When a Teen Idol Dared to Turn the Page to New Wave
The song “The Book I Read” is a reflective and articulate cover that marked a surprising, yet critically praised, pivot for teen idol Shaun Cassidy, signifying his earnest attempt to shed the bubblegum pop image that defined his initial superstardom and embrace the burgeoning New Wave movement. Released in 1980 on his fifth studio album, Wasp, “The Book I Read” was not issued as a single in the United States and, therefore, did not receive a peak chart position, effectively marking the end of his run of major chart success which had included the massive hits “Da Doo Ron Ron” (US Pop #1) and “That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” (US Pop #3) just a few short years prior. However, its importance lies not in sales figures, but as a bold artistic statement—a deeply personal project that saw Cassidy reach out to and collaborate with rock visionary Todd Rundgren and his band, Utopia, to serve as his backing band and producer. This move placed the erstwhile pop idol in the unexpected company of a musician celebrated for his experimental and progressive approach, demonstrating Cassidy’s commitment to musical credibility over commercial appeal.
A Chapter of Change: The Story and Meaning
The original song was penned by David Byrne and appeared on the seminal 1977 debut album Talking Heads: ’77 by the art-rock band Talking Heads. For a performer who was, at the height of his fame, plastered on bedroom walls across the world and starring in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, taking on material from a band known for their intellectual, somewhat detached post-punk sensibility was nothing short of revolutionary.
The cover version of “The Book I Read” finds Shaun Cassidy lending his clear, expressive voice to Byrne’s unique, oblique lyrics. The song’s meaning, even in the Talking Heads original, is famously cryptic, yet beautifully evocative. It’s often interpreted as an exploration of the power of art (the ‘book’) to act as a catalyst for a deep, sudden emotional breakthrough—a revelation that allows the narrator to process and confess feelings of burgeoning love or physical attraction. The line, “The book I read was in your eyes,” beautifully distills this meaning, transforming the intellectual act of reading into an intimate act of emotional decoding—it’s a sudden comprehension of love derived not from literature, but from the unwritten story revealed in the gaze of another.
Cassidy’s rendition, produced with a distinct new wave polish by Rundgren and Utopia, transforms the jittery, nervous energy of the Talking Heads original into a slightly more polished, albeit still angular, pop-rock track. For those of us who grew up spinning Shaun Cassidy’s earlier albums, this track came as a revelation—a moment of unexpected maturity and depth. It wasn’t the sound of a teen idol coasting; it was the sound of an artist demanding to be taken seriously on his own terms.
The entire Wasp album, including this track, was a declaration of independence, featuring covers from other rock luminaries like David Bowie (“Rebel, Rebel”) and The Who (“So Sad About Us”). “The Book I Read” stands out as the most intriguing choice, a quiet but powerful statement that Shaun Cassidy was ready to close the chapter on his pop past and open a new one rooted in smart, compelling rock music. It’s a song that, decades later, still feels remarkably prescient, anticipating the new directions that many pop stars would eventually take to retain relevance. It’s the sound of the late 70s giving way to the 80s—an enduring, nostalgic reminder that even the biggest teen idols had a depth the public often missed.