I don't know why, but this pisses me off to no end...
Blinded by the Light
This song was written and first recorded by Bruce Springsteen. Manfred Mann's Earth Band did a very successful cover of it that went to Number 1 in the States, (giving Bruce Springsteen his first ever No 1). The song also appeared on The Roaring Silence (August 1976), and a live version on Live in Budapest (February 1984). The version on Roaring Silence also appears on the collection album, 20 Years of Manfred Mann's Earthband 1971-1991 (released paradoxically in 1990!).
Bruce Springsteen wrote some interesting lyrics in his day. In particular, Blinded by the Light, Spirits in the Night, and For You, all covered by MMEB.
the following lyrics are from the BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN VERSION OF THE SONG:
Madman drummers bummers and 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 unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground
Some all-hot half-shot was headin' for the hot spot snappin' his fingers clappin' his hands
And some fleshpot mascot was tied into a lover's knot with a whatnot in her hand
And now young Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand
And some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers daddy's within earshot save the buckshot turn up the band
And she was blinded by the light. Cut loose like a deuce
Another runner in the night. Blinded by the light
She got down but she never got tight, but she'll make it alright
Some brimstone baritone anticyclone rolling stone preacher from the east
He says: "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone, that's where they expect it least"
And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner all alone watchin' the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone to remind him of the feeling of romance
Yeah he was blinded by the light. Cut loose like a deuce
Another runner in the night. Blinded by the light
He got down but she never got tight, but he's gonna make it tonight
Some silicone sister with her manager's mister told me I got what it takes
She said I'll turn you on sonny to something strong if you play that song with the funky break
And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe to go outside
And little Early-Pearly came in by her curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride
Oh, some hazard from Harvard was skunked on beer playin' backyard bombardier
Yes and Scotland Yard was trying hard, they sent some dude with a calling card, he
said, do what you like, but don't do it here
Well I jumped up, spit in the air, turned around, asked wich was the way back home
He said take a right at the light, keep going straight until night, and then boy you're on your own
And now in Zanzibar a shootin' star was ridin' in a side car hummin' a lunar tune
Yes, and the avatar said blow the bar but first remove the cookie jar,
we're gonna teach those boys to laugh too soon
And some kidnapped handicap was complaining that he caught the clap from some
mousetrap he bought last night
Well I unsnapped his skull cap and between his ears I saw a gap but he'd figured he'd be all right
He was just blinded by the light. Cut loose like a deuce
Another runner in the night. Blinded by the light
Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun
Oh but mama that's where the fun is
Now here are the lyrics FROM THE MANFRED MANN VERSION:
Chorus: 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 (fading)
Madman dummers bummers,
Indians in the summer,
With a teenager diplomat
And the dumps with the mumps
As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
With a boulder my shoulder,
feeling kinda older,
I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasin', sneezin' and wheezin,
the calliope crashed to the ground
(pickup)
the calliope crashed to the ground
(chorus)
Some silicon sister with a manager mister
told me I go what it takes.
I'll run you on sonny to something strong
play the song with the funky break
And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the
weather charts see if it was safe outside
And little ealy birdir came by in a curly-whirly
and asked me if i needed a ride
(pickup)
asked me if i needed a ride
(chorus)
Bridge: She got down but she never got tight
She's gonna make it to the night
She's gonna make it through the night
(break with soul-stirring solo)
Oh momma that's where the fun is
But momma that's where the fun is
Momma always told me not to look
in the eyes on the sun
But momma that's where the fun is
(chop sticks variation)
So brimestone-baritone, anti-cyclone Rolling Stone
Preacher from the East,
says dethrown the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone
thats what they expect atleast
It's a new grown chaperon standing in the corner all alone
watching the young girls dance
and some fresh sown moonstone messing with his chromosome,
only reminding him of romance
(pickup)
and the calliope crashed to the ground
(Chorus)
(Chorus and First Verse)
Now Scott with the sling-shot finially found a tender spot
and throws his lover in the sand
and some blood-shot forget-me-not
said daddy's within earshot, save the buck-shot turn up the band
(repeat Verse 2 "Silicon sister with a manager....")
(bridge)
ok, now in this lyrical analysis of the song, Manfred Mann and his Earth Band BUTCHERED THIS SONG. The fact that this was done just proves that this song was not taken seriously by the Earth Band, and did not keep intact the artistic integrity of the song. I have Bolded, in the Springsteen Version, that Mann just cut completely from the song. I have undelined the lyric he changed for no apparent reason, and have italicized the parts he just repeated and elaborated on for the same unapparent reason.
This is leads me to the Bohemian Rhapsody defense. Bohemian Rhapsody is a song that seemingly makes no sense to anyone. Now how would you feel if Queen was one of your favorite bands, and Bohemian Rhapsody one of your favorite songs. Then some band, looking for a number one hit, lets say, for the sake of argument, Bowling For Soup, takes Bohemian Rhapsody, and covers it. But they change it a bit. First of all, they eliminate the cool piano at the beginning, and add a cheesy guitar riff. And then instead of saying "momma, just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled the trigger now hes dead", they change the lyric to "Daddy, just blew away a guy, put a glock up to his brain, popped a cap into his skull". You, being a huge Queen supporter, would say that this change of lyric was stupid and unneccesary. But then, they cut your favorite part, the "Beeilzibub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me (guitar solo)" Part. Then Bowling for Soup scores a number one hit off this song. Queen supporters across the earth would be in an uproar. Bolwing For Soup would go down in history as WRITING THE SONG (which they didnt, but people think they did up until recently), and they get all the credit for the song. Now Queen would get no credit for what some consider their best song. All because some selfish band wanted a number one hit.
Blinded By The Light is the same thing. Manfred Mann and His Earth Band gets credit for this great song, although Bruce Springsteen wrote it. I'm not saying the song isn't incredibly catchy, but the fact that some people say that The Manfred Mann Version of this song is better is crazy. Bruce Springsteen does the song the way it is intended to be performed, even if it didn't score him a number one hit. And history proves me correct. Bruce Springsteen rose to greatness as one of the most popular and best selling performers of his time. Manfred Mann faded into oblivion as the "guy who covered The Boss's Songs".