Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (1976) Album Version

Blinded By The Light was released on the seventh studio album by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, The Roaring Silence, on 27 August 1976. I’ve had this video sitting around for awhile and hadn’t uploaded it yet because I was contemplating a re-do with a better source video and to refine some of the effects I was playing around with, but I don’t think the motivation is there for another go at it though, so here is what I had. The audio is the best version you’ll hear on Youtube, taken from a 192KHz/24 bit FLAC vinyl rip. I have numerous versions of this song, remasters, I gave them all a listen to version is the very best. This video features the album version which contains the full lyrics. The Midnight Special performance is a very different version, and though it has nearly the exact running time as the studio version, there is a whole verse that’s missing (beginning with “Some brimstone baritone“ through “Reminding him of romance“) which is replaced by a full minute of extended intro. It’s a great version in its own right, but i prefer the studio album version and the missing verse: Like other Earth Band albums, this includes material by other composers. “Blinded by the Light“, which reached number one the Billboard Hot 100 is a cover version of a song by Bruce Springsteen; “Questions“ is based on the main theme of Franz Schubert’s Impromptu in G flat Major (1827); “Starbird“ takes its theme from Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird (1910); and “The Road to Babylon“ is based on the canon “By the Waters of Babylon“ by Philip Hayes. This album marked the arrival of vocalist/guitarist Chris Hamlet Thompson, and Dave Flett who replaced longtime guitarist/vocalist/composer Mick Rogers. It is also the last album recorded with founding member Colin Pattenden. Blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce Another runner in the night Blinded by the light Madman drummer 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 Feeling kinda older I tripped a merry-go-round With this very unpleasing Sneezing and wheezing The calliope crashed to the ground The calliope crashed to the ground 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 Some silicone sister With her manager mister Told me I got what it takes She said, I’ll turn you on sonny to something strong Play the song with the funky break And go-kart Mozart Was checking 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 Asked me if I needed a ride ’Cause she was blinded by the light Revved up like a deuce Another runner in the night Blinded by the light She got down but she never got tight She’s gonna make it to the night She’s gonna make it through the night But mama, that’s where the fun is But mama, that’s where the fun is [Solo] Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun But mama, that’s where the fun is Some brimstone baritone Anticyclone rolling stone Preacher from the east Says, “Dethrone the Dictaphone Hit it in its funny bone That’s where they expect it least.“ And some new mown chaperone Was standing in the corner Watching the young girls dance And some fresh-sown moonstone Was messing with his frozen zone Reminding him of romance The calliope crashed to the ground 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 (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) 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 (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) 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 (And now 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.) 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 (Some silicone sister with her manager mister told me I got what it takes She said I’ll turn you on sonny to something strong) She got down but she never got tired She’s gonna make it through the night