Stranger than Fiction (compilation album)

Stranger Than Fiction is an album by various performers, most of whom are professional writers and amateur singers, released in 1998 on Kathi Kamen Goldmark's "Don't Quit Your Day Job" Records. This album is an offshoot of the Rock Bottom Remainders, aka the Wrockers ("writer" + "rocker").

The artists on Stranger Than Fiction include not only many of the Remainders, such as bestselling authors Stephen King, Amy Tan and Dave Barry, but also rock critics Dave Marsh, Ben Fong-Torres and Greil Marcus, film critic Leonard Maltin and such literary heavyweights as Norman Mailer and Maya Angelou. Warren Zevon contributed liner notes and a variety of famous musicians played on the tracks, including Zevon, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter of the Doobie Brothers, and Jerry Jeff Walker.

Proceeds from this project were contributed to a variety of charities promoting literature and literacy.

Contents

Track listing

Disc 1

  1. Stephen King, with Jeff "Skunk" Baxter: Bo Diddley
  2. Amy Tan and Kathi Kamen Goldmark, with Wonderbuns Murphy, James W. Hall and Tony Goldmark: Jungle Hop
  3. Norman Mailer: Alimony Blues
  4. Dave Barry: Proofreading Woman
  5. Maya Angelou and Jessica Mitford: Right, Said Fred
  6. Roy Blount, Jr., with Jim Campilongo and the Ten-Gallon Cats: Roly Poly
  7. Oscar Hijuelos: I Want To Eat
  8. Cynthia Robins and Billy Philadelphia: Baby, It's Cold Outside
  9. Leonard Maltin, with Meg Mackay: Act Naturally
  10. Bob Greene: Rave On
  11. Susanne Pari: Steamroller Blues
  12. Sandra Choron, Roger Clark, KK Goldmark, Dian Langlois, Bud E. Luv, Greil Marcus, Susanne Pari, Gail Parenteau, Faith Sale, Joel Selvin, and Amy Tan: Double Shot Of My Baby's Love
  13. Molly Ivins, with Jimmy LaFave, Jerry Jeff Walker and friends: It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels
  14. Robert Reich: Chain Gang
  15. Tomie dePaola, with Harry Choron and Adaire Elizabeth Kamen: On The Good Ship Lollipop
  16. Stephen King, with Warren Zevon: Stand by Me

Disc 2

  1. Ben Fong-Torres: Rainy Day Bookstores (a parody of Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35)
  2. Blanche McCrary Boyd: Hot Rod Lincoln
  3. Dave Barry: Tupperware Blues
  4. Peggy Orenstein: Man Smart, Woman Smarter
  5. Leonard Maltin, with the Android Sisters: If I Had A Talking Picture Of You
  6. Walter M. Mayes: Johnny Get Angry
  7. Amy Tan: These Boots Are Made For Walking
  8. Molly Ivins, Bob Livingston and Jerry Jeff Walker, with Ron Erwin, KK Goldmark, Tony Goldmark, John Inmon, Jimmy LaFave, Wonderbuns Murphy, Glenn Schuetz, and the Tourettes: Happy Birthday, Mitzi Gaynor
  9. Louis B. Jones, with Kevin Griffin and Nion McEvoy: Wall Of Death
  10. Norris Church Mailer: You'll Come Back, You Always Do
  11. Critical Mess, featuring Roy Blount, Jr., and Dave Marsh, with Lou Aronica, Marc Barasch, The Chorelles, Tom Dupree, Tony Goldmark, Matt Groening, and Peter Schneider: Wild Thing
  12. Mary Mackey: Busted
  13. Tananarive P. Due, with Warren Zevon and the Tananarettes: Proud Mary
  14. Damn Right I Got the Blues, featuring Ken Follett, with Graham Coster, Richard Gillinson, Anthony Harwood, Cefyn Jones, and Marie-Claire Follett: I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man
  15. Digby Diehl and Kay Diehl: Hit The Road Jack
  16. Stephen King and Kathi Kamen Goldmark: You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover

External links