In this innovative book, Mike Chasar forwards a theory for how we read, hear, and understand pop music lyrics on their own, in relation to each other, and in relation to the poetic tradition that they inherit, revitalize, and push into new expressive quarters.

When Guns N’ Roses lead singer Axl Rose belts out the series of “ohs” in the chorus from one of the band’s most famous songs—“Whoa, oh, oh, oh, sweet child o’ mine”—exactly what sort of poetic work is going on? When Freddie Mercury sings “Mama, oooh, didn’t mean to make you cry” on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” what does that “oooh” accomplish? We all know the pleasure of unpacking the content of the songs we love, and Guns N’ Roses, Rock & Roll, and the Sounds of the Lyric Tradition deepens that pleasure by exploring some of pop music’s most common yet possibly most obscure verbal pyrotechnics—sounds like “Oh” and “Oooh” that have no dictionary meaning but that nevertheless activate a broader set of poetic strategies and concerns that end up linking modern song lyrics to the lyric expressions of Shakespeare, Shelley, and Keats.

Chasar traces the thread connecting centuries of poetic tradition, contextualizing Guns N’ Roses alongside songs by Bowie, Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, and more. This illuminating and engaging book is an essential read for scholars and students of poetry, popular music, and popular culture, as well as for fans seeking deeper insight into their favorite songs.