The Roaring Silence


The Roaring Silence is the seventh studio album by English rock band Manfred Mann's Earth Band. It was released on 27 August 1976, by Bronze Records in the UK and by Warner Bros. Records in the US. Like other Earth Band albums, this includes material by other composers. "Blinded by the Light", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, is a cover version of a song by Bruce Springsteen; "Questions" is based on the main theme of Franz Schubert's Impromptu in G flat Major ; "Starbird" takes its theme from Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird ; and "The Road to Babylon" is based on the canon "By the Waters of Babylon" by Philip Hayes. This album marked the arrival of vocalist/guitarist Chris Hamlet Thompson, and Dave Flett who replaced longtime guitarist/vocalist/composer Mick Rogers. It is also the last album recorded with founding member Colin Pattenden.
The main riff of "Waiter, There's a Yawn in My Ear" is taken from the Manfred Mann Chapter Three track "Fish" which was recorded for their abandoned third album. It was ultimately released in 2005 on the Odds & Sods – Mis-takes & Out-takes box set.

Track listing

There were two pressings of this album available in the U.S. The original, shown here, and a second version with a blue cover which included "Spirit In The Night" another Springsteen song. The first CD-release of this album did not contain bonus tracks, and tracks No. 3 and No. 7 had changed places

Personnel

The Earth Band

Chart Peak
position
Canadian Top Albums6
New Zealand Top 40 Albums34
US Billboard 20010