public approval. By looking at how these performers used success at home and abroad to become recording and film stars, and eventually television personalities, MacFadyen avoids the conventional dichotomies about the Eastern Block to show the complexity of Soviet culture."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references, filmography, discography and index.