Aug. 27, 1976 - Manfred Mann's Earth Band and Blinded By The Light

Just two days after my last release, a new band joins my library when Manfred Mann's Earth Band released their seventh album "The Roaring Silence" on August 27, 1976. I only have one song off this album and it's also my only song by this band, called "Blinded By The Light" which is actually a Bruce Springsteen cover. But who are Manfred Mann's Earth Band? They were a 4-piece rock band formed in London, England fronted by singer and keyboardist Manfred Mann. He is joined by original members Colin Pattenden (bass) and Chris Slade (drums), as well as Dave Flett (lead guitar) and Chris Hamlet Thompson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar). As I like to say, I am not actually a Manfred Mann fan, but this song became a huge hit and I agree that it's really well done. Mann opens it up with some cool keyboards and Thompson sings the chorus for the first time. His voice sounds pretty good and the chorus contains a line, "revved up like a deuce" that is commonly misheard as "douche". It really does sound like doche though! The verses are sung very quickly and contain a lot of nonsense lyrics, but it still sounds really catchy. Flett plays a cool little guitar riff that brings us back to the chorus then it's off for another crazy verse. After another chorus they slow it right down for a cool guitar solo as Flett starts slow, playing some epic notes. "But mama, that's where the fun is" marks the spot when Flett really turns it up as he plays some awesome stuff. We hear a brief piano interlude that is actually just "chopsticks", which seems a little odd but sounds pretty good! We hear another cool verse and this time once they reach the chorus they keep it going on repeat. Thompson fires off another pretty quick verse overtop of the chorus as I'm sure having the audience sing the chorus live must've sounded great. They use the same segue as earlier to come out of the chorus softly as they softly lay this song to bed. I thought it was pretty cool and really well done but that's it for Manfred Mann in my library!

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