Meaning Of “Blinded By The Light” By Manfred Mann’s Earth Band

Some bands, despite having musically talented members and commercial success, just seem to go under the radar. You could argue that commercial success is enough, and many would be thankful for it. But, for some serious musicians, a little more is sometimes needed, and Manfred Mann was a very serious musician.

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So, I’ve decided to take a look at one of the hit records from this London group’s later reincarnations, as I discuss the meaning of “Blinded By The Light” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.

Uh-huh, It Was The Manfreds

Manfred Sepse Lubowitz, or Manfred Mann as we know him, was born into a Lithuanian-Jewish family in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1940. He attended the University of The Witwatersrand, where he studied music.

His performance career started early when he found work as a jazz pianist in the clubs of Johannesburg. Manfred came to the UK in 1961. He formed the first incarnation of Manfred Mann, the “Mann-Hugg Blues Brothers” with drummer Mike Hugg. That was a large Jazz and Blues-based band that eventually became Manfred Mann by 1964.

Big News In Swinging 60s London

The band that most people knew as Manfred Mann was formed in London and by 1964 was well-known in the capital. They took the name of the keyboard player as the record company thought it was different and “interesting.”

They were fortunate in that they had two very good singers. At first, they had Paul Jones, who also played good blues harmonica. He was with them from 1962 to 1966. Then it was Mike D’Abo, a more than adequate replacement, until 1969, when the band split.

Mann surrounded himself with serious musicians…

Some of them would have preferred to have been more jazz-oriented with their material, but they were a commercial success. A string of Top 10 records followed. Their first was “5-4-3-2-1”. “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”, a cover, was another success. That reached #1 on both sides of the Atlantic. And, there were other #1’s, “Pretty Flamingo” is many people’s favorite.

There was a wealth of talent in the band. And, after they had split, they all went off and did other things. One such member was Tom McGuiness, who founded the band McGuinness Flint. They produced their own timeless classic, “When I’m Dead And Gone”.

Manfred Mann himself formed a band with drummer Mike Hugg, Manfred Mann Chapter 3. It was what you might call a very experimental group blending Jazz and Rock styles. That only lasted for two albums before they called it a day.

He then formed Manfred Mann’s Earth band in 1971…

A lot of what they played and recorded were covers of other artists’ material. This included songs by The Band, Bob Dylan, The Police, and even “Joybringer” from Gustav Holst’s Planet Suite.

However, it was their cover of a Bruce Springsteen song, “Blinded By The Light”, that has been Manfred Mann’s most recognizable song. That is the song we are looking at here.

Bigger Than The Original

It can happen occasionally that a cover of a song can turn out to be a bigger success than the original. Some might say that was the case with “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, a great track from Joan Baez, but written by Robbie Robertson of The Band.

Or Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower”. In other words, it isn’t unknown. And, it was the case with “Blinded By The Light”, despite some controversies which we shall look at later.

The Original

Bruce Springsteen wrote the song and included it on his 1973 album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Neither the single nor the album had been a particular commercial success. But, Manfred Mann got a copy courtesy of a recommendation from a DJ in Philadelphia.

Manfred’s Cover version

Released in 1976, the Earth Bands’ cover started slowly in the UK but eventually peaked at #6. However, it took off in America, where it went to the top spot. It also reached #1 in Canada.

Does The Song Have A Special Meaning?

The song is about the trials and tribulations of a young person trying to make it in music. The lyrics of “Blinded By The Light” speak of the youthful spirit that many people have, where they believe anything is possible.

If anything, it is a song about hope and optimism. It talks about the struggles that young musicians have. Struggles which Springsteen himself may have been experiencing.

But, the message of the song “Blinded By The Light” is that the bad things that happen are the reason we can carry on. We gain strength from them and learn from the experience.

So What Is The Meaning? What Are The Lyrics All About?

I have to say that some of the lyrics have meaning for Springsteen and American audiences, but mean absolutely nothing to Europeans. The opening words of the song reference “madman drummers.” Followed by “Indians in the summer’, and then a mention of the “teenage diplomat.” All of which will mean very little to someone other than Springsteen himself.

A drummer friend of Springsteen, Vini Lopez, was the madman drummer. Indians in the Summer is a reference to a Little League baseball team, and I think he sees himself as the teenage diplomat. A little later in the verse, he references baseball again with the expression “merry go round.” That is a baseball slang term.

Springsteen later commented that he found most of the lyrics while searching through a word-rhyming book. That seems very evident, with words and phrases added seemingly to fit the meter of the song. Many of these phrases are meaningless in terms of the lyrics. “Silicone Sister” and “manager’s mister” are just two more examples.

Despite what seems like a bit of padding…

The meaning of “Blinded By The Light” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band still manages to surface. If we are blinded by the light, then we can see it but not beyond it.

The attraction of fame and fortune can be a bit like that. You are dazzled by the potential and everything that goes with it. But, you are unable to see the potential dangers as the light of promise has blinded you.

Controversies

When the song was released, it caused a few ripples. Some of those were from the usual culprits who look to find something to complain about in everything. Other issues, though, had a certain justification.

In the 18-word chorus, there are minor alterations to words. But, nothing that changed the context. In the Springsteen original, one line read, “Cut loose like a deuce.” On the Mann version, it was changed to read, “Wrapped up like a deuce.”

“Deuce,” in North American terms, can mean the two on a dice or playing card. But, it is more often associated with a two-seater car made by Ford in the 30s. A favorite with those who liked to “soup up” hot rods. The Beach Boys wrote a song about them called “Little Deuce Coupe”.

Some people seem to have misheard the lyrics…

They thought he sang “wrapped up like a douche.” That is a reference to a hygiene product for women. I have sat and listened to it a dozen times, and I can’t hear anything but “deuce.”

Nevertheless, Bible Belt radio stations in the South got on their moral high ground and started banning it. That had an effect on people who hadn’t even heard the misheard lyric and who now wanted to know what the fuss was about. It was played heavily on ordinary radio stations and began to sell like crazy.

I suppose The Earth Band ought to thank those southern stations for all the extra publicity. And probably the extra sales that they created.

Not Really An Explanation

Mann tried to explain it away by talking about the angles of the heads of the recording machine on the tape. I don’t think it convinced too many people. In some respects, trying to explain it away only made it worse, as it showed that he had recognized there was a problem.

But, sales increased, and they got themselves a #1 record in America. Springsteen must also have been pleased as it is the only song that he wrote that achieved #1 on the American singles chart. Its success was despite the negative publicity, or possibly, even because of it.

Is There A Formula For Making A Great Cover?

Music isn’t an exact science, so the answer is no. However, there are some things you can do to help. This song is a good example of what can be done. It is almost certainly better known than the original, even though it was released a couple of years after. If you listen to them back to back, there are clear differences even though the essence of the song remains the same.

The Earth Band added their style and produced a different-sounding track even though it is the same song. One thing is for sure; the keyboard parts are far more appealing than the Springsteen guitar parts.

The Manfred Mann version made the song commercial and easy to listen to when compared to the Springsteen version. I suppose that might have something to do with the fact that Mann already had 12 years as a professional behind him.

One For The Cover Bands

Some would argue, with justification, that it is better to write your own material as an artist or band. I can understand that, but not all can do so. It became very clear to the Manfreds, even going back to the 60s, that covers were the way to go for them to achieve success.

This version proves two things. Firstly, you can be successful with cover versions. Secondly, your cover can be better than the original in some cases.

Curious About The Meaning Behind Other Well-Known Songs?

If so, check out our thoughts on The Meaning Behind “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin, The Meaning Behind “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and The Shondells, The Meaning Behind “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond, The Meaning Behind “Lola” by The Kinks, and the Meaning Behind “Hotel California” Song By The Eagles for more interesting song analyses.