Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Born to Run (Lied)

2015-09-02T23:34:32Z

Dylanjo98:

{{Redirect|Born to Run (song)|other songs|Born to Run (disambiguation)#Music{{!}}Born to Run (disambiguation)}}
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{{Infobox single|
| Name = Born to Run
| Cover = borntorunsingle.jpg
| Border = yes
| Artist = [[Bruce Springsteen]]
| from Album = [[Born to Run]]
| Released = August 25, 1975
| Format = [[7"]]
| Recorded = [[914 Sound Studios]] [[Blauvelt, New York]] up to August 6, 1974
| Genre = [[Heartland rock]]
| Length = 4:30
| Writer = [[Bruce Springsteen]]
| Label = [[Columbia Records]]
| Producer = [[Bruce Springsteen]] [[Mike Appel]]
| Reviews =
| Last single = "[[Spirit in the Night]]" (1973)
| This single = "'''Born to Run'''"/"[[Meeting Across the River]]" (1975)
| Next single = "[[Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out]]"/"[[She's the One (Bruce Springsteen song)|She's the One]]" (1976)
| Misc = {{Extra track listing
| Album = [[Born to Run]]
| Type = studio
| Tracks = {{Born to Run tracks}}
}}
}}

"'''Born to Run'''" is a song by [[United States|American]] [[singer songwriter]] [[Bruce Springsteen]], and the title song of his album ''[[Born to Run]]''. Upon its release, music critic [[Robert Christgau]] took note of its [[wall of sound]] influence and called it "the fulfillment of everything '[[Be My Baby]]' was about and lots more."<ref name="CG">{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Christgau|date=September 22, 1975|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv9-75.php|title=Christgau's Consumer Guide|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|location=New York|accessdate=July 8, 2014}}</ref>

== Songwriting ==
Written at [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=7+west+end+court,+long+branch,+nj&sll=40.283438,-73.984616&sspn=0.011098,0.027809&g=%227+1%2F2%22++west+end+court,+long+branch,+nj&ie=UTF8&ll=40.283323,-73.985538&spn=0.011098,0.027809&t=h&z=16 7½ West End Court] in [[Long Branch, New Jersey]] in early 1974, the song was Bruce Springsteen's final attempt to become successful. The prior year, Springsteen had released two albums to critical acclaim but with little commercial movement.

Written in the [[first-person narrative|first person]], the song is a love letter to a girl named Wendy, for whom the hot-rod-riding protagonist seems to possess the passion to love, just not the patience. However, Springsteen has noted that it has a much simpler core: getting out of [[Freehold Borough, New Jersey|Freehold]]. [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|U.S. Route 9]] is mentioned from the lyric "sprung from cages out on Highway 9".

In his 1996 book ''Songs'', Springsteen relates that while the beginning of the song was written on guitar around the opening riff, the song's writing was finished on piano, the instrument that most of the ''Born to Run'' album was composed on. The song was recorded in the key of E major.

In the period prior to the release of ''Born to Run'' Springsteen was becoming well-known (especially in his native northeast) for his epic live shows. "Born to Run" joined his concert repertoire well before the release of the album, being performed in concert by May 1974, if not earlier.

The first recording of the song was made by [[Allan Clarke (singer)|Allan Clarke]] of the British group [[The Hollies]], although its release was delayed, only appearing after Springsteen's own now-famous version.

== Recording ==
In recording the song Springsteen first earned his noted reputation for perfectionism, laying down as many as eleven guitar tracks to get the sound just right. The recording process and alternate ideas for the song's arrangement are described in the ''Wings For Wheels'' documentary [[DVD]] included in the 2005 reissue ''[[Born to Run 30th Anniversary Edition]]'' package.

The track was recorded at [[914 Sound Studios]] in [[Blauvelt, New York]] amidst touring breaks during 1974, with final recording done on August 6, well in advance of the rest of the album, and featured [[Ernest Carter (drummer)|Ernest "Boom" Carter]] on the drums and [[David Sancious]] on keyboards; they would be replaced by [[Max Weinberg]] and [[Roy Bittan]] for the rest of the album and in the ongoing [[E Street Band]] (which was still uncredited on Springsteen's records at the time). The song was also recorded with only Springsteen and [[Mike Appel]] as producers; it would be later in the following year, when work on the album bogged down, that [[Jon Landau]] was brought in as an additional producer. Future record executive [[Jimmy Iovine]] engineered the majority of the sessions.

A pre-release version of the song, with a slightly different mix, was given by Appel to disc jockey [[Ed Sciaky]] of [[WMMR]] in [[Philadelphia]] in early November 1974, and within a couple of weeks was given to other [[progressive rock (radio format)|progressive rock radio]] outlets as well, including [[WWFS|WNEW]] in [[New York City|New York]], [[WMMS]] in [[Cleveland]], [[WBCN (FM)|WBCN]] in [[Boston]], and [[WVBR]] in [[Ithaca, New York]]. It immediately became quite popular on these stations, and led to cuts from Springsteen's first two albums being frequently played as well as building anticipation for the album release.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/08/born-to-run-at-40/402137/|title=How Bruce Springsteen's 'Born to Run' Captured the Decline of the American Dream - The Atlantic|last=Zeitz|first=Joshua|date=25 August 2015|work=[[The Atlantic]]|accessdate=26 August 2015}}</ref>

Upon release in August 1975, the song and the album became unparalleled successes for Springsteen, springing him into stardom, and resulting in simultaneous cover stories in ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' and ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazines.

==Honors and accolades==
*In 2004, "Born to Run" was ranked #6 in [[WXPN]]'s list of ''The 885 All-Time Greatest Songs''.
*''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine's [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time|list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]] placed it at #21.
*The song came in at #920 in ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'''s list of the "1001 Greatest Songs Ever" in 2003, in which they described the song as "best for [[working class]] heroes."
*It is one of [[The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll]].<ref>http://rockhall.com/exhibits/500-songs-that-shaped-rock-and/</ref>
*In 2001, the [[RIAA]]'s [[Songs of the Century]] placed the song 135th (out of 365).
*In 1999, [[National Public Radio]] included the song in the "NPR 100", NPR's music editors' compilation of the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century.<ref>http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html</ref>
*On June 12, 1979, "Born to Run" was named New Jersey's "Unofficial Youth Rock Anthem" by the [[New Jersey State Assembly]],<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=lK2SAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA164&lpg=PA164&dq=New+Jersey%27s+%22Unofficial+Youth+Rock+Anthem%22&source=bl&ots=8AMfDOjE1E&sig=EXHp1te23dqn3dcMOdgKRM9SAPs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VWj8Upy0FsPsoASn7oBg&ved=0CEkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=New%20Jersey's%20%22Unofficial%20Youth%20Rock%20Anthem%22&f=false Google Books]</ref> something Springsteen always considered ironic because it was "about leaving Jersey."

==Track listing==
#"Born to Run" - 4:31
#"[[Meeting Across the River]]" - 3:18

The [[B-side]] was simply another cut from the album; Springsteen would not begin releasing unused tracks as B-sides until 1980.

== Chart performance ==
"Born to Run" was Springsteen's first worldwide [[single (music)|single]] release, although it achieved little initial success outside of the [[United States]].

Within the U.S. it received extensive airplay on [[Progressive rock (radio format)|progressive]] or [[album-oriented rock]] radio stations and the single was a top 40 hit, reaching number 23 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref name="ReferenceA">[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=bruce springsteen|chart=Hot 100}} Nielsen Business Media Inc.. 1/5/08]</ref>
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly singles charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1975)
!align="left"|Peak position
|-
|align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Top Singles <ref>https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4047b&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=nnp744fv9n6cgbb9ierse7pf00</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|53
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] <ref name="ReferenceA"/>
| style="text-align:center;"|23
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' Top 100 <ref>http://50.6.195.142/archives/70s_files/19751108.html</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|17
|-
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!align="left"|Chart (1975)
! style="text-align:center;"|Position
|-
|Canada <ref>https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4057c&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=nnp744fv9n6cgbb9ierse7pf00</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|188
|-
|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 <ref>http://www.bullfrogspond.com/whitburn/1975wye.htm</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|185
|-
|}
{{col-end}}

==Personnel==
*[[Bruce Springsteen]] – guitar, vocals
*[[Garry Tallent]] – bass guitar
*[[Ernest Carter (drummer)|Ernest "Boom" Carter]] – drums
*[[David Sancious]] – keyboards
*[[Danny Federici]] – organ, glockenspiel
*[[Clarence Clemons]] – saxophone

== Live performance history ==
[[Image:BornToRunHartford100207.jpg|thumb|right|234px|House lights on for a typical performance of "Born to Run". [[Hartford Civic Center]], October 2, 2007.]]
[[File:BTRMeadownlands052109.jpg|thumb|right|234px|"Born to Run" in its home state of New Jersey. [[Izod Center]], May 21, 2009.]]
The song has been played at nearly every non-solo Springsteen concert since 1975 (although it was not included in the 2006 [[Bruce Springsteen with The Seeger Sessions Band Tour|Sessions Band Tour]]). Most of the time the house lights are turned fully on and fans consistently sing along with Springsteen's signature wordless vocalizations throughout the song's performance.

The song has also been released in live versions on six albums or DVDs:
*A 1975 [[Born to Run tours|Born to Run Tour]] rendition on ''[[Hammersmith Odeon London '75]]'', released in 2006;
*A 1985 [[Born in the U.S.A. Tour]] runthrough on ''[[Live/1975-85]]'', released in 1986;
*A starkly different 1988 solo acoustic guitar performance from the [[Tunnel of Love Express]] on ''[[Chimes of Freedom (EP)|Chimes of Freedom]]'', a 1988 [[extended play|EP]];
*A 2000 [[Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour|Reunion Tour]] version on ''[[Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live In New York City]]'', released in 2001 (the song closes disc one but does not appear on the track listing of the album cover);
*A 2002 [[The Rising Tour|Rising Tour]] take on the ''[[Live in Barcelona]]'' DVD, released in 2003.
*A 2009 [[Working on a Dream Tour]] performance on the DVD ''[[London Calling: Live in Hyde Park]]'' which was release in 2010.

"Born to Run" was also performed as the second number of four during Springsteen and the E Street Band's halftime performance at [[Super Bowl XLIII]].

On [[Jon Stewart]]'s last episode as host of ''[[The Daily Show]]'' on August 6, 2015, Springsteen performed "[[Land of Hope and Dreams]]" and "Born to Run."

== Music videos ==
No music video was made for the original release of "Born to Run," as they had not achieved significant popularity at the time.

*In 1987, a video was released to [[MTV]] and other channels, featuring a live performance of "Born to Run" from Springsteen and the E Street Band's 1984-1985 [[Born in the U.S.A. Tour]], interspersed with clips of other songs' performances from the same tour. It closed with a "Thank you" message to Springsteen's fans.
*In 1988, director [[Meiert Avis]] shot a video of an acoustic version of the song during the [[Tunnel of Love Express]] tour.
*Both videos are included in the compilations ''[[Video Anthology / 1978-88]]'' and ''[[The Complete Video Anthology / 1978-2000]]''.

== Cultural references ==

===Television===
*At the end of ''[[The Office (UK TV series)]]'' episode "The Quiz," [[David Brent]] triumphantly air-guitars the song's famous opening in celebration of a supposed victory in a trivia quiz challenge. He further references it by saying "Born to Run, the Slough branch".
*The children's show ''[[Sesame Street]]'' featured a song about arithmetic called "Born to Add", sung by a [[Muppet]] modeled on Springsteen. The music more closely resembles "[[Jungleland]]" than "Born to Run," although it does saxophone solo played by a Muppet named Clarice, a reference to [[Clarence Clemons]].
*The British comedy program, ''[[Spitting Image]]'', once featured a Bruce Springsteen puppet singing a parody entitled "Born To Teach Woodwork".
*In ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode, "[[Lisa's Rival]]", Lisa Simpson imagines herself in "the second best band in America" playing their "number two hit" called "Born to Runner-Up".
*In an episode of ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'', [[Joel Robinson]] chides [[Tom Servo]] and [[Crow T. Robot]] for teaching [[Gypsy (Mystery Science Theater 3000)|Gypsy]] some racy lyrics from "Born to Run" ("Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims / and strap your hands across my engines").
*In ''[[The Sopranos]]'' episode "[[Long Term Parking]]", [[Christopher Moltisanti]] shows up late for a meeting with [[Tony Soprano]] and [[Silvio Dante]]. Chris' explanation is a quote from the "Born to Run" lyrics: "the highway was jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance power drive." Tony smirks at the excuse. Silvio is played by E Street bandmate [[Steven Van Zandt]].
*In the ''[[Jeremy Clarkson's Motorworld]]'' episode on Detroit, [[Jeremy Clarkson]] uses the line "broken hero on a last chance powerdrive" when driving a [[Dodge Viper]].
*A [[Born to Run (Lost)|Season 1 episode]] of the TV show, ''[[Lost (TV series)|Lost]]'', is named after the song.
*A [[Born to Run (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)|Season 2 episode]] of the TV show, ''[[Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]'', is named after the song.
*[[Jimmy Fallon]] opened the [[62nd Primetime Emmy Awards]] with a cover of the song, featuring [[Tina Fey]], [[Jon Hamm]], [[Jane Lynch]], [[Lea Michele]], [[Amber Riley]], [[Cory Monteith]], [[Chris Colfer]], [[Kate Gosselin]], [[Nina Dobrev]], [[Joel McHale]], [[Jorge Garcia]], [[Randy Jackson]] and [[Tim Gunn]].
* [[Futurama]] episode [[31st Century Fox]] used a quote from this song in a traffic warning sign above the Jersey Turnpike: "Highway jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power dive"
*The Sing Off season three, the male contestants of the top ten groups performed 'Born to run' in episode eleven.

===Literature===
*The popular 2009 book about running ''[[Christopher McDougall#Born to Run|Born to Run]]'' by [[Christopher McDougall]] was named after the song, and the lyrics are also quoted at the start of one chapter.
*In the [[Japan]]ese novel ''[[Battle Royale]]'', the main character Shuya Nanahara is a Bruce Springsteen fanatic, despite the fictional Republic of East Asia's ban on [[rock and roll|rock music]]. The lyrics to "Born to Run" are quoted a few times in the book, as Shuya applies them to his own need to get out of Japan, down to singing them, replacing Wendy with his Noriko, in the very closing of the book. They also appear in the opening quotes of the book.
*In one strip of ''[[Zits (comic strip)|Zits]]'', Jeremy Duncan's father, Walt, sings the song while washing his car, wearing [[flip-flops]] and [[boxer shorts]].
*In [[John Niven]]'s novel ''The second Coming'', the main character (Jesus) performs ''Born to Run'' live during an [[American Idol]]-like casting show.<ref>{{cite book |last=Niven |first=John |authorlink=John Niven |year=2011 |title=The second Coming}}</ref>

===Music===
See also: Covers section.
*[[The Hold Steady]]'s song, "Charlemange in Sweatpants", references "Born to Run" with the line: "Tramps like us and we like tramps." They also reference "Born to Run" in the song, "Barfruit Blues", with the line: "Half the crowd's calling out for 'Born to Run', the other half's calling out for 'Born to Lose', baby, we were born to choose."
*[[Titus Andronicus (band)|Titus Andronicus]] references "Born to Run" on their song "[[The Monitor (album)|A More Perfect Union]]" with the line: "No, I never wanted to change the world, but I'm looking for a new New Jersey, Because tramps like us, baby, we were born to die".
*The [[Lou Reed]] song "Street Hassle" includes a spoken section performed by Bruce Springsteen that ends with the line "Y'know tramps like us, we were born to pay."
*The song "Difference" by rapper [[Childish Gambino]] has a line referencing "Born to Run" in which he raps: "Springsteen this city because this city we were born to run"
*The song "Redemption" by [[Frank Turner]] references the lyrics of Born To Run in the first verse: "I was walking home to my house through the snow from the station/When Springsteen came clear in my headphones with a pertinent question/Oh, is love really real..."

===On stage===
*Comedian [[Robert Wuhl]] discussed and performed parts of this song in his act inquiring as to whether a song with the phrases "suicide machine" and "we gotta get out (of New Jersey?) while we're young" was appropriate for New Jersey's state anthem.
*In the 2010 series of ''[[The X Factor (UK)|The X Factor]]'', contestant [[Storm Lee]] sang it on week two of the live shows which was Heroes night.

===Games===
*The song was available as downloadable content for the [[video game]] ''[[Guitar Hero World Tour]]'' on January 27, 2009, along with "[[My Lucky Day (song)|My Lucky Day]]", as part of the Bruce Springsteen Pack.

===Radio===
*[[WNCX]] Radio station in Cleveland, Ohio plays this song every Friday at 5 p.m.

===Sports===
*The song is played at the start of the post-parade before the annual [[Haskell Invitational]] at [[Monmouth Park Racetrack]] in [[Oceanport, New Jersey]].<ref name="AP">{{cite web |url=http://www.foxsports.com/horse-racing/story/bruce-springsteen-born-to-run-american-pharoah-haskell-stakes-monmouth-park-070915 |title=American Pharoah's owner wants Bruce Springsteen to play on Haskell day |last=Hill|first=David|publisher=Fox Sports |date=9 July 2015 |website=Fox Sports |access-date=20 August 2015}}</ref>

==Covers==

*[[Frankie Goes To Hollywood]] covered this song in their debut album ''[[Welcome to the Pleasuredome]]'' in 1984.
*[[Big Daddy (band)|Big Daddy]], a band that specializes in recording popular modern songs in 1950's-style arrangements, performed a drastically re-arranged cover of "Born to Run" on their 1991 album ''Cutting Their Own Groove''.
*[[Wolfsbane (band)|Wolfsbane]] has a heavy metal cover of this song on their 1993 EP "Everything Else"
*[[Suzi Quatro]] covered this song in 1995.
*[[Frank Turner]] covered the song on his 2015 compilation, The Third Three Years.

===Live covers===

*[[Melissa Etheridge]] sang "Born to Run" at the September 11 benefit, [[The Concert for New York City]], and again at the 2009 [[Kennedy Center Honors]], where she performed the song for Springsteen himself, one of the Center's honorees for that year.
*British band, [[McFly]], performed the song for [[BBC Radio 1]]'s [[Live Lounge]] on December 10, 2007.
*The Australian band, [[Something for Kate]], frequently covers "Born to Run" at live performances.
*A rare live recording of [[Roger Daltrey]], lead singer of [[The Who]], singing "Born to Run" at a live solo performance appears on his greatest-hits/rarities collection "Gold."
*[[Light This City]] recorded their take on Born To Run during the recording of their final record, "Stormchaser," the track was featured on their Myspace for a time and can be found on [[YouTube]] as well
*Scottish singer [[Amy Macdonald]] performed an acoustic version on recent tours.
*Ohio based acoustic group [http://www.free-wild.com Free Wild] performed a cover version of this song in their 2011 and 2012 tours, often finishing the song with a Springsteen inspired version of the children's song Itsy Bitsy Spider.
*[[Eric Church]] tagged "Born to Run" in the middle of his own hit song "Springsteen" during his 2012-13 tour.
*On August 25, 2015, the 40th anniversary of ''[[Born to Run]]'''s release, indie rock band [[Superchunk]] shared a live cover of the title track. This performance also featured [[...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead]] and [[Crooked Fingers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/news/60941-superchunk-share-born-to-run-cover-featuring-trail-of-dead-crooked-fingers/ | title=Superchunk Share "Born to Run" Cover Featuring Trail of Dead, Crooked Fingers |publisher=Pitchfork | date=25 August 2015 |accessdate=26 August 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[{{Allmusic|class=song|id=t2010340|pure_url=yes}} "'Born to Run' review"], ''[[AllMusic]]''.
* [http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/BornToRun.html Lyrics & Audio clips from Brucespringsteen.net]
*[http://www.slate.com/id/2226603/ "The birth of Born To Run"], ''[[Slate (magazine)]]''.

{{Bruce Springsteen}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Born To Run (Song)}}
[[Category:1974 songs]]
[[Category:1975 singles]]
[[Category:Bruce Springsteen songs]]
[[Category:U.S. Route 9]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bruce Springsteen]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Appel]]
[[Category:Columbia Records singles]]

Blinded by the Light

2015-09-02T23:31:05Z

Dylanjo98:

{{Infobox single
| Name = Blinded by the Light
| Cover = BS BBTL.jpg
| Artist = [[Bruce Springsteen]]
| Album = [[Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.]]
| B-side = The Angel
| Released = February 1973
| track_no = 1
| Format =
| Recorded = August–September, 1972 [[914 Sound Studios]], [[Blauvelt, New York]]
| Genre = [[Rock music|Rock]]
| Length = 5:06
| Label = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| Writer = [[Bruce Springsteen]]
| Producer = [[Mike Appel]], Jim Cretecos
| Last single =
| This single = "'''Blinded by the Light'''" (1973)
| Next single = "[[Spirit in the Night]]" (1973)
| Misc = {{Extra track listing
| Album = [[Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.]]
| Released = January 5, 1973
| Producer = [[Mike Appel]], Jim Cretecos
| Type = single
| Tracks =
'''Side one'''
# "'''Blinded by the Light'''"
# "[[Growin' Up]]"
# "[[Mary Queen of Arkansas]]"
# "[[Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?]]"
# "[[Lost in the Flood]]
'''Side two'''
# "[[The Angel (song)|The Angel]]"
# "[[For You (Bruce Springsteen song)|For You]]"
# "[[Spirit in the Night]]"
# "[[It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City]]"
}}
}}
{{Infobox single
| Name = Blinded by the Light
| Cover = BlindedbytheLightSingle.jpg
| Caption =
| Artist = [[Manfred Mann's Earth Band]]
| from Album = [[The Roaring Silence]]
| A-side =
| B-side = Starbird No. 2
| Released = August 6, 1976
| Format = [[Vinyl record|7"]]
| Recorded = 1976, Workhouse Studios, [[London]]
| Producer = Manfred Mann and Earth Band
| Genre = [[Progressive rock]]
| Length = 7:08 (album version) 3:48 (single edit)
| Label = [[Bronze Records]]
| Writer = [[Bruce Springsteen]]
| Producer = [[Manfred Mann]] and Earth Band
| Last single = "[[Spirits in the Night]]" (1975)
| This single = "'''Blinded by the Light'''" (1976)
| Next single = "Questions" (1976)
| Misc = {{Extra track listing
| Album = [[The Roaring Silence]]
| Released = August 27, 1976
| Producer = Manfred Mann and Earth Band
| Type = single
| this_track = "'''Blinded by the Light'''"
| track_no = 1
| next_track = "Singing the Dolphin Through"
| next_no = 2
}}
{{Audiosample
| Upper caption = Audio sample
| Audio file = Blinded by the Light by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.ogg
}}
}}

"'''Blinded by the Light'''" is a song written and originally recorded by [[Bruce Springsteen]], although it is mostly known by its 1977 #1 hit version recorded by [[Manfred Mann's Earth Band]]. Mann's remake was released in the United Kingdom in August 1976, where it reached No. 6 in the [[UK Singles Chart|BMRB]]<ref>British Market Research Bureau</ref> charts.

==History==
The song came about when [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] president [[Clive Davis]], upon listening to an early version of ''[[Greetings from Asbury Park N.J.]]'', felt the album lacked a potential single. Springsteen wrote this and "[[Spirit in the Night]]" in response.

According to Springsteen, the song came about from 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. 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".

"Blinded by the Light" was the first song on, and first [[single (music)|single]] from ''Greetings from Asbury Park N.J.'' Springsteen's version was commercially unsuccessful and did not appear on the music charts.

===Lyrics===
[[Manfred Mann's Earth Band]]'s recording of the song features several changed lyrics. The most prominent change is in the chorus, where Springsteen's "cut loose like a [[1932 Ford#Deuce coupe|deuce]]" is replaced with "revved up like a deuce."<ref name="Observer">{{cite web
| url = http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/buzzstory/04-26-2010-mike-buzzelli-lyrics
| title = Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
| first = Mike
| last = Buzzelli
| work = [[Observer-Reporter]]
| date = 2010-04-26
| accessdate = 2010-08-08 }}{{dead link|date=December 2012}}
</ref><ref name="VH1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.vh1.com/partners/vh1_music_studio/supplies/specials/springsteen-lesson2.html
| title = VH1 Storytellers: Bruce Springsteen
| accessdate = 2010-08-08 }}</ref><ref>The word ''deuce'', in both the Springsteen and Earth Band versions, refers to a [[1932 Ford|1932 model Ford]].</ref> This is [[Mondegreen#Examples in song lyrics|commonly misheard]] as "wrapped up like a [[douche]]" (the V sound in "revved" is almost unpronounced, and the S sound in "deuce" comes across as "SH" due to a significant [[lisp]])."<ref>[http://www.kissthisguy.com/search_results.php?SearchType=Song&SearchAccuracy=contains&SearchTerm=blinded+by+the+light Search results for misheard lyrics] at kissthisguy.com</ref><ref>[http://blogcritics.org/music/article/q-blinded-by-the-light-revved/ Q: "Blinded By the Light, Revved Up Like a..." What? – Blogcritics Music] at blogcritics.org</ref> Springsteen himself has joked about the controversy, claiming that it was not until Manfred Mann rewrote the song to be about a [[Feminine hygiene|feminine hygiene product]] that it became popular.<ref>{{Cite episode
| title = Bruce Springsteen
| series = [[VH1 Storytellers]]
| network = [[VH1]]
| airdate = 2005-04-23
| number = 62 }}</ref>

===Cover versions and reissues===
[[Manfred Mann's Earth Band]] released a version of the song on their album ''[[The Roaring Silence]]''. Their version includes the "[[Chopsticks (music)|Chopsticks]]" melody played on piano near the end of the bridge of the song. The song reached #1 on both [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']]'s [[Hot 100]] and on the Canadian [[RPM (magazine)|''RPM'']] chart on 19 February 1977. The 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. In 2002, [[Danish people|Danish]] act [[Funkstar Deluxe]] released its disco version of this song. A "jazzified" version can be found on Springsteen's [[Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band: Live in Dublin|''Live in Dublin'']] album, recorded with the Sessions Band.

The song is featured in the films ''[[Blow (film)|Blow]]'' and ''[[Running with Scissors (film)|Running with Scissors]]''.

==Personnel==

===Original version===
* [[Bruce Springsteen]] – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
* [[Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez]] – drums, backing vocals
* [[Clarence Clemons]] – saxophone, backing vocals
with
* [[Harold Wheeler (musician)|Harold Wheeler]] – piano

===Manfred Mann's Earth Band cover===
*[[Manfred Mann (musician)|Manfred Mann]] – organ, piano, keyboards, backing vocals
*[[Colin Pattenden]] – bass
*[[Dave Flett]] – guitar
*[[Chris Thompson (English musician)|Chris Hamlet Thompson]] – vocals, guitar
*[[Chris Slade]] – drums, backing vocals
with
*[[Doreen Chanter]] – backing vocals
*[[Irene Chanter]] – backing vocals
*Susanne Lynch – backing vocals

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.brucespringsteen.net/albums/greetings-from-asbury-park-n-j-2 "Blinded by the Light" lyrics] from Bruce Springsteen's official site
* [http://www.springsteenlyrics.com/lyrics/b/blindedbythelight.php Lyrics and detailed info for various versions at SpringsteenLyrics.com]

{{S-start}}
{{succession box
| before = "[[Torn Between Two Lovers]]" by [[Mary MacGregor]]
| title = [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] [[List of number-one hits (United States)|number one single]]
| years = February 19, 1977
| after = "[[New Kid in Town]]" by [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]]
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Manfred Mann's Earth Band}}
{{Bruce Springsteen}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blinded By The Light}}
[[Category:1973 singles]]
[[Category:1976 singles]]
[[Category:1977 singles]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles]]
[[Category:Bruce Springsteen songs]]
[[Category:Manfred Mann songs]]
[[Category:Mondegreens]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bruce Springsteen]]
[[Category:Columbia Records singles]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Appel]]
[[Category:Debut singles]]
[[Category:1972 songs]]
[[Category:Bronze Records singles]]