Blinded by the Light
Manfred Mann's Earth Band Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer
with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps
His way into his hat
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

The calliope crashed to the ground

But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

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"
And go-kart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride

Asked me if I needed a ride

But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light

She got down but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night
She's gonna make it through the night

But mama, that's where the fun is
But mama, that's where the fun is
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is

Some brimstone baritone anticyclone rolling stone
Preacher from the east
Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in it's funny bone
That's where they expect it least"
And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner
Watchin' the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone
Remindin' him of romance

The calliope crashed to the ground

But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

Blinded by the light (madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (with a teenage diplomat)
Blinded by the light (in the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (his way into his hat)
Blinded by the light (with a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (I tripped the merry-go-round)
Blinded by the light (with this very unpleasin' sneezin' and wheezin')
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (the calliope crashed to the ground)
Blinded by the light (now Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (and throws his lover in the sand)
Blinded by the light (and some bloodshot forget-me-not said daddy's within earshot)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (save the buckshot, turn up the band)
Blinded by the light (some silicone sister with a manager mister)
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (told me I got what it takes)
Blinded by the light (she said, "I'll turn you on, sonny, to something strong")





She got down, but she never got tired
She's gonna make it through the night

Overall Meaning

"Blinded by the Light" is a song that speaks about a young man who gets lost in a sea of different experiences, including drummers, diplomats, and Indians in the summer. The song is about a journey that doesn't have a clear path, but keeps on moving forward, with the singer feeling rejuvenated as he discovers himself.


The lyrics take the form of a journey, both literally and metaphorically. The singer of the song is a young man who is trying to find his way in life. He is revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night. This phrase is a metaphor for someone who is running, but not really sure where he is going. The phrase "blinded by the light" refers to the young man trying to make sense of everything he is experiencing, but struggling to find a clear path.


Throughout the song, there are many references to different experiences, such as a calliope crashing to the ground, a silicone sister with a manager, and a preacher from the east. These references allude to various aspects of American culture and society, highlighting the diverse range of experiences that shape people's lives.


Line by Line Meaning

Blinded by the light
Someone is blinded by the brightness of a light


Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
They are energized and ready to go, like a fast car or runner racing through the night


Madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
A chaotic scene with crazy drummers, Native Americans in the hot summer, and a young, inexperienced diplomat trying to handle it all


In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat
Feeling down and sick with the mumps, but trying to stay energized and confident as a teenager


With a boulder on my shoulder, feelin' kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round
Feeling weighed down and tired, like carrying a heavy rock, and stumbling through life's ups and downs


With this very unpleasin' sneezin' and wheezin' the calliope crashed to the ground
Suffering from uncomfortable sneezing and wheezing, while a large musical instrument falls to the ground


She got down but she never got tired,She's gonna make it through the night
A woman is determined to keep going and overcome any obstacles, even if she becomes physically tired


Some silicone sister with a manager mister Told me I got what it takes
A fake woman with plastic surgery and her male manager try to convince someone that they have what it takes to succeed


She said, "I'll turn you on, sonny, to something strong Play the song with the funky break"
She promises to help him discover a powerful force and suggests a song with an exciting and unusual musical style


And go-kart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart To see if it was safe outside
A person who is silly or eccentric, named after a famous composer, is checking the weather to decide if it's safe to go outside


And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly And asked me if I needed a ride
A child with a curly hairstyle offered to give someone a ride


Some brimstone baritone anticyclone rolling stone Preacher from the east
A preacher with a booming voice and fiery attitude, from the eastern part of the country, is on the move


Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone That's where they expect it least"
He suggests overthrowing a machine that records speech and hitting it in a surprising way in order to throw people off guard


And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner Watchin' the young girls dance
A new chaperone, freshly cut like a lawn, is watching over young girls who are dancing


And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone Remindin' him of romance
A moonstone gem, planted recently like a seed, is causing someone to remember romantic feelings


Blinded by the light (madman drummers bummers, Indians in the summer) Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (with a teenage diplomat)
Repeating refrains from earlier in the song to emphasize the chaos and energy of the scene


Now Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot And throws his lover in the sand
A man named Scott has found a weakness in his partner and uses it to harm them


And some bloodshot forget-me-not said daddy's within earshot Save the buckshot, turn up the band
Someone with red eyes like a forget-me-not plant warns that a father is nearby, and suggests making noise to avoid being caught


Blinded by the light (some silicone sister with a manager mister) Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night (told me I got what it takes)
Repeating the refrain to emphasize the false promises of a woman and her male manager


But mama, that's where the fun is Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
Someone's mother warned them not to do something dangerous, but they think that's where the excitement lies


But mama, that's where the fun is
Repeating the emphasized refrain to highlight the conflict between the mother's warnings and the desire for fun




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@jeffcoat1959

Dave Flett's guitar solo... one of my favorites.

@slayer51811

His solo is what made me fall in love with this song

@ZER0--

Wah wah. In a good way.

@Faithjoy508

It's about drag racing.

@YourMom-jk3gh

Whoa now 😘🍷✌️

@kinmd

Written and recorded first by Bruce Springsteen

34 More Replies...

@Guitarzan8

MN man in my 60's here. With over 11k comments I don't expect anyone to read this, but I need to say something. I LOVE 70's rock with organ in it. Sometimes I feel like I'm alone there, but Manfred Mann, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, even come early REO Speedwagon just turns my crank!! I play guitar in a few bands and the keys add SO MUCH!

@daisywrabbit

yes!!!

@misaloon

@Speakno12

I hear you loud and clear!!

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