Blinded by the Lyrics: Behind the Lines of Rock & Roll's Most Baffling Songs

I recently heard Brent Mann interviewed on the radio here in Chicago and he was really informative, insightful and funny, as is his book. Several highlights for me from this book: 1. The section on Peter Gabriel's classic "Solsbury Hill" -- terrific analysis. 2. "Any Major Dude" by Steely Dan -- cool little essay containing inside information I never knew about one of my favorite tunes. I read Brent Mann's other book "99 Red Balloons" all about one-hit wonders, and it was really good, but I think "Blinded by the Lyrics" is even better. As for the reviewer who complained about Mann confusing the Sex Pistols with the Clash, in the context of a book that contains literally thousands of facts, that is so minor and inconsequential as to not even be worth mentioning.

What makes this book exceptional is that Brent Mann includes dozens of cool songs and artists that almost never get written about -- for example: "Saved by Zero" by The Fixx, "Valotte" by Julian Lennon, "Chuck E.'s in Love" by Rickie Lee Jones, and "Mexican Radio" by Wall of Voodoo. Sure, the Beatles, Dylan and Stones are here, but so too are Steely Dan, Mr. Mister, Barenaked Ladies, Cheap Trick, and Midnight Oil.

It's seldom that I've read a book that left me both entertained and informed -- "Blinded by the Lyrics" is such a book. Brent Mann gives you the inside story behind hundreds of mysterious, fascinating rock & roll lyrics. What did the Grateful Dead mean by "Dallas got a soft machine" in Truckin'? What exactly is the enigmatic "pomatus of love" in "The Joker" by Steve Miller? "Blinded by the Lyrics" answers these sorts of questions with wit, style and exhaustive research.

This is the fun summer book I'm sharing with all my friends. A terrific read!! Mann unraveled the mysteries of some of my favorite tunes. If you ever said "hey, love that tune but what the heck is he/she talking about in that line?" pick up the book - It's a blast to read about some of the songs we all grew up with. Plus you gotta love the insights into Steely Dan's lyrics--possibly the most perplexing of all time! I was a fan of Brent Mann's from his first book, 99 Red Balloons (about one-hit wonders, only way more interesting than that insipid VH1 show). I liked this 2nd book even better, with more of Mann's trademark wit. A definite recommend!

This book is one of the funniest and best books I've read on the subject of songs. So many times I've wondered what a song's lyrics meant, or if I heard them wrong. Mr Mann explains everything, and in a very fun and engaging way. I read his other book, "99 Red Balloons" which was just as good in the way it detailed the top One Hit Wonders of all time. I can't wait for Brent Mann's next book!