Joan Armatrading Opens Her Songbook For ‘The Weakness In Me’ Lyric Volume
The book features an introduction by the revered singer-songwriter and a foreword by her former producer Glyn Johns.
Joan Armatrading’s revered songbook will be celebrated with Thursday’s (3) publication by Faber of The Weakness In Me: Selected Lyrics. The book features an introduction by the storied singer-songwriter herself, as well as annotations for some of her songs, and handwritten lyrics and scores that give a rare insight into her creative process.
The new volume also has a foreword by distinguished record producer Glyn Johns, who produced Armatrading’s self-titled breakthrough album (featuring one of her signature hit singles, “Love and Affection”) in 1976. They also worked together on the subsequent A&M released Show Some Emotion (1977), To The Limit (1978) and the 1979 live album Steppin’ Out.
The artist will begin a short book signing tour of Waterstones bookshops across the UK on November 10, when she visits its flagship Piccadilly store. She will then visit branches in Leeds, Nottingham, Glasgow, and Brighton. The London event has sold out, but limited tickets for all others, including entry and a copy of the book, are available here.
A film of Armatrading’s 2021 performance at south London’s historic Asylum Chapel is available on BBC iPlayer for 11 months at this writing, and the documentary further marking her 50-year solo career, Me Myself I, for six days from today (1). An album of the live show, which featured new songs (such as “Better Life” and “Consequences” from her 2021 album, also titled Consequences) alongside career favorites, will be released on November 18. “50 years is a long time,” says the artist, “but for me it’s flown by and I still get the same thrill from writing songs as when I started.”
Armatrading was awarded an MBE by the Queen in 2001 and a CBE in 2020, the year she also received the Lifetime Achievement honor from Woman Of The Year Awards. She is a Trustee of the Princes’ Trust, which she has supported since 1982, and holds six honorary degrees, doctorates, or fellowships.
Listen to the best of Joan Armatrading on Apple Music and Spotify.
