Bruce Springsteen is one of the greatest singers and performers of the past several decades. His songs are inarguably gems.
Interestingly, however, The Boss has crafted 11 number one albums, but has not enjoyed the same luck with his singles. None of them got to the top spot on the charts. Actually, the Springsteen-written “Blinded by the Light” did ascend to the chart peak, but as a cover by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. Their funky take on the tune was very successful. Per faroutmagazine.co.uk, “Manfred Mann’s Earth Band recorded ‘Blinded by the Light’ for their 1976 album The Roaring Silence, and the single went on to top the Billboard Hot 100,…”
Bruce Springsteen And Manfred Mann Had Different Thoughts About One Line Of The Song
One line of “Blinded by the Light” was the subject of some contention between Springsteen and Mann. That line in the Springsteen version is “cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night.” Well, the Earth Band had other ideas for that lyric. Per the outlet, drummer and backing singer Chris Slade articulated those ideas.
What Was The Source Of The Problem?
As Slade told it, “I don’t think Springsteen liked our ‘Blinded by the Light’, ‘cos we sang ‘wrapped up like a douche’, and it wasn’t written like that, and I screwed it up completely. Warners in America said, ‘You’ve got to change ‘douche’, cos the Southern Bible belt radio stations think it’s about a vaginal douche, and they have problems with body parts down there’. We tried to change it to ‘deuce’, but then the rest of the track sounded horrible, so we had to leave it. We just said, ‘If it’s not a hit, it’s not.'”
He added, “Apparently Springsteen thought we’d done it deliberately. Which we hadn’t, so if I ever saw him I’d avoid him and cringe away like a frightened little boy!”
The Song Was A Hit And Springsteen Later Laughed Off The Bothersome Lyric
Per the outlet via VH1 Storytellers in 2005, Springsteen said, “Cut loose like a deuce, another runner in the night. This is an interesting line. This song is my only number one song. I have never had another number one song, and it wasn’t done by me. It was done by Manfred Mann, which I appreciate!”
He continued, “But they changed this line. Mine said, ‘Cut loose like a deuce’. Theirs said, ‘Cut loose like a douche’. I have a feeling that that is why the song skyrocketed to number one! Deuce was like, little deuce coupe, a two seater hot-rod. Douche, of course, is a feminine hygienic procedure. So they’re different! But what can I say? The public has spoken.”
Discussion about this post