Hi, r/cowboybebopdeepcuts,

Wanted to let you know about the coverage of Bebop's soundtrack and other musical links in Three, Two, One: Let's Jam!, the huge new guide book coming next month from Telos publishing. As with other aspects of the anime's production, various details about its music are presented in English for the first time, from the slightly dysfunctional start of Yoko Kanno and director Shinichiro Watanabe's working dynamic to how the former came to produce a live action film inspired by the latter's storytelling.

Doing this part of the show justice was an important consideration, so liner notes, concert pamphlets, Kanno's magazine columns and decades worth of interviews were scoured for insights into what went into making one of anime's most lauded musical offerings. That being so, there's no shortage of facts and stats in the text, such as why the composer's efforts took her across the globe, how she collaborated with lyricists or what she has against recording live shows. But two broad themes stand out in the findings.

Japanese is often said to be an ambiguous language - as parts of the book demonstrate - but the same can sometimes be said of music, and the difference between Kanno's intentions and how her efforts were received by colleagues and audiences was one thing that came up numerous times. Several chapters illustrate how songs made for a particular purpose ended up being used in completely unrelated circumstances. Translation issues that have obscured the origins of some songs to date are addressed where relevant. And as regards the thread title, yes, the composer said 'bad' music, not 'bgd' music, balancing her own thoughts, reflections and goals with the demands of the work at hand.

The second general takeaway was simply the freedom Kanno enjoyed on the project - Watanabe recently reflected that it probably wouldn't be possible these days - and the fun she had recording some pieces. This might not have made it into the final text, but the visual image of her pretending to wave a gun around in the studio to elicit screams for '24Hours Open' comes to mind.

Standout songs are discussed in entries for instalments they're first heard in, but at the back of Let's Jam is the most complete index of Cowboy Bebop's music to date. Spanning 27 pages, as anime author Helen McCarthy noted this week, it covers almost every piece of media included in the book itself, with notes and newly-translated credits for some songs. This snippet from the 'Brain Scratch' entry isn't the juiciest, but grapples with one of the more confusing parts of the soundtrack's nomenclature, and illustrates that every effort has been made to offer definitive representations of song titles. The index differentiates 'official' titles for released songs from the provisional ones used for unreleased pieces where applicable, as well as including the rare examples of performed or otherwise untitled music.

Beyond Kanno's recorded contributions, the show's diverse musical influences are reliably examined through the eyes of its creators throughout the book. And for those who've followed the soundtrack beyond its use in the series, Let's Jam also seeks to set the record straight on the perplexing nature of the Seatbelts, with their backstory examined like never before, and even small details about their early concerts relayed along the way. So, with any luck, something for everyone.

The publisher's order page is here, and you'll also be able to get a copy on Amazon in the coming weeks (edit: now available from Amazon UK, US, or indeed wherever else you enjoy your Amazons. More general details about the book can also be found over on r/cowboybebop, here and here.

^(Apologies for the promotion, u/BobbyBobRoberts, but hopefully this meets the bar for posts!)