Songfacts®:

• Objectivist claims to the contrary, this song has no connection with the Mr. A comic book character by Marvel Comics artist Steve Ditko (based on the philosophical assertion that A == A), nor any particular theory of Ayn Rand's. Instead, Hoosiers frontman Irwin Sparkes wrote this song in memory of his secondary school English teacher, Jonathan Anderton.
  The meaning of "Goodbye Mr. A" is further confused by the fact that the video for it is done with a superhero theme, which you can see to the right. But you'll notice that the tied-up Mr. A's costume bears no resemblance to the Steve Ditko character (who is actually an ordinary fellow in Galt-gear suit, fedora, and gloves). The Hoosiers themselves camp it up in clever superhero tights with a big "H" theme. Also keep your eyes peeled for the opening animation, which is a shout-out to the original Batman TV series, and for a sign next to the phone which makes a bad-pun shout-out to... Ghostbusters Many other tropes from superhero fiction also appear.
• The band's vocalist Irwin Sparkes in I Like Music said this song is about the man who knew everything, "but he goes mad with his own power. Because he corrects everyone, but nobody wants to know their faults, because then the world becomes a very complicated place and less happy. So it's that thing of how everyone knows someone who knows too much."
• The Trick to Life album was released in four different varieties, the difference being the primary color of the cover.