How should I observe the passing of
Clarence Clemons? An obvious choice would be "
Jungleland", which is often cited as having one of
Clemons' best solos (it occurs ~ 4:03 in this
live 1978 version). Instead, I'm going with a song most people probably don't know was written by Bruce: "
Blinded by the Light", the first (and ultimately unsuccessful) single from Bruce's first LP, 1973's "
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.".
"Blinded by the Light" was later made famous by
Manfred Mann's Earth Band as a single from their 1976 LP "
The Roaring Silence". Whereas Bruce's version was still very much in
Dylan's shadow, MMEB trimmed the voluminous lyrics (
original lyrics vs.
MMEB's lyrics), provided a slick 70s synth sound, and added some clever counterpoint at the end. The Manfred Mann version came in two versions, both of which you still hear regularly on classic rock radio: a 7 minute LP version and a 4 minute single version. And while it very much sounds like a mid-70s song, I never tire of it (see also: "
Cruel to be Kind").
The various characters in the song (the drummer, diplomat, mascot, preacher, chaperone, etc.) are partially explained in the
VH1 Storytellers DVD, but the interesting explanation is cut short by the video's editors! Danette bought this as a Christmas present a few years ago precisely because she knows I'm fascinated by this song's cast of characters and she thought all would finally be explained. Unless someone has an unedited version of this performance we'll never know who all these people are (though it is clear they are all real, or at least based on real characters). I've seen various explanations on the web, but none that I'd consider canonical. And if you're only familiar with the MMEB's version, you're missing out on the those that MMEB removed: the "hazard from Harvard", the "dude" from Scotland Yard, the shooting star, and the avatar.
While "Blinded by the Light" is probably not the first song you think of when Clarence Clemons is mentioned, I will point out that it is
one of only two GFAPNJ songs on which Clemons appears and as such I consider it a fitting tribute.
Bruce Springsteen:
studio version,
1974 live version,
2009 live version,
VH1 Storytellers version (starts at ~9:00 into the video).
Manfred Mann's Earth Band:
LP version,
Single version,
1975 live version.
