The Earth Band combines the stylistic approach of progressive rock with Mann's jazz-influenced Moog synthesizer playing and keen ear for melody. Besides producing their material, a staple of the band's music and live performances from the beginning has also been relying on covers of songs by other modern pop/rock artists, notably Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, in their progressive rock style.
Mann's interest in English 20th-century classical music saw him adapt Gustav Holst's Planets Suite and turn a version of the "Jupiter" movement into a UK hit entitled "Joybringer" (perhaps surprisingly excluded from the 1973 album Solar Fire).[1] Other classical music adaptations include "Questions" from the 1976 album The Roaring Silence (which is based on the main theme of Franz Schubert's Impromptu in G flat Major), "Solar Fire is in Earth, the Circle, Pt. 1" (which uses the melody from Claude Debussy's "Jimbo's Lullaby") and "Starbird" also from 1976's The Roaring Silence (which is based upon Igor Stravinski's ballet The Firebird).
miss you
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You might ask yourself if you really care
But you want to know everybody here
And I'm only twenty feet away and I miss you
Yes I do
How did I get this close again
I've got friends who'll say that they've never seen
The way I've been these troubled days
Yes I do
Yes I miss you now
More than ever
Body and soul
How we stick together
When you're not around
I'm going out of my mind
Seems to happen all the time
And I miss you now
More than ever
Body and soul
How we stick together
When you're not around
I'm going out of my mind
Seems to happen all the time
I miss you
Why's my face familiar
You might ask yourself if you really care
But you want to know everybody here
And I'm only twenty feet away and I miss you
Yes I do
The lyrics to Manfred Mann's Earth Band's song "Miss You" express the deep longing and loneliness that comes with missing someone. The opening lines, "Why's my face familiar / You might ask yourself if you really care / But you want to know everybody here," suggest a sense of disconnect that comes with being in a crowded place but still feeling alone because the person you miss is not there. The singer is only twenty feet away from the person he misses, and yet it feels like they are worlds apart.
The chorus of "Miss You" repeats the phrase "I miss you" over and over, emphasizing the intensity of the singer's feelings. He misses the person with his whole body and soul, and even though they stick together when they're together, being apart makes him feel like he's going out of his mind. The line "Seems to happen all the time" suggests that this is not a new feeling for the singer - he has been missing this person for a long time and will continue to miss them in the future.
Overall, "Miss You" is a poignant expression of the universal human experience of missing someone deeply. The repetition of the phrase "I miss you" is simple but effective, conveying the depth and persistence of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Why's my face familiar
You may recognize me, but you might not actually care about who I am.
You might ask yourself if you really care
You may question whether or not you truly have any interest in me.
But you want to know everybody here
You have a desire to know everyone present in this group or setting.
And I'm only twenty feet away and I miss you
Despite being within close proximity, I feel a sense of longing for your company.
Yes I do
Emphasizing that the feeling of missing you is indeed present.
How did I get this close again
I wonder how I ended up in close proximity to you once more.
I've got friends who'll say that they've never seen
My acquaintances may confirm that I have not been myself lately.
The way I've been these troubled days
I have been struggling and gone through turmoil lately.
And now I'm only just three words away and I miss you
Despite only being three words away from you, the feeling of longing for your presence is still there.
Yes I do
Reiterating the persistent emotion of missing you.
Yes I miss you now
Making it clear that the feeling of missing you is currently present.
More than ever
Stressing that the feeling of missing you has heightened significantly.
Body and soul
The state of missing you encompasses my entire being.
How we stick together
Reflecting on the strong bond that we share as friends or companions.
When you're not around
Expressing that the feeling of missing you only comes about when you're not present.
I'm going out of my mind
The emotion of missing you is driving me crazy and affecting my sanity.
Seems to happen all the time
This feeling of missing you has been occurring frequently lately.
And I miss you now
Underscoring the persistent emotion of missing you at this moment.
Miss you
Summarizing the overall theme and emotion of the song.
Contributed by Dylan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.