BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

Live 31 Oct 1973 (late show) version



Well now, madman drummers bummers and 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, was feelin' kinda older, I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground
Some all-hot half-shot was headin' for the hot spot snappin' his fingers clappin' his hands
Some fleshpot mascot was tied into a lover's knot with a whatnot in her hand
And young Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot, throws his lover in the sand
Some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers, "Daddy's within earshot, save the buckshot, turn up the band"

And we were blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
We got down but we never got tight, he's gonna make it alright

Some brimstone baritone anti-cyclone rolling stone preacher from the east
He said, "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone, that's where they expect it least"
Some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner all alone watchin' the young girls dance
Some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone to remind him of the feeling of romance

And he was blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
He got down but he never got tight, he's gonna make it alright tonight

Some silicone sister with her manager's mister told me I got what it takes
She said, "I'll turn you on sonny, to something strong if you'll play that song with the funky break"
And Go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe to go outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in her curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride
Oh, some hazard from Harvard was skunked on beer playin' backyard bombardier
And Scotland Yard was trying hard, they sent some dude with a calling card, said, "Do what you like, but don't do it here"
Well, I jumped up, turned around, spit in the air, fell on the ground
Asked him which was the way back home
He said, "Take a right at the light, keep goin' straight until night, and then, boys, you're on your own"

Now in Zanzibar a shootin' star was ridin' in a side car hummin' a lunar tune
The avatar said, "Blow the bar but first remove the cookie jar we're gonna teach those boys to laugh too soon"
Some kidnapped handicap was complainin' that he caught the clap from some mousetrap he bought last night
Well I unsnapped his skull cap, between his ears I saw a gap and figured he'd be all right

He was just blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
He got down but he never got tight, he's gonna make it alright tonight

Blinded by the light
Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
He got down but he never got sights of the sun
Oh, but mama that's where the fun is
Ooh, yeah
(I was blinded) alright mama
(I was blinded) alright now
(I was blinded) alright now
(I was blinded) alright now
(I was blinded) oh yeah
(I was blinded) I was blinded
(I was blinded) I was blinded
(I was blinded) I was blinded
I was blinded


Info

The above lyrics are for the live 31 Oct 1973 (late show) performance of BLINDED BY THE LIGHT at The Main Point in Bryn Mawr, PA, during what is considered The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle Tour. The song was performed in a full-band album-style arrangement, much like the versions from earlier in the year but with a somewhat more experimental, "Dylanesque" vocal.

Bruce Springsteen performed three nights, two shows each night, at The Main Point between 29 and 31 Oct 1973. He was the headliner and local acoustic trio Wire And Wood were the opening act. This version of BLINDED BY THE LIGHT is from a circulating 13-song audience tape that is believed to be the late 31 Oct 1973 show.

Promotional ad for the 30 and 31 Oct 1973 shows at The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
Promotional ad for the 30 and 31 Oct 1973 shows at The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
(Taken from Brucebase)

Credits / References

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake). Most of the above info about Springsteen's 3-night residency at The Main Point is taken from Brucebase.

Available Versions

List of available versions of BLINDED BY THE LIGHT on this website:

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Album version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 09 Jan 1973 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 02 Mar 1973 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 31 Oct 1973 (late show) version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 06 Jan 1974 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 07 Apr 1976 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 26 Jun 1993 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 22 Apr 1996 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 23 Oct 1999 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 18 Aug 2001 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 20 Feb 2003 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 06 Aug 2003 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 04 Apr 2005 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 25 Jun 2005 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 11 Nov 2006 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 31 Jul 2008 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 22 Nov 2009 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 15 Apr 2014 version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Manfred Mann's Earth Band's cover version]
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Eagles Of Death Metal's cover version]

Page last updated: 07 Aug 2010