Blinded by the Light
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| "Blinded by the Light" | |||||
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| Single by Bruce Springsteen | |||||
| from the album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. | |||||
| Released | January 1973 | ||||
| Recorded | August-September, 1972 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York |
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| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 5:06 | ||||
| Label | Columbia Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Bruce Springsteen | ||||
| Producer | Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos | ||||
| Bruce Springsteen singles chronology | |||||
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| Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. track listing | |||||
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| "Blinded by the Light" | |||||
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| Single by Manfred Mann's Earth Band | |||||
| from the album The Roaring Silence | |||||
| B-side | Starbird No. 2 | ||||
| Released | August 6, 1976 | ||||
| Format | 7" | ||||
| Recorded | 1976, Workhouse Studios, London | ||||
| Genre | Progressive rock | ||||
| Length | 7:08 (album version)
3:48 (single edit) |
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| Label | Bronze Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Bruce Springsteen | ||||
| Producer | Manfred Mann and Earth Band | ||||
| Manfred Mann's Earth Band singles chronology | |||||
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| The Roaring Silence track listing | |||||
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| Problems listening to this file? See media help. | |||||
"Blinded by the Light" is a song written and originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen. It is best known for a #1 hit version recorded by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.
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[edit] History
"Blinded by the Light" was the first song on, and first single from, Bruce Springsteen's 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park N.J.. Springsteen's version was initially unsuccessful, and failed to appear on the music charts.
Manfred Mann's Earth Band released a version of the song on their album The Roaring Silence. The song reached #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 on 19 February 1977 and #1 on the Canadian RPM chart the same day. Manfred Mann's Earth Band recording of "Blinded by the Light" is Springsteen's only Number 1 single as a songwriter on the Hot 100.
The song is notable for lead vocalist Chris Thompson's garbled enunciation, especially of the phrase "revved up like a deuce" which has led many fans to interpret it as "wrapped up like a douche". The original Springsteen lyric is neither of the above, instead being "cut loose like a deuce".[1] Springsteen once attributed the popularity of the Manfred Mann version partially to Thompson's enunciation.[2]
[edit] 2000s covers and reissues
In 2002, Danish act Funkstar Deluxe released its disco version of this song.
Then, in 2007 (April 6), several remixes were released by the German DJ Michael Mind as Michael Mind featuring Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, adding electronic beats to the major hit of 1977[3] and rising to number 12 of the German charts.[citation needed]
A ska version can be found on Springsteen's Live In Dublin album, recorded with the Sessions Band.
[edit] Lyrics
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This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008) |
Springsteen wrote "Blinded by the Light" after most of the other songs on Greetings were finished. It is also one of the few songs for which Springsteen wrote the words before arranging the music. The song itself contains many obscure lyrical references such as:
- "Madman drummers bummers" - Vinnie "Mad Dog" Lopez, the first drummer in the E Street Band.
- "Indians in the summer" - Bruce's little league baseball team as a child.
- "In the dumps with the mumps" - being sick with the mumps.
- "Boulder on my shoulder" - a "chip" on his shoulder.
- "Some all hot, half-shot, heading for a hot spot, snapping fingers clapping his hands" - Being a "know it all kid growing up, who doesn't really know anything."
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/BlindedByTheLight.html
- ^ Springsteen, B.. (1998). Bruce Springsteen - VH-1 Storytellers.
- ^ Michael Mind at discogs.com.
[edit] External links
- "Blinded by the Light" lyrics from Bruce Springsteen's official site
| Preceded by "Torn Between Two Lovers" by Mary MacGregor |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single February 19, 1977 |
Succeeded by "New Kid in Town" by Eagles |
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