They're Playing Our Song: A Memoir

I love auto biographies because they reveal so much and usually change your perception. I had read Burt Bacharach's bio so I was familiar somewhat. Carole has a richly rewarding God given talent and she is very deserving of her accolades and awards, no question. On the personal side, here is an almost hopelessly naive woman, who well up into her forties, has an adolescent fantasy of love and marriage that she can't seem to relinquish and I frankly felt like I wanted to slap her and say, "wake up and smell the coffee -- he's not worth your obsession, he's gone, it's done, get over it." Song writing is nothing like I thought. It is very much a business. Show up every day and do your job to the best of your ability and make it rhyme.

I am thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is written with such honesty & vulnerability. I truly related to Carole's story and empathize with her childhood challenges. Beautifully written. She's women of so much talent. And she's a truly nice person. I loved this book.

It was very special to read the stories around these songs I have enjoyed over the years. The warmth comes through on nearly every page. It is easy to see why Carole Bayer Sager has so many close friends.

Carole Bayer Sager has written a beautiful life story- hard to do. She is honest and true in this great book as she is in her life. Reading it I understood more about this amazing woman, artist, wife and mother.

I always wondered how the songwriting process worked, so my curiosity was satisfied reading this book. It was entertaining, hilarious, insightful warm and heartfelt. I didn’t realize there was more than one difficult mother out there! Many of us have had to deal with difficult parents, but then the journey of life teaches us wisdom and compassion, as beautifully demonstrated here. It’s impressive to me that Carole knew at a young age that she wanted to write songs in an era where there were few if any role models for young girls and women in a male-dominated business. Reading the stories of the people in her life was very entertaining. I enjoyed the story about Bette Midler plucking books off the shelf and opening them randomly to find more interesting (and yet bitchy) words to put into a song! Carole knew that wasn’t how she wrote songs: she knew she wasn’t Noel Coward! I’ve long admired Carole, and always thought that she has a certain quality I liked but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Then it hit me: she must be part angel! I would recommend this to anyone who loves to read about creative people from the entertainment industry – plus it has a happy ending!

Omg! So candid, and delightfully entertaining! After seeing the Carole King musical on Broadway, I thought I would enjoy this as well. No contest! Bayer Sagers life is chocked full of discriptive chapters of an amazing life from a shaky insecure beginning....to becoming one of the most celebrated and prolific song writers of our generation. With sooooo many incredible experiences...both self deprecating yet poinient and very funny...in between hit after hit.
So many human emotions mixed in for all to relate to. She has a way of inviting you into her private life in a very intimate way with major stars from Elizabeth Taylor to Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Burt Bacharach and so many others. A MUST READ.

This is an enjoyable book while traveling. She appears to be warm intelligent witty person who is capable of being a great friend. I also noticed how she gives very detailed credits to her music collaborators. She seemed like an honest person. 3 things stand out:
1. Her mother who suffered from lung cancer in her seventies - I was surprised that Carole bought her economy class tix to fly... not only her husband enormously wealthy but she is well off on her own
2. It's good to write an honest account of your life but did she really need to tell the world about Burt's bedroom behaviors? After all he is the father of her son and he has young children himself.
3. David Geffen is described as someone who always tell like it is. I wish he is my best friend,

I devour biographies of singers. It's part of my ongoing education in my chosen profession. I literally have been singing for my supper for almost 60 years. I always learn something from the books I read. I pick up tips on technique or some other aspect of the craft. The one lesson I got from Carole's outstanding personal story was not that I CHOSE my profession. It chose
ME. Thanks, Carole.

Good writing, good story. The problem here is not the author's fault --she delivers-- but Simon and Schuster's fault. No photographs in the Kindle version yet it is priced close to print edition. It is very unsatifying to read a celebrity memoir with no photos. I would not have bought the book had I known that.

An easy read, but not satisfying. Her self absorption and need for the big life surfaces in her choices throughout.
Oscar Hammerstein was a song writer. Carole Bayer Sager is a pop song writer. To the properly tuned ear, there is quite a difference.
I read Burt B's biography and now Carole's.. I sincerely did not like either person when finished.
To bad, I wanted to, very much

As a songwriter, I was interested in possibly gaining some insight into the inspiration and process of how this hit songwriter approached her craft. I think this book largely gave me that insight if not also spending a lot of time on other personal details of her life, of course. That's what a memoir is all about. A quick and interesting read.

What a fascinating life starting from the neurotic Jewish girl with an alcoholic Mother who has a unique talent: the ability to write lyrics and collaborate those who write melodies. How about a long romance with Marvin Hamlisch including collaborating on songs? Then move on to the great Burt Bacharach. Having read his autobiography, I knew he was an interesting guy with narcissistic tendencies and she describes a unique marriage and it's ending.

But set up by friends she lives later with Bob Wright, CEO of CBS who is a quality guy and very un-celebrity like. All of this makes a great read. Not earth shattering. But a famous writer, winner of Oscars and Grammy trophies who for a while was at the top of her game.