Manfred Mann's Earth Band's version of "Blinded By The Light" is order of magnitudes better than Springsteen's version. Kudo's to Bruce Springsteen for writing it, but Manfred Mann's Earth Band just took it to a new level! I've been a professional guitar player for 45+ years and Dave Flett's solo on "Blinded By The Light" remains my favorite guitar solo of all time. All the versions of Dylan and Springsteen songs they did were pure ear candy to me.
Oh you are a "professional guitar player"? Who gives a $hit. Whether or not it is "better" is pointless. BS wrote it. He doesn't like the cover. The point wasn't which was "better". What song did you write "professional"?
I was in 7th grade when Manfred Mann released his version of BBTL. Chris Thompson on vocals is phenomenal, that song was wildly popular at the time and still is. I have it added to several different playlists and listen to it quite often.
Springsteen wrote the song and he performed it in a really different way. He did it the way he imagined it. It is fine if he didn't like another version. I happen to love the MM version, the arrangement is brilliant and they basically make it a different song - and that is also a strength of what they did. But if you were a visual artist who specialised in minimalist, line work and someone else took your piece and made it in the style of the Sistine Chapel ... It may also be that Manfred Mann's bands suffered a bit from an image as a very contrived pop band who took other people's songs (especially Dylan) and made them into radio friendly jingles (which is something Mann did for a living). The image isn't the reality. Mann was an accomplished performer with a serious music background in classical and jazz and he always brought in extremely competent musicians, so even the 60's pop was high quality with excellent arrangements. But mud sticks. Springsteen (rightly) sees himself as a serious artist, a roots musician and it may have been jarring that a band with MM's reputation took a pretty stripped back song and turned it into a fairly baroque arrangement.
Funny that Randy Bachman said he didn't care for MMEB said the singer was too screechy . Said this on his CBC radio show. I always thought if there was one band I could see live before I pass it would be MMEB.
Everyone assumes Bruce was jealous of Mann’s version. Not necessarily! You are able to not like something. It doesn’t mean you are jealous. Both versions are awesome
Totally agree. Loved MMs version but as the writer of the song he is entitled to dislike it. Music is subjective. I wonder what McCartney thought of “with a little help from my friends”
Manfred Mann’s was so much better, I never heard Springsteen’s, so when I heard it was a cover I went and listen to his version, I laughed. I couldn’t even get through it.
Half-agree. "Jungleland" is epic, especially with The Big Man's amazing sax solo. And Bruce has written and recorded some hard rocking bangers like "Adam Raised A Cain" and "Candy's Room." Darkness On The Edge Of Town (perhaps inspired by the vocals of Robin Trower singer James Dewar) is by far his best album to date. When he got overly political is where is his career took a nosedive, despite the tremendous success of Born In The USA.
I agree to an extent, but much like Dylan, there are some Bruce songs that only sound good with him singing them. It has less to do with singing ability and more to do with the feeling and intonation his voice brings to the lyrics.
He's got to love the money.🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑 It made him richER.😏 I willingly go beyond the others (so far) and say. His original SUCKS. It never would have sold on it's own.
Springsteen's versions is absolutely far better to my ears. Manfred Mann's Earth Band destroyed it, and when it comes on my radio, I either throw the radio across the room or vomit. It has to stop, because I hate it that much. If you love the cover, then enjoy and leave me alone. My opinion on this will never change. Although I know the lyrics, what I think I am hearing from the cover version is "Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche with a boner in the night." Yeah, I know that is not right, but it sounds a lot like that. And, that is the kindest thing I can say about it. It sounds like a 12 year old whining.
Manfred Mann's Earth Band's version of "Blinded By The Light" is order of magnitudes better than Springsteen's version. Kudo's to Bruce Springsteen for writing it, but Manfred Mann's Earth Band just took it to a new level! I've been a professional guitar player for 45+ years and Dave Flett's solo on "Blinded By The Light" remains my favorite guitar solo of all time. All the versions of Dylan and Springsteen songs they did were pure ear candy to me.
Oh you are a "professional guitar player"? Who gives a $hit. Whether or not it is "better" is pointless. BS wrote it. He doesn't like the cover. The point wasn't which was "better". What song did you write "professional"?
No worries Chris. Bruce hated that version of the song because it was BETTER than his. LOL! And he couldn't accept that!
Springsteen was blown off the stage by Manfred Mann’s version TOTALY !!! Springsteen’s version sounded like a fly caught in molasses !
I was in 7th grade when Manfred Mann released his version of BBTL. Chris Thompson on vocals is phenomenal, that song was wildly popular at the time and still is. I have it added to several different playlists and listen to it quite often.
Manfred Mann owns the song, much like Cocker took A Little Help from My Friends….but I love Bruce’s version..it’s funky
Springsteen wrote the song and he performed it in a really different way. He did it the way he imagined it. It is fine if he didn't like another version. I happen to love the MM version, the arrangement is brilliant and they basically make it a different song - and that is also a strength of what they did. But if you were a visual artist who specialised in minimalist, line work and someone else took your piece and made it in the style of the Sistine Chapel ...
It may also be that Manfred Mann's bands suffered a bit from an image as a very contrived pop band who took other people's songs (especially Dylan) and made them into radio friendly jingles (which is something Mann did for a living). The image isn't the reality. Mann was an accomplished performer with a serious music background in classical and jazz and he always brought in extremely competent musicians, so even the 60's pop was high quality with excellent arrangements. But mud sticks. Springsteen (rightly) sees himself as a serious artist, a roots musician and it may have been jarring that a band with MM's reputation took a pretty stripped back song and turned it into a fairly baroque arrangement.
As an Iowan who listens to Stranded in Iowa during every single snowstorm we have, I'd love to hear stuff from Manfred Mann about that song....
Robin Williams doing Elmer Fudd covering "Fire" - "I'm dwivin' in my cah . . . I tun on da wadio . . ." 😄
And they did “Spirit in the Night” before Bruce was even famous. I forgot about that too….
What did Bruce think about their cover of, “For You” which was a few years later? I thought it was great!
Chris Thompson - great voice and genuinely nice guy
Wonderful human being and an amazing singer.
His work with Patrick Simmons on his 1983 album “Arcade” is phenomenal.
STUNNED! Loved that song - 1st 45 I ever bought!!??! ($1.30)
Of course he did, the Manfred Mann version blew his out of the water.
Bruce Springsteen... he was big around New Jersey.... Never cared much for his music
Springsteen probably loved the royalty checks from MMEB's version.
Yeah Bruce didn't like the covers of his song.......but he still cashed the cheques. Another hypocrite
Bruce from Jersey:
a reliable source for songs
that OTHER PEOPLE do better !!
MMEB do KILLER versions of "For You" and "Spirits In The Night" too!!!
I like some of Springsteens music but HATE his communist politics! F.J.B. Lets Go Brandon! TRUMP 2024!
Funny that Randy Bachman said he didn't care for MMEB said the singer was too screechy . Said this on his CBC radio show.
I always thought if there was one band I could see live before I pass it would be MMEB.
Everyone assumes Bruce was jealous of Mann’s version. Not necessarily! You are able to not like something. It doesn’t mean you are jealous. Both versions are awesome
Totally agree. Loved MMs version but as the writer of the song he is entitled to dislike it. Music is subjective. I wonder what McCartney thought of “with a little help from my friends”
Manfred Mann's version is so much better The Boss's version ten-fold.
I bet Bruce was happy to get that paycheck from BBTL as it was a #1 at a time when Bruce was forbidden legally to record at that time.
Well no matter how much he might have hated it, it did nothing short of salvaging his career...
He hated Manfred Mann's version because it blew the original out of the water
Bruce before 💥 He's confident. He's rocking it . "Twang" "Twang". .
Then... Bruce after
He hears this. 💥🔥 😳😨😡
Manfred Mann’s was so much better, I never heard Springsteen’s, so when I heard it was a cover I went and listen to his version, I laughed. I couldn’t even get through it.
@gypsynomadstonerwelshmen says " Exactly , Dude , @ bbsd "
I liked it.
Bruce Springsteen was JEALOUS, JEALOUS, JEALOUS. 😠 😡 😤 😣 😾 🤬
I sort of agree with Bruce on Blinded but I thought the cover of “Fire” was excellent.
Wondering what Bruce thought of The Hollies version of his song Sandy. Another cover that sounded better IMHO.
the phaser guitar part of the song kinda blew it for me
Springsteen is like Dylan. Good songwriter, terrible singer. He should be grateful to anyone that’d do his song and make it tolerable to listen to.
Steve Walsh of Kansas ridiculed Bruce when he got arrested somewhere in rural Kansas for DUI.
Half-agree. "Jungleland" is epic, especially with The Big Man's amazing sax solo. And Bruce has written and recorded some hard rocking bangers like "Adam Raised A Cain" and "Candy's Room." Darkness On The Edge Of Town (perhaps inspired by the vocals of Robin Trower singer James Dewar) is by far his best album to date. When he got overly political is where is his career took a nosedive, despite the tremendous success of Born In The USA.
@@davej.meister5421 That never happened. Walsh had an alcohol problem himself that nearly killed him in a car wreck in Georgia.
I agree to an extent, but much like Dylan, there are some Bruce songs that only sound good with him singing them. It has less to do with singing ability and more to do with the feeling and intonation his voice brings to the lyrics.
Bottom line: Without Bruce, this song would have had no lyrics.
Manfred Man hit this song out of the park. Springsteens version is poor. Bit like Manfred Mann version of Mighty Quinn. Dylan's original is minging!
LIKE IT OR NOT,M.F.M. TOOK B.S. TUNE TO NO. 1.
BOTH MADE BIG $$
Better than his entire oeuvre.
It was light years better than his version! I just think he was jealous 😂.
One of the most over rated artists ever. He has 2 or 3 good songs.
Everything else is pretty poor 😕
Springsteen is notoriously not a fan of most prog-rock, so this makes sense that he would not have approved of MMEB's version.
Blinded by the light by Manfred Mann's Earth band was 100 times better than Bruce Springsteen's version that's for sure.
Please tell me you’re not surprised…
Typical Bruce..
Only because it is far superior to his own version😕
The original isn't bad. It's just that Chris and MMEB put some much needed life into the song. Bruce is jealous.
he hated it because it was better than his !
Can't blame BS that song got wayyyyyyyyyy to much airplay meanwhile Robert Gordon made Fire an epic tune which got zero airplay go figure.
Manfred Mann’s version made it what it should have been. Bruce’s version isn’t very good IMO
What do you mean?? You don't like the twangy version??? 🤔🤨🥴😬😐🫢😁😄
Bruce didn't like it. And???? So what, Bruce is lucky, really lucky, to get the break he got.
I bet Springsteen liked the money made from that song.
Bruce’s version is crap. Manfred Mann saved that song.
Well bruce made a lot of money from it so it couldn’t hurt too bad
Jealousy
He's got to love the money.🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑
It made him richER.😏
I willingly go beyond the others (so far) and say. His original SUCKS. It never would have sold on it's own.
I hate Springsteens original 🤷♂️
Springsteen's versions is absolutely far better to my ears. Manfred Mann's Earth Band destroyed it, and when it comes on my radio, I either throw the radio across the room or vomit. It has to stop, because I hate it that much. If you love the cover, then enjoy and leave me alone. My opinion on this will never change. Although I know the lyrics, what I think I am hearing from the cover version is "Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche with a boner in the night." Yeah, I know that is not right, but it sounds a lot like that. And, that is the kindest thing I can say about it. It sounds like a 12 year old whining.