Blinded by the Light - wikipedia Blinded by the Light `` Blinded by the Light '' Single by Bruce Springsteen from the album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. B - side `` The Angel '' Released February 1973 Recorded August -- September 1972 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York Genre Rock Length 5 : 06 Label Columbia Songwriter ( s ) Bruce Springsteen Producer ( s ) Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos Bruce Springsteen singles chronology `` Blinded by the Light '' ( 1973 ) `` Spirit in the Night '' ( 1973 ) Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. track listing 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 '' `` For You '' `` Spirit in the Night '' `` It 's Hard to Be a Saint in the City '' `` Blinded by the Light '' Single by Manfred Mann 's Earth Band from the album The Roaring Silence B - side `` Starbird No. 2 '' Released August 6, 1976 Format 7 '' Recorded 1976, Workhouse Studios, London Genre Progressive rock, hard rock Length 7 : 08 ( album version ) 3 : 48 ( single version ) Label Bronze Records Songwriter ( s ) Bruce Springsteen Producer ( s ) Manfred Mann and Earth Band Manfred Mann 's Earth Band singles chronology `` Spirits in the Night '' ( 1975 ) `` Blinded by the Light '' ( 1976 ) `` Questions '' ( 1976 ) Audio sample file help `` Blinded by the Light '' is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, which first appeared on his 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. A cover by British rock band Manfred Mann 's Earth Band reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in February 1977 and was also a top ten hit in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada. Contents 1 History 1.1 Cover versions and reissues 1.2 Lyrics 2 Personnel 3 Chart performance 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year - end charts 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links History The song came about when 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 from, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Springsteen 's version was commercially unsuccessful and did not appear on the music charts. Cover versions and reissues Manfred Mann 's Earth Band released a version of the song on their 1976 album The Roaring Silence. Their version includes the `` Chopsticks '' melody played on piano near the end of the bridge of the song. The track reached # 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian RPM charts. Manfred Mann 's Earth Band 's recording of `` Blinded by the Light '' is Springsteen 's only # 1 single as a songwriter on the Hot 100 ( he never had a # 1 as a performer except as part of USA for Africa ). In 2002, Danish act Funkstar De Luxe released its disco version of this song. A `` jazzified '' version can be found on Springsteen 's 2007 video and audio release Live in Dublin, recorded with The Sessions Band. The song is used in the films Blow, Running with Scissors, and Super Troopers 2. Lyrics Manfred Mann 's Earth Band 's recording of the song changes the lyrics. The most prominent change is in the chorus, where Springsteen 's `` cut loose like a deuce '' is replaced with `` revved up like a deuce. '' This is 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 ). The lyric is actually a reference to a hot rod `` deuce coupe. '' Springsteen was fond of classic hot rods in his youth, hence the line `` revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night. '' Springsteen himself has joked about the controversy, claiming that it was not until Manfred Mann rewrote the song to be about a feminine hygiene product that it became popular. Personnel Original version Bruce Springsteen -- vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards Vini `` Mad Dog '' Lopez -- drums, backing vocals Clarence Clemons -- saxophone, backing vocals with Harold Wheeler -- piano Manfred Mann 's Earth Band cover Manfred Mann -- organ, piano, keyboards, backing vocals Colin Pattenden -- bass Dave Flett -- guitar Chris Hamlet Thompson -- vocals, guitar Chris Slade -- drums, backing vocals with Doreen Chanter -- backing vocals Irene Chanter -- backing vocals Susanne Lynch -- backing vocals Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1976 - 77 ) Peak position Australia 11 Canada RPM Netherlands 19 New Zealand 8 UK Singles Chart 6 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1976 ) Rank Australia 88 Chart ( 1977 ) Rank Canada 28 US Billboard Hot 100 36 US Cash Box 52 Notes Jump up ^ The word `` deuce, '' in both the Springsteen and Earth Band versions, refers to a 1932 model Ford. References Jump up ^ Buzzelli, Mike ( April 26, 2010 ). `` Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night ''. Observer - Reporter. Archived from the original on June 2, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2010. Jump up ^ `` VH1 Storytellers : Bruce Springsteen ''. Archived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Manfred Mann 's Earth Band : Blinded by the Light : Real Lyric : Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night : Misheard : Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche ''. Kissthisguy.com. Retrieved 2016 - 05 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Q : `` Blinded By the Light, Revved Up Like a... '' What ? ``. Blogcritics.org. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Bruce Springsteen ''. VH1 Storytellers. Episode 62. April 23, 2005. VH1. Jump up ^ `` Australian Chart Book ''. Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 346 / 6. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ `` Cash Box Top 100 2 / 05 / 77 ''. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved 2015 - 05 - 25. Jump up ^ Steffen Hung. `` Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s ( ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts ) ''. Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ `` Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada ''. Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 08. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1977 ''. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2016 - 07 - 26. External links 1970s portal `` Blinded by the Light '' lyrics from Bruce Springsteen 's official site Manfred Mann 's Earth Band Manfred Mann Mick Rogers Robert Hart John Lingwood Steve Kinch Chris Thompson Steve Waller Chris Slade Colin Pattenden Pat King Jimmy Copley Clive Bunker Dave Flett Matt Irving Shona Laing Richard Marcangelo Geoff Britton Noel McCalla John Trotter Geoff Dunn Pete May Studio albums Manfred Mann 's Earth Band Glorified Magnified Messin ' ( Get Your Rocks Off ) Solar Fire The Good Earth Nightingales and Bombers The Roaring Silence Watch Angel Station Chance Somewhere in Afrika Criminal Tango Masque Plains Music Soft Vengeance 2006 Live albums Budapest Live Mann Alive Compilations Blinded by the Light : The Very Best of Manfred Mann 's Earth Band The Best of Manfred Mann 's Earth Band Re-Mastered The Best of Manfred Mann 's Earth Band Re-Mastered Volume II Odds & Sods - Mis - takes & Out - takes Songs `` I 'll Be Gone '' `` Blinded by the Light '' `` Spirit in the Night '' `` Mighty Quinn '' `` Davy 's on the Road Again '' `` Do n't Kill It Carol '' `` For You '' `` Redemption Song '' Related articles Discography Manfred Mann Manfred Mann Chapter Three The Manfreds Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Bruce Springsteen Garry Tallent Roy Bittan Max Weinberg Steven Van Zandt Nils Lofgren Patti Scialfa Jake Clemons Charles Giordano Soozie Tyrell Former members Ernest Carter Clarence Clemons Danny Federici Vini Lopez David Sancious Former touring musicians Everett Bradley Barry Danielian Clark Gayton Curtis King Suki Lahav Ed Manion The Miami Horns Cindy Mizelle Michelle Moore Tom Morello Curt Ramm Jay Weinberg Studio albums Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. ( 1973 ) The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle ( 1973 ) Born to Run ( 1975 ) Darkness on the Edge of Town ( 1978 ) The River ( 1980 ) Nebraska ( 1982 ) Born in the U.S.A. ( 1984 ) Tunnel of Love ( 1987 ) Human Touch ( 1992 ) Lucky Town ( 1992 ) The Ghost of Tom Joad ( 1995 ) The Rising ( 2002 ) Devils & Dust ( 2005 ) We Shall Overcome : The Seeger Sessions ( 2006 ) Magic ( 2007 ) Working on a Dream ( 2009 ) Wrecking Ball ( 2012 ) High Hopes ( 2014 ) Live albums & Bruce Springsteen Archives Live 1975 -- 85 ( 1986 ) In Concert / MTV Plugged ( 1993 ) Live in New York City ( 2001 ) Hammersmith Odeon London ' 75 ( 2006 ) Live in Dublin ( 2007 ) Live from the Carousel ( 2011 ) Apollo Theater 3 / 09 / 12 ( 2014 ) The Agora, Cleveland 1978 ( 2015 ) Tower Theater, Philadelphia 1975 ( 2015 ) Nassau Coliseum, New York 1980 ( 2015 ) Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey 1984 ( 2015 ) LA Sports Arena, California 1988 ( 2015 ) Schottenstein Center, Ohio 2005 ( 2015 ) Ippodromo delle Capannelle, Rome 2013 ( 2015 ) Arizona State University, Tempe 1980 ( 2015 ) The Christic Shows 1990 ( 2016 ) HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY, 11 / 22 / 09 ( 2016 ) Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO, 8 / 23 / 08 ( 2017 ) Olympiastadion, Helsinki, July 31, 2012 ( 2017 ) Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 10 / 20 / 09 ( 2017 ) Palace Theatre, Albany 1977 ( 2017 ) Auditorium Theatre, Rochester, NY 1977 ( 2017 ) King 's Hall, Belfast March 19, 1996 ( 2017 ) The Summit, Houston, TX December 8, 1978 ( 2017 ) Compilations Greatest Hits ( 1995 ) 18 Tracks ( 1999 ) The Essential Bruce Springsteen ( 2003 ) Greatest Hits ( 2009 ) The Promise ( 2010 ) Collection : 1973 -- 2012 ( 2013 ) Chapter and Verse ( 2016 ) Box sets The Born in the U.S.A. 12 '' Single Collection ( 1985 ) Tracks ( 1998 ) The Collection ( 2004 ) Born to Run : 30th Anniversary Edition ( 2005 ) The Collection 1973 -- 1984 ( 2010 ) The Promise : The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story ( 2010 ) The Album Collection Vol. 1 1973 -- 1984 ( 2014 ) The Ties That Bind : The River Collection ( 2015 ) EPs Live Collection ( 1987 ) Chimes of Freedom ( 1988 ) Blood Brothers ( 1996 ) PBS Exclusive ( 2007 ) Magic Tour Highlights ( 2008 ) American Beauty ( 2014 ) Singles `` Blinded by the Light '' ( 1973 ) `` Spirit in the Night '' ( 1973 ) `` 4th of July, Asbury Park ( Sandy ) '' ( 1974 ) `` Born to Run '' ( 1975 ) `` Tenth Avenue Freeze - Out '' ( 1976 ) `` Prove It All Night '' ( 1978 ) `` Badlands '' ( 1978 ) `` The Promised Land '' ( 1978 ) `` Rosalita ( Come Out Tonight ) '' ( 1979 ) `` Hungry Heart '' ( 1980 ) `` Fade Away '' ( 1981 ) `` Sherry Darling '' ( 1981 ) `` The River '' ( 1981 ) `` Cadillac Ranch '' ( 1981 ) `` Point Blank '' ( 1981 ) `` Atlantic City '' ( 1982 ) `` Open All Night '' ( 1982 ) `` Dancing in the Dark '' ( 1984 ) `` Cover Me '' ( 1984 ) `` Born in the U.S.A. '' ( 1984 ) `` I 'm on Fire '' ( 1985 ) `` Glory Days '' ( 1985 ) `` I 'm Goin ' Down '' ( 1985 ) `` My Hometown '' ( 1985 ) `` Santa Claus Is Comin ' to Town '' ( 1985 ) `` War '' ( 1986 ) `` Fire '' ( 1987 ) `` Brilliant Disguise '' ( 1987 ) `` Tunnel of Love '' ( 1987 ) `` One Step Up '' ( 1988 ) `` Tougher Than the Rest '' ( 1988 ) `` Spare Parts '' ( 1988 ) `` Human Touch '' ( 1992 ) `` 57 Channels ( And Nothin ' On ) '' ( 1992 ) `` Better Days '' ( 1992 ) `` Streets of Philadelphia '' ( 1994 ) `` Secret Garden '' ( 1995 ) `` The Ghost of Tom Joad '' ( 1996 ) `` Sad Eyes '' ( 1999 ) `` The Rising '' ( 2002 ) `` Lonesome Day '' ( 2002 ) `` Waitin ' on a Sunny Day '' ( 2003 ) `` Devils & Dust '' ( 2005 ) `` All The Way Home '' ( 2005 ) `` Radio Nowhere '' ( 2007 ) `` Girls in Their Summer Clothes '' ( 2008 ) `` Working on a Dream '' ( 2008 ) `` My Lucky Day '' ( 2008 ) `` The Wrestler '' ( 2009 ) `` We Take Care of Our Own '' ( 2012 ) `` Death to My Hometown '' ( 2012 ) `` High Hopes '' ( 2013 ) `` Just Like Fire Would '' ( 2014 ) Charting songs `` Be True '' ( 1981 ) `` Ramrod '' ( 1981 ) `` Nebraska '' ( 1982 ) `` Johnny 99 '' ( 1982 ) `` No Surrender '' ( 1984 ) `` Stand on It '' ( 1985 ) `` Trapped '' ( live ) ( 1985 ) `` Because the Night '' ( live ) ( 1986 ) `` Chimes of Freedom '' ( live ) ( 1988 ) `` Youngstown '' ( 1995 ) `` American Skin ( 41 Shots ) '' ( 2001 ) `` Pay Me My Money Down '' ( 2006 ) `` Long Walk Home '' ( 2006 ) `` My City of Ruins '' ( 2011 ) `` Rocky Ground '' ( 2012 ) Other notable songs `` Growin ' Up '' ( 1973 ) `` For You '' ( 1973 ) `` Incident on 57th Street '' ( 1973 ) `` The Fever '' ( 1973 ) `` Thunder Road '' ( 1975 ) `` Night '' ( 1975 ) `` Backstreets '' ( 1975 ) `` She 's the One '' ( 1975 ) `` Meeting Across the River '' ( 1975 ) `` Jungleland '' ( 1975 ) `` Adam Raised a Cain '' ( 1978 ) `` Racing in the Street '' ( 1978 ) `` Darkness on the Edge of Town '' ( 1978 ) `` Stay '' ( 1979 ) `` The Ties That Bind '' ( 1980 ) `` Independence Day '' ( 1980 ) `` Out in the Street '' ( 1980 ) `` Stolen Car '' ( 1980 ) `` Wreck on the Highway '' ( 1980 ) `` Highway Patrolman '' ( 1982 ) `` Darlington County '' ( 1984 ) `` Working on the Highway '' ( 1984 ) `` Downbound Train '' ( 1984 ) `` Bobby Jean '' ( 1984 ) `` Pink Cadillac '' ( 1984 ) `` Jersey Girl '' ( 1986 ) `` Light of Day '' ( 1993 ) `` The New Timer '' ( 1995 ) `` Land of Hope and Dreams '' ( 2012 ) `` Hunter of Invisible Game '' ( 2014 ) Video releases Video Anthology / 1978 -- 88 ( 1989 ) In Concert / MTV Plugged ( 1992 ) Blood Brothers ( 1996 ) The Complete Video Anthology / 1978 -- 2000 ( 2001 ) Live in New York City ( 2001 ) Live in Barcelona ( 2003 ) VH1 Storytellers ( 2005 ) Wings For Wheels ( 2005 ) Hammersmith Odeon London ' 75 ( 2005 ) Live in Dublin ( 2007 ) Magic Tour Highlights ( 2008 ) London Calling : Live in Hyde Park ( 2010 ) The Promise : The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town ( 2010 ) Springsteen & I ( 2013 ) Born in the U.S.A. Live : London 2013 ( 2014 ) A MusiCares Tribute to Bruce Springsteen ( 2014 ) Bruce Springsteen 's High Hopes ( 2014 ) High Hopes in South Africa ( 2014 ) Hunter of Invisible Game ( 2014 ) Concerts Born to Run tours ( 1974 -- 77 ) Darkness Tour ( 1978 ) The River Tour ( 1980 -- 81 ) Born in the U.S.A. Tour ( 1984 -- 85 ) Tunnel of Love Express ( 1988 ) Human Rights Now ! ( 1988 ) Bruce Springsteen 1992 -- 1993 World Tour ( 1992 -- 93 ) Ghost of Tom Joad Tour ( 1995 -- 97 ) Reunion Tour ( 1999 -- 2000 ) Rising Tour ( 2002 -- 03 ) Vote for Change ( 2004 ) Devils & Dust Tour ( 2005 ) Seeger Sessions Band Tour ( 2006 ) Magic Tour ( 2007 -- 08 ) Working on a Dream Tour ( 2009 ) Wrecking Ball Tour ( 2012 - 13 ) High Hopes Tour ( 2014 ) The River Tour 2016 ( 2016 ) Summer ' 17 ( 2017 ) Springsteen on Broadway ( 2017 - 18 ) Related Discography E Street Band Steel Mill The Sessions Band The Miami Horns Born to Run autobiography E Street Radio Little Steven 's Underground Garage Outlaw Pete Mike Appel Jon Landau Brendan O'Brien Bob Clearmountain The Max Weinberg 7 Southside Johnny Joe Grushecky Badlands : A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen 's Nebraska Greetings from E Street Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blinded_by_the_Light&oldid=853151640 '' Categories : 1973 singles 1976 singles 1977 singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Bruce Springsteen songs Manfred Mann songs Mondegreens Songs written by Bruce Springsteen Columbia Records singles Song recordings produced by Mike Appel Debut singles 1972 songs Bronze Records singles Hidden categories : All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from November 2016 All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from October 2016 Use mdy dates from May 2016 Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Hrvatski Italiano 日本 語 Русский Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 2 August 2018, at 19 : 27 ( UTC ). 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Question: who wrote blinded by the light by manfred mann
Answer: Bruce Springsteen