| "Book & a Cover" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebySuzanne Vega | ||||
| from the album Tried & True: The Best of Suzanne Vega | ||||
| Released | November 3, 1998[1] | |||
| Length | 3:49 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Suzanne Vega | |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Suzanne Vega singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Book & a Cover"onYouTube | ||||
"Book & a Cover" is a song by American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, which was released in 1998 as a single from her compilation album Tried & True: The Best of Suzanne Vega. The song was written by Vega, and produced by Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake.
"Book & a Cover" was one of two new songs to be recorded in 1998 and included on Vega's Tried & True: The Best of Suzanne Vega compilation album.[2] The song was recorded and mixed at the Magic ShopinNew York City.[3] "Book & Cover" was released as the first single from Tried & True: The Best of Suzanne Vega in November 1998,[1] followed by the other new song, "Rosemary (Remember Me)", in 1999.
For the 40th week in 1998 (September 28 to October 4), "Book & a Cover" was one of eleven tracks identified by Music & Media as being the "most added" to radio playlists across Europe.[4] In the UK, BBC Radio 2 added the song to their B-List.[5] The song reached No. 5 on the Music & Media "Major Market Airplay" chart for Poland in October 1998.[6]
Speaking of the song's message in 1998, Vega described it as "fairly obvious" and "about not judging people by their appearance".[7] The song's music video was directed by Geoff Moore and produced by Frank Linkoff for Black Dog Films.[8]
Paul Sexton of Music & Media described "Book & a Cover" as "accessible".[2] In a review of Tried & True: The Best of Suzanne Vega, Ted Mills of AllMusic praised the song as a "quality entry in Vega's songbook".[9] Mike Devlin of the Times Colonist noted, "By including 15 of her best songs along with two new tracks, 'Book & a Cover' and 'Rosemary', this fine songstress shines strictly for the masses this time out."[10] Diego Perugini of the Italian newspaper l'Unità described "Book & a Cover" and "Rosemary" as "two fresh, essential, melodic pieces".[11]
Book & a Cover
Production
