‘Blinded by the Light’ is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, which first appeared on his 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. A cover by British rock band Manfred Mann's Earth Band reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in February 1977 and was also a top ten hit in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada. ‘Blinded by the Light’ was the first single from Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
According to Springsteen, he wrote the song by going through a rhyming dictionary in search of appropriate words. The first line of the song, "Madman drummers, bummers, and Indians in the summers with a teenage diplomat" is autobiographical. "Madman drummers" is a reference to drummer Vini Lopez, known as "Mad Man" (later changed to "Mad Dog"), "Indians in the summer" refers to the name of Springsteen's old Little League team, "teenage diplomat" refers to himself. "As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat" recalls his aunt Dora Kirby claiming " Bruce never took his baseball hat off." A "merry-go-round" is baseball slang for when a pitcher keeps walking batters. The remainder of the song tells of many unrelated events, with the refrain of "Blinded by the light, cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night".
Manfred Mann's Earth Band released a version of the song on their 1976 album The Roaring Silence. Their version includes the "Chopsticks" melody played on piano near the end of the bridge of the song. The track reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian RPM charts. Manfred Mann's Earth Band's recording of "Blinded by the Light" is Springsteen's only No. 1 single as a songwriter on the Hot 100. Manfred Mann's Earth Band's recording of the song changes the lyrics. The most prominent change is in the chorus, where Springsteen's "cut loose like a deuce" is replaced with either "revved up like a deuce" or "wrapped up like a deuce". The lyric is a reference to the 1932 V8-powered Ford automobile, which enthusiasts dubbed the "deuce coupe" (the "deuce" coming from the 2 in 1932, the first year the V8 was available). Springsteen was fond of classic hot rods in his youth, hence the line "cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night". As the line is frequently misheard as "wrapped up like a douche", Springsteen has joked about confusion over the lyrics, claiming that it was not until Manfred Mann rewrote the song to be about a feminine hygiene product that it became popular.
Manfred Mann's cover is the only Bruce Springsteen song to top the Hot 100. Near misses for Bruce have been ‘Dancing in The Dark’ (#2 in 1984) and The Pointer Sisters version of ‘Fire’ (#2 in 1979).
Labels – Bronze (UK), Warner Bros. (USA)
Songwriter – Bruce Springsteen
Producers – Manfred Mann and Earth Band
SONG LYRICS
[Intro]Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
[Verse 1]
Madman, drummers, bummers
Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps
As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older
I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin'
The calliope crashed to the ground
[Pre-Chorus]
The calliope crashed to the ground!
[Chorus]
But, she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
[Verse 2]
Some silicone sister with a manager mister
Told me I got what it takes
She said, "I'll turn you on, son, into something strong
Play the song with the funky break"
And go-kart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride
[Pre-Chorus]
Asked me if I needed a ride!
[Chorus]
But, she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
[Breakdown]
She got down but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
She's gonna make it through the night
[Instrumental Break 02:54-04:09]
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge]
But mama, that's where the fun is
But mama, that's where the fun is
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is
[Piano Solo]
[Verse 3]
Some brimstone, baritone, anticyclone, rolling stone
Preacher from the east
Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in it's funny bone
That's where they expect it least"
And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner
Watchin' the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone
Was messin' with his frozen zone reminding him of romance
[Pre-Chorus]
The calliope crashed to the ground!
[Chorus]
But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
[Counter Chorus]
(Madman drummers, bummers)
Blinded by the light
(Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(In the dumps with the mumps)
Blinded by the light
(As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(With a boulder on my shoulder, feeling kinda older)
Blinded by the light
(I tripped the merry-go-round)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin')
Blinded by the light
(The calliope crashed to the ground)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(Now, Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(And throws his lover in the sand)
Blinded by the light
(Some bloodshot forget-me-not said daddy's within earshot)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(Save the buckshot, turn up the band)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(Some silicone sister with a manager mister)
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(Told me I got what it takes)
(She said, "I'll turn you on, son, into something strong")
[Outro]
She got down, but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night