First listen to Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Blinded By the Light (REACTION) 

For me, this is the the only version I’ll ever need

It's like a whole different song with their treatment - isn't it?

This was a big rock radio hit, and was nearly inescapable...

We all thought it was "douche", and most of us didn't have the lyrics written(before the internet), so we didn't understand most of the words, but we still loved the song.

This version takes me back to when I was eleven, lying in the back of my family's station wagon on road trips, listening to the radio on my transistor headphones, watching the street lights pass overhead

Bruce Springsteen is amazing but, most people wouldn't know the song if not for this unbelievable cover. That's so much better IMO, but if he didn't do it first Manfred would not have gave us this masterpiece. So thank you Bruce Springsteen. 😎✌

we all sang douche...that is so sad that man lost his dad, I can relate to the music bringing back a loved one we have lost, it actually brings back great feelings and comfort.

I'm a huge Springsteen fan, but I prefer this version of the song.

And this is what amazes me about the artistry of the arranger/producer: they can hear Springsteen's original and hear this.

i love their version of Dylan's Quinn the Eskimo.

My favorite memory of this song is driving to Las Vegas and hearing " but mama that's where the fun is"

"We're not trying to figure out which one is better", but we know.

I have been singing “douche” all these years and I’m 58. Thanks to Daniel, an old dog can be taught new tricks!

Springsteen wrote a great song, but Manfred Mann found a very interesting new way to present it.

I saw Manfred Mann play this live on American Bandstand on TV in the mid 70's when I was about 7 years old. It blew my mind... the sound of the keyboard, the melody, the guitar... I went and laid in bed for about an hour after that staring at the ceiling trying to comprehend what I had just heard. I kept thinking to my self, "this changes everything... this is the future of music..." Then in 2005 in Costa Mesa California I was at a bar where I was a regular and to my surprise, Manfred Mann was playing a show there one night when I was there. I was pretty drunk and I was trying to explain to the singer how hearing them on American Bandstand as a kid had completely changed my life. He just looked ay me like I was crazy and he turned around and walked away 🤣🤣🤣🤣🙈🙈🙈

This has ALWAYS been my favourite version... In fact, I didn't even know that it is a Bruce Springsteen song until YOU said it... I'm not fond of Springsteen's version, to be quite honest. THIS is the version I know and the one with which I grew and what I've always known. Thanks, Daniel... Again... LOTS of memories from this! You're amazing, my friend!

THE VERY BEST RENDITION OF THIS SONG!!! Back in that day, this is the ONLY VERSION WE LISTENED TO. As a matter of fact we didn’t even know for a long time that Springsteen had recorded it! This is JUST SMPLY THE ONLY ONE TO LISTEN TO. I was a teenager when this was recorded, so go ahead, call me an expert!

Most people don't even know this was a cover. I even think Springsteen thought it was better.

Holy cow! And I thought this was the original and had no idea Bruce Springsteen wrote it. Man, I must be living under a rock 🤣🤣 And good luck deciphering those lyrics. Been trying to do it for over 30 years. Just have to appreciate the song for what it is. I love it

This song reminds me of camping as a teenager. Our local rock radio station would be played all night as we hung out around the fire and while we slept. In the starlit nights this song and others would drift through our dream states. Classic!!! Both versions. But this one...

:) Daniel, You get so many comments now ... not sure if you'll see this, but I just want to say ... you are such an admirable young man. This isn't the first video that you've mentioned sending your viewers to give 'well wishes' to another's comment. ♡ Your compassion and empathy are so strong and it seems such a rare commodity these days. Your family, friends, and legion are so much richer because you are who you are. ♡ Just wanted to thank you. :) (Great reaction, by the way!)

I love Manfred Mann - their beginning in the sixties with Pretty Flamingo, Doo-Wah-Diddy etc, early seventies "Haha Said the Clown",then their comeback in the late seventies with Davy's On The Road Again, this song, and their great cover of Dylan's Father of Day, Father of Night, now that's one I'm quite sure you could appreciate too!

I think I like this version better than the original.......... I don't know anyone who doesn't. We Are Legion ✌️♥️

Memories of our “local” where we played pool and darts to the background of this, and other mega sounds from the winter of 1976/7. I never payed any attention to the lyrics, but find this song so incredible with its unique structuring, and hearing it now also rekindles memories of listening to the likes of Pink Floyd and The Ian Gillan Band at that time.

My first time here, but I already love your channel!!! This song was magical when heard on the radio in my youth. You seem to be a very respectful young man and older people can really appreciate that !

I saw them open for Boston and when they did this song they had a bank of lights that was so bright that when I was exiting the building I had a tan and a seeing eye dog!!!!!

There's actually a really good live version that they did for the Midnight Special.

Manfred Mann is singing the final verse. The rest of the song was sung by Chris Hamlet Thompson. He was also singing the chorus while Manfred Mann was singing.

One of the best - driving in a car with this playing - nothing better

I have always enjoyed the "Chopsticks" in the break in this song. Anyone else? That's the part I could play. 😁

Amazingly different from Springsteen's. I absolutely prefer this version.

It's not just you. Everybody likes this version better.

For the first time I actually know what he's saying. Love this version.

LIVE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL!!! In the 70s,this song had sounds I'd never heard!!! A GREAT SONG! I believe #1 for SEVERAL weeks!

Summer of 1976! Played on the radio a lot!❤️

Bruce got owned by Manfred Mann. They flat out brought the heat in this version. I don't think Ive ever heard Bruce's played on the radio, yet this version I must have heard a few hundred times. Great song. There was a reason it topped the charts and became a number 1 song.

Did not know Springsteen wrote/did this song. This is the version I grew up with.

Hey Daniel, Lovin it, love this song the music/sounds is amazing. Thanx for another great one. Blessings of love

All we ever heard was the single radio version, until decades later. There were some parts of this that I have never heard.

Just a magnifent piece of music. Memories of hearing it when it came out came flooding back. It was a huge hit and just a different, but exciting, fun and interesting sound. A great song indeed. Super reaction and I'm glad you like it too 🙂

Daniel, we appreciate you so much, especially that you do album reactions and cover comparisons! Get ready for the great cover comparison reaction of 2021!! In the UK corner, weighing in at about 50 stone, four lads not from Liverpool, but who got together in the 1960's and were told by Keith Moon they would go over like a Led Zeppelin! In the US corner, two sweet sister from Seattle (you do not ask about any ladies weight), who got together in the 1970's and who love Led Zeppelin, I give you Heart! Zep once did a very different, very cool song, featuring some great guitar work, soaring vocals and LOTR references called "Battle of Evermore". Ann and Nancy Wilson loved the track and laid down an awesome version themselves, showcasing sides of both sisters seldom seen in all their other songs! The winner? That will be all of us after getting to listen to and watch your reactions, Daniel, as well as the viewers who will be exposed to this awesome tune for the first time!!!!

I have a feeling Daniel told his dad he loved him after finishing the video.

Once again thank you for an amazing reaction. I enjoy watching you get lost in the music 🙂😊

The single version was an edit. They cut that whole amazing centre section. Still great though. Next how about the long versions of Mighty Quinn or Davy's On The Road Again from their album Watch.

I love it when they start randomly playing chopsticks in the middle of the song - not to mention the actual calliope music. These guys deserved more hits!

Haven't listened to your reaction and I'm already giddy. This was one of our anthem songs!. Springsteen could write a lyric that evoked carnivals and kaleidoscopic adventure. He said he wished he would have continued to write songs this way as he evolved.

Gotta be my favorite song from my childhood. Loved EVERY BIT of this production.

Is 1of my top 10 of all time or at least in my 55yrs.👍👍

Yeah this is the best version. Use to jam to pinball with this blaring on the stereo.

Saw Manfred Mann in the mid 70's in Buffalo, NY. Rick Derringer opened for them. You need to react to Rick's "Rock n Roll Hoochie Coo." A memorable show. You need to hear Mighty Quinn and the long version of Dylan's "Father of Day, Father of Night". They did a few Dylan covers. They apparently still tour across the pond and are quite popular.

This gem picked at number 1 on the Billboard charts on February 19, 1977, another great piece of music from the fabulous 70's. Manfred Mann had another number 1 hit on October 17, 1964 with the song DO WAH DIDDY DIDDY. Manfred Mann told Rolling Stone magazine he was a better interpreter of other people's songs than a writer of his own. We must also give credit to "THE BOSS" Bruce Springsteen's original version of this song.

I didn't know it was a cover. When this first came out I loved it. It is still one of my favorites.

Manfred Mann is 80 now! Great reaction video. And yes, back in the day we thought is was “wrapped up like a douche...”

Everyone I knew thought it said "Wrapped up like a douche", lol.

She going to make it though the Night. Another song that brings me back to great memories from my long past life ! Great pick Daniel !!

Much love to the kid who lost his dad.

This is the Only version that really matters... Manfred Mann and the Earth Band ©1976

When my husband and I got together we had to agree to disagree on the "best" version of this song. (He is wrong, of course, but I let it slide. 🤣) I love this version, and we have been married for over 28 years. 😊

I met the Manfreds the original 60s line-up of Manfred Mann, still have their autographs!!!

I love Manfred Mann's, I love the 70's Rock Old School men 🙏

Manfred Mann's Earth Band, a lot of their albums are a great album, i started to listen at it since i have 13yo and still love it in these days like before, a lot of peoples don't really hear about them. Im a Dj & Soundman Im born on 63 and i think it's the group that i listened more in my all life. Am i crazy lol

I was 20 years old when this cover by Manford Mann was released and I NEVER could figure out what the lyrics meant or if there was a message in there. I never got that message nor could I memorize the lyrics or even the chorus part. At Americansongwriter website, it is explained to me there. This is what they said: BY KATHLEEN NOLAN 8 MONTHS AGO It is rare for a cover of a song to overtake the original, but Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s cover of “Blinded by the Light” is an exception. The song was originally written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen for his 1973 album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Three years later, British rock band Manfred Mann’s Earth Band released their cover as the opening track of their 1976 album, The Roaring Silence. “Blinded by the Light” was an enormous hit for the band, leading to their breakthrough in the U.S. One-upping a master songwriter like Springsteen is an incredible musical achievement, and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band managed to pull it off. In fact, their cover became Springsteen’s first and only songwriting credit to hit No. 1. Lyrical Meaning “Blinded by the Light” is a high-energy track that matches the thrill of adolescence. The song is packed with the invincibility of youth, and the hopeful perspective that anything is possible. The lyrics are reminiscent of Springsteen’s early days as a musician with a handful of eccentric characters that he met at venues. Some silicone sister with a 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” However, on the rollercoaster of being a young musician, the “downs” are just as prevalent as the “ups.” The lyrics also hint at the downsides of always being on the move and struggling to make it to the top. 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! New Lyrics When putting their own spin on “Blinded by the Light,” Manfred Mann’s Earth Band changed a few of Springsteen’s original lyrics. The most recognizable part of the song, Blinded by the light / Revved up like a Deuce / Another runner in the night, was initially, Cut loose like a Deuce / Another runner in the night. Even though this chorus is the most iconic part of the song, it is also notoriously misheard by fans. In the cover, Revved up like a Deuce sounds an awful lot like Wrapped up like a douche. In 2005, Springsteen himself commented on this amusing mistake. “Deuce was like a Little Deuce Coupe, as in a 2-seater Hot Rod. Douche is a feminine hygienic procedure. But what can I say, the public spoke,” he joked. Musical Composition Manfred Mann’s version of the song is seven minutes long, compared to Springsteen’s five-minute original version. The band added several unique instrumentals with standout guitar solos, piano riffs, and most notably, “Chopsticks.” If you’ve ever taken piano lessons, “Chopsticks” is probably a familiar tune. It can be played with only two fingers, and the harmony makes the simple song a fun one to learn. When the band was recording “Blinded by the Light,” they knew that they had to pull out all the stops to make it a hit. As they played in the studio, they got stuck trying to transition between the chorus and the verses. Mann, the band’s frontman, recalled their decision to include “Chopsticks” in the final track. “When we finally finished the album track I thought it had a great vibe, but the next question was how to get that into a single. The real problem was how to get from the chorus to the verse smoothly. I just couldn’t figure out a way to do it,” he said. “And then - and this is why you need to be in a band - our drummer Chris Slade said, ‘Play Chopsticks over it.’” Mann was skeptical of the idea and turned it down multiple times. But when Slade kept insisting, they tried it out. It worked surprisingly well. “I suddenly realized that he wasn’t hearing Chopsticks itself, just the chords, which fitted perfectly,” he admitted. What Makes a Great Cover? Manfred Mann’s cover of “Blinded by the Light” is just as well-known as the original song, if not more. While the band used their own sound and style to make it their own, they still kept Springsteen’s vision at the core. Both songs have the same lyrics, melody, and rock and roll sound. Regardless, Springsteen and Manfred Mann each have distinct vocals and massively talented bands, making both versions of the song totally unique. “Blinded by the Light” is evidence that the perfect cover is an even blend of creativity and respect to the primary text.

Amazing how you reacted just like I did in 1978 when I first heard this song on my way to football practice.

Another good song that got overplayed on the radio. After a while I used to change the station when it came on because I didn't want to get burnt out on it.

The 100% best ever Ear-gasm of all time

You should listen to Springsteen's "Jungleland" and "Thunder Road"

Manfred Mann, great interpreters of Dylan songs, as well as Bruce!

Manfred Mann's Earth Band covered three songs from Springsteen's "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." album. The others are "Spirit in the Night" and "For You"

Until I found out otherwise, I always thought they were saying "wrapped up like a douche". 🤣

They also covered FOR YOU and Spirits in the Night Also Springsteen songs.

Springsteen has been such a prolific writer and has written so many hits covered by other artists - from Patty Smith’s version of "Because the Night" to The Pointer Sisters with ‘Fire" to the Cowboy Junkies version of "State Trooper". But Manfred Mann owned this one! I’d recommend some of Springsteen’s rock anthems for you - Thunder Road, Jungleland, Badlands, or Born to Run.

Ja, I've been told this longer version was most often never played on the radio at the beginning, but everyone knew it und played it on album or 8-track. I don't think most people truly understood the lyrics, but it didn't matter. We played this song when cruising on Saturday night even during my generation. Auf Wiedersehen aus Wiesbaden :-)

One of the two rock covers that immediately spring to my mind as improving upon the original. The other is Joe Cocker's, 'With A Little Help From My Friends' and you really need to hear it. It's phenomenal.

I loved this song as a kid, I didn’t know it was a cover 🤯 I’ll have to check the other version out 👍

I remember my first time hearing this song. I reacted alot as you did. I love getting to relive these moments. I've loved these songs throughout the years listening to them too many times to count, but these are special moments in that I'm able mentally, and emotionally to go back.

Awesome! Great music, Daniel.

I love this, Springsteen's version is raw and awesome and he must have the credit for writing the great lyrics and his band does a great job, but there here comes Manfred Mann's Earth Band that takes it and puts THEIR stamp signature sound on it and it's the same song but very different sound. A lot like when Hendrix took All Along the Watcher and re-imagined Dylan's version.

Much more enjoyable for me as well, it's a very "comforting" sounds, IMO. Warm, soothing. As a kid I loved it a lot. Still do. Manfred Mann has a lot of good songs and renditions.

The weird noise is an engineering trick called Phase Shifting. They used it well - it gives the piece an ethereal feel. Chris Thompson's vocal - I'd eat dead burnt babies on national TV to have that voice.

This song always struck me as a great example of how to do a cover right. Not just copying the original performance, but taking the song and turning it into something musically new, without losing the spirit of the original.

When Bruce was recording his first album in 1972-73, there was a lot of horn based music that was all over the airwaves, Tower of Power, Rare Earth, Chicago, J. Geils Band.......etc etc etc and his sound makes a lot more sense in that context. By 1976, Prog Rock was very big and many bands were making interesting covers of earlier 'rock and roll' songs.

I remember when it first came out on the radio back in the 70s.

Another favourite of mine from this group is 'You Angel You' from their '79 album 'Angel Station.'

A Belated Happy New Year Daniel :) I see you are upping your game now for 2021 with MMEB! Morphing from Manfred Mann who had a multitude of hit UK Singles The Earh Band did some great songs including this, of course. An absolute must is the Live version of "Davy's On The Road Again" and then " Joybringer" based Jupiter from Gustav Holst's orchestral suite The Planets......ENJOY !!!!!

I could tell by the smile on his face.............

Yet another brilliant British rock band

Apparently it's in D-minor. That built-in melancholy hits me right in the Schwinn bike, transistor-radio feels.

Actually this 7;07 version was found on MMEB's 1976 album release, "The Roaring Silence" that did make it into the Top 10 of Billboard Magazine's TOP 200 album chart in February - March 1977. There was a single edit version @ 3:48 or 3:49 depending on which radio station @ the time played the single that was what made it to #1 on Billboard's HOT 100 chart (that single edit also was a big hit worldwide, especially in Canada, and New Zealand in early 1977 (it was #1 on the HOT 100 for one week in February 1977).

Just got the beginning of this one so glad to hear this and your analysis such a fine young man you R love you

Thanks for doing the long version.

From what I understand the reasons for the references to "revved up like a deuce " is reference to a type of carburetors on cars. Meaning having 2 two barrel carburetors mounted on the intake instead 1 four barrel.

A brilliant track I've loved for decades. - A former member of the group & singing here. [ as their line up changed alot ] - called Chris Thompson also appears on vocals on the Original - "Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds" singing the track "Thunderchild". An Amazing album incidentally that once started can't really be stopped. I've loved Manfred Mann during the 60's with songs like "Ha Ha Said The Clown" & my favourite "Up The Junction", from the 60'''s movie soundtrack starring Dennis Waterman. I have the album which has several versions of the same song. They had a lot of hit records inc' "The Mighty Quinn" which was one of the few songs to be included in their live shows when they became Manfred Mann's Earth Band. You got some great albums to catch up on. Some totally weird stuff indeed but soooo good. The Album "The Good Earth" with tracks - " Earth Hymn" - "Sky High" & "Earth Hymn 2" I always play in that order, are mind blowing when put together...."Angel Station" with the brilliant tracks "Angel At My Gate" & "Don't Kill It Carol" - So many great albums I could go on. I just mentioned a few of my personal favourites. Enjoy your journey of discovery of the group. It's well worth the trip - [ in more ways than one ] Lol Great response thankyou.

Now that is what I'm talking about !! Great Song !!

Awesome song, thanks for reacting to it!

From the same album..."Singing the Dolphin through". Has the best sax solo EVER.

And I always thought that this was the original! Great song!

I think what Song Facts meant was that *covers* of Bruce Springsteen songs rarely made it high on the charts, with this song being the exception. Bruce had a number of top hits. _Born to Run_ on its own was completely inescapable, probably on 2-hour rotation on most rock stations for six months. It also made the cover of _Time_ magazine.

I’ve just noticed your reaction yesterday 😬I’ll check it out 👍

The 70s music scene was full of experimentation of ALL kinds. I have a relative who played a strong role in the Hit RECORDING Capital of the World in Muscle Shoals, Ala in the 70s and into the 80s.

Grew up to these geniuses ✌️😂🥁🕶🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿