I was 9 years old when this song came out. I think this is the age when you start remembering songs. Now, whenever it plays I get memories of lying in my bed late at night with the clock radio playing at my bedside.
That cheap crappy radio was my window to the music of that era, the late 70s. My brother who was 7 years older than me and light years ahead, had started collecting records at the time and playing them on a real crummy LLoyd's "stereo" system. This was equivalent to a candle brand of today. I wasn't allowed to play anything on that record player, it was his baby. One afternoon I came home with the village people album that I was so proud to own. It was my first record purchase and I was excited to play it. It contained such classic hits such as YMCA and Macho Man (my favorite). When he came home from school and saw that disk spinning on his record player he nearly had a fit and threatend to break the album in two. While he was listening to John Lennon, I was listening to Bay City Rollers. You know, it was a bit of a clash there.
Blinded by the Light was one of those songs, like many back then, where you really couldn't figure out what the lyrics were, or at least at my age I had a hard time. My translation was: Blinded by the light, ripped up like a ducher no roter in the night. How was I suppose to know it actually meant: Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night. Ya, ok, like that makes more sense? I had no idea of what I was listening to. Now that I can go back and look up the lyrics I'm blown away. I have a hard time finding lyrics that can stand up today. Read what else was in this song:
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
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-cart 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.
Mama always told me not to look into the eye's 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, watching the young girls dance.
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone, reminding him of romance.
The calliope crashed to the ground.
Lyrics courtesy of Leo's Lyrics website.
http://www.leoslyrics.com
