Music Blog

They’ve Got It Covered

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶


Today in Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday post
entitled ‘Transcending the Original’, he has asked us
to write about a song we feel was better than the original.
Written for Song Lyric Sunday, here are my songs.

When people hear the term “cover songs”, they usually think of some cheesy wedding band singer plowing his way through George Harrison’s “Something”. These days, cover songs make up an extremely wide category and can be found on every video sharing website. There are some excellent cover bands – the ones whose entire act consists of nothing but covers of well-known songs – groups such as The British Invasion, Shades of Blue, Rhinestone Rodeo, and my favorite, First To Eleven. For today’s theme, I chose not to go with a professional cover band; instead I have chosen artists who have their own extensive catalog of original songs but also have done some excellent covers. I’m featuring two songs …. one originally done by a performer I don’t really care for and another done by one of my favorite bands of all time.

My first song is “Blinded By The Light”, original by Bruce Springsteen, cover by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. No disrespect to Springsteen but I cannot get into him, no matter how many times I’ve tried. His music and the E Street Band are terrific but Springsteen is slightly but consistently off key when singing and his voice does nothing for me. That’s just the way it is and there’s nothing that can be done about it.

Both versions of “Blinded by the Light” are well-known songs with similar melodies and lyrics, but distinct vocals and styles. Springsteen’s version is laid-back folk rock while Manfred Mann’s is a prog-rock anthem. When putting their own spin on “Blinded By The Light”, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band slightly changed a few of Springsteen’s original lyrics. The most recognizable part of the song, “Revved up like a deuce/Another runner in the night”, was initially “Cut lose like a deuce/Another runner in the night”. “Deuce” is a reference to the 1932 V8-powered Ford automobile, which car enthusiasts dubbed the “deuce coupe”.

Manfred Mann’s cover is just as well-known as the original, if not more. While they used their particular sound and style to make it their own, the Earth Band kept Springsteen’s vision at the core. Both versions have distinct vocals and massively talented bands, yet the songs are totally unique. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s version is evidence that the perfect cover is an equal blend of creativity and respect.

“Blinded By The Light” was written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen; it appears on his 1973 debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Here is the original version by Springsteen.

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band released their version of “Blinded By The Light” on their 1976 album, The Roaring Silence. The track reached #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100  and the Canadian RPM charts. Manfred Mann’s recording is Springsteen’s only song to reach #1 in the US. This is “Blinded By The Light” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.

LYRICS

Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

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!

But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

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-kart 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!

But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light

She got down, but she never got tired
She’s gonna make it through the night
She’s gonna make it through the night

But, mama, that’s where the fun is

But mama, that’s where the fun is
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes 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 its funny bone
That’s where they expect it least
And some new-mown chaperone standin’ in the corner
Watchin’ the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin’ with his frozen zone
Remind him of romance

The calliope crashed to the ground!

But she was blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

blinded by the light
(Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(In the dumps with the mumps) blinded by the light
(As the adolescent pumps his way into his hat) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

blinded by the light
(I tripped the merry-go-round) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(With this very unpleasin’, sneezin’ and wheezin’) blinded by the light
(The calliope crashed to the ground) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

blinded by the light
(And throws his lover in the sand) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(And some bloodshot, forget-me-not said daddy’s within earshot) blinded by the light
(Save the buckshot, turn up the band) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night

blinded by the light
(Told me I got what it takes) revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night
(She said, “I’ll turn you on, son, into something strong”)

She got down but she never got tired
She’s gonna make it through the night

Source: MusixmatchSongwriter: Bruce Springsteen
Blinded by the Light lyrics © Sony Pop Music Publishing, Eldridge Publishing Co.

🎶 🎶 🎶 🎶 🎶 🎶 🎶 🎶

My second song today is “With A Little Help From My Friends”, original by the Beatles, cover by Joe Cocker from the Beatles 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The Beatles’“With A Little Help From My Friends” was written primarily by Paul McCartney with contributions from John Lennon, and sung by drummer Ringo Starr (as singer Billy Shears from the Sgt. Pepper band). In 1978, the Beatles’ recording, paired with the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” song, was reissued as a single; these days Ringo regularly performs the song in concert as a solo artist.

Joe Cocker was just a 24-year-old blues singer from Sheffield, UK when his debut album came out in 1968. It was named after the song “With a Little Help From My Friends”, but Cocker wasn’t about to just rehash the psychedelia evoked by the Fab Four. No, he was going to make one of the greatest blue-eyed soul songs of all time. Taking influence from Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, Cocker took the fluffy, bubbly buoyancy of Ringo Starr’s original singing and injected it with a slowed down tempo, heavy, rough-edged guitars and a voice like none we’d ever heard before. He’d perform the song at Woodstock a year later and then again at Isle of Wight two weeks after. In 2001, the Grammy Hall of Fame enshrined Joe Cocker’s version of “With A Little Help From My Friends” forever; he also performed it at Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. Paul McCartney called Cocker’s version “mind blowing” , saying “He (Cocker) totally turned the song into a soul anthem and I will be forever grateful to him for doing that”.

Not just two songs today but two anthems! And what I wrote earlier about Manfred Mann’s Earth Band is also true for Joe Cocker: his version is evidence that the perfect cover is an equal blend of creativity and respect.

This is “With A Little Help From My Friends” by the Beatles from their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

This is “With A Little Help From My Friends” by Joe Cocker

LYRICS

What would you do if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
I will try not to sing out of key
Oh, baby I get by (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
All I need is my buddies (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I say I'm gonna get high (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh yeah (Ooh)
What do I do when my love is away?
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
No no
How do I feel at the end of the day?
(Are you sad because you're on your own?)
I tell ya I don't get sad no more
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Gonna get by with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Yeah yeah, I'm gonna try (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Keep on getting high, oh Lord (Ooh)
(Do you need anybody?)
I need somebody to love
(Could it be anybody?)
All I need is someone
That's just where I'm going, yeah
Somebody knows that's where I'm showing
Baby
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Said I'm gonna make it with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh, I'm gonna keep on trying (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I'm gonna keep on trying (Ooh)
(Would you believe in a love at first sight?)
I'm certain it happens all the time, yeah
(What do you see when you turn out the light?)
I can't tell you but it sure feels like mine
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Don't you know I'm gonna make it with my friends? (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I promised myself I'd get by (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Said I'm gonna try and not work too hard (Ooh)
(Do you need anybody?)
Well I, yeah yeah yeah
(Could it be anybody?)
Oh there's gotta be somebody
Don't treat me wrong Lord
Oh yeah yeah
(Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Said I'm gonna get by with my friends, yeah (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh, yes I'm gonna keep trying, now (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Keep on trying with my friends (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
Oh, I'm never gonna stop there, oh (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I'm gonna keep on trying, yeah yeah (Ah, with a little help from my friends)
I'm getting high, I'm gonna make time, oh Lord (Ooh)
Gonna get by with my friends
Oh, I'm gonna get on by, yes I'm gonna get on by, my Lord
I'm gonna tell them all about it, I'm gonna tell them all, yeah yeah

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: John Lennon/Paul McCartney
With a Little Help from My Friends lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, TuneCore Inc.

Transcending the Original

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to some tunes.

And that’s all she wrote. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2025

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy ~ The Writer Formerly Known As The Sicilian Storyteller, Nancy ~ The Sicilian Storyteller, Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller), The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk, and The Rhythm Section, and are not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

52 thoughts on “They’ve Got It Covered”

  2. Hi Nancy sorry I am so late to the party and what a party it is! Two great covers Manfred Mann and Joe Cocker…what a great line up for a gig!!!

    Thanks again for such a great post full of amazing info and opinions. 💜💜💜💜

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  3. I do like Springsteen, but agree that Manfred Mann’s cover surpassed it. And Cocker’s version of “A Little Help…” is probably the only cover I’ve ever considered worthy of comparison to any of The Beatles’ originals. Ah, memory lane.

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  4. I really like the cover versions of both these songs better than the originals. I’ve never ever been a fan of Springsteen, and I’ve always been a fan of Joe Cocker. Of course the Beatles can’t be beat, but these came close. 🙂

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  5. Great post and song picks, Nancy. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band were hugely popular in Germany while I was growing up there in the ’70s, and I liked them a lot as well. I got their albums “Watch” and “Angel Station” and wore out both of those vinyls. I still own both copies from back then! 🙂

    I also first knew “Blinded by the Light” because of the Earth Band’s rendition. In fact, due to my youthful innocence, I cheerfully assumed it was their song – until I finally found out in 1986 that it actually was written by Bruce Springsteen. That year, I had gotten Springsteen’s “Live 1975–85” box-set, which was a huge eye-opener to me in terms of learning about other famous songs the Boss had written/co-written, such as “Fire” and “Because the Night.”

    It took me a while to get used to Springsteen’s original version of “Blinded by the Light” and “Spirit In the Night”, for that matter. Today, I dig both of them and still like the Earth Band’s covers.

    Last but not least, Joe Cocker’s version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” is my favorite rock remake of all time. Cocker really took that song and made it his own. In fact, I prefer his rendition over the original – something I rarely say when it comes to The Beatles! 🙂

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    1. Hi, Christian! Very cool comments. First, I’d like to address the Germany factor. Are you German or perhaps a military brat? Christian is a popular German name. Obviously, I am not German with a handle such as mine but I did attend a German Lutheran school in New York for 12 years and studied German for 8 years (long story). That was eons ago and today I can ask such burning questions as “What time is it?’, “Where are my galoshes?”, “Is Ulriche going to the dance?” and, my personal favorite, “What’s wrong? You look very pale.” LOL! Those questions and a few others wouldn’t get me very far in Germany. I still can sing “Mein Hut Der Hat Drei Ecken” und “Stille Nacht“!

      I’m delighted to know you enjoyed today’s post. The positive thing I can say about Springsteen is he’s a wonderful lyricist; I’ll never take that away from him but I just cannot get into his singing.

      We’re definitely in agreement on Joe Cocker. There’s no way anyone can ever record a better version of With a Little Help….. than him. I used the word “enshrined” when writing about the Grammy Hall of Fame and this version of the song; I was not exaggerating. It’s an anthem, yes, but it is also an international treasure and treasures must be enshrined.

      Thanks again, Christian, for your great comments.

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      1. Thanks, Nancy. Yep, I’m German and still a German citizen. I was born in Heidelberg and lived in Germany for nearly 27 years. I’ve now permanently lived in the US for almost 28 years.

        In-between, I also studied in the US for 2 years and worked in Ukraine for a little over 2 years – now you can figure out my approximate age! 🙂

        Wow, I’m impressed you studied German for 8 years. It’s not an easy language to learn. I’m not sure I could have done it, had I been a foreigner. That said, I’m reminded of a silly joke/comment by one of my dad’s longtime friends: “How could it be difficult to learn German? Even small kids in Germany know it!”

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        1. Hahaha! That’s a great old joke and you can use it for any country in the world!

          As far as studying German for 8 years, I really had no choice; it was the only language offered in the elementary school but when I graduated into the high school, I switched to Latin (again, at that time, the only other language offered). I know the school language curriculum is much more diverse now. The German I studied was extremely light and conversational. As I said earlier, I wouldn’t have gotten very far in Germany without a translator! Your written English is perfect; your spoken English, I’m sure, is also perfect. Do you speak with a German accent or have you lost it completely?

          Math was never my forte but I was able to figure out that you are still a very young man and younger than me. These days, it seems like everyone is younger than me! 😂

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          1. ‘A very young man,’ Nancy – I like it. I’m 58 but 26 at heart!😆

            And, yes, I think I’ll never lose my German accent. It’s not as strong as Arnold (who in any case is Austrian), but it also depends on the time of the day. It tends to get more pronounced the more tired I get!

            Most Americans I’ve met thought I might be Dutch. Some thought I’m from Ireland. The latter I don’t quite get!😀

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  8. You chose two perfect songs today for the theme, Nancy. I didn’t like Bruce when I first hear him, because I thought he sang too fast and garbled his words, so I couldn’t tell what he was singing. I actually had the same problem with early Bob Dylan, but over the years they both grew on me. Joe Cocker took ownership with ever song that he ever sang, and this song is the best example of that,

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    1. Jim, you’re right about Dylan but I embraced him from the very beginning. For me he was The Bard, the voice of protest for our generation. His style of singing endeared him to us. He’s a genius but back then we called it “heavy“. And he won the goddamn Nobel Peace Prize ….. something I don’t see happening with Springsteen any time soon. I have only one Boss and that’s Billy Joel.

      Thanks, Jim.

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          1. That sounds wonderful and Thursday Inspiration has Dylan this week and The Beatles next week. I never really know what my Friday Faithfuls Challenge is going to be about, but I always have fun writing it, even though it is my least popular challenge.

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  9. Two great picks today Nancy. I agree with you about Springsteen. I have never been a huge fan. Manfred Mann‘s version of blinded by the light was far superior and memorable. Joe Cocker took a happy sweet song and turned it into something so much richer. Loved both your choices ☺️💗

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    1. Correct on all counts, Sue, is which exactly why he asks the question “What would you do if I sang out of tune, would you stand up and walk out on me?”
      Well, Ringo proved everyone wrong with his kickin’ covers of Boys and Matchbox, but the definitive showing that Ringo really can sing is his cover album of standards he dedicated to his mother called Sentimental Journey. He keeps showing us every year that the people attending his concerts think he can sing. And I don’t think anyone’s walked out on him yet. 😂

      Excellent comment, Sue. Thanks!

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      1. I remember reading that after writing the song, Paul helped Ringo achieve the final notes for his track.

        In my teens, I was fortunate to see the Beatles live when they played in my home city. Later my friends and I went to Liverpool to visit The Cavern Club where the Beatles began.

        My late husband was in a band and in the early days, they worked the same clubs as the Beatles and all knew each other. My husband moved into comedy, a different direction to the Beatles.

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        1. It’s very possible that Paul helped Ringo with the song; it wouldn’t surprise me but it’s nothing I ever heard or read about.

          That’s a very cool story about the Cavern Club. Did your late husband hang out with the Beatles? I bet he had some great stories!

          I also saw the Beatles when they came to the US on August 15, 1965 and performed at Shea Stadium in NY. I’ve written several stories where that day comes into play. It was incredibly loud but an experience I will never forget for as long as I live.

          Thanks so much for these wonderful comments, Sue!

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  12. Two great choices, and I’ll commit the heresy of saying that I always preferred Joe Cocker’s version! They did what the best covers do – they made the songs their own without losing sight of the original. I almost went for your second one but decided to go for something less well known instead. Coming soon to an email inbox near you 😊

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    1. Despite what most people think, I do not love every Beatles song; in fact, there are some I don’t even like. This one falls into the category of “it’s ok but I wouldn’t miss it if it disappeared”. Joe Cocker did the definitive version and the same is true for Manfred Mann. If anyone tries to cover these covers, they’re nuts! 😂

      Thanks, Clive. I’ve been looking forward to your picks since last Sunday. They better be good! 🤣

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      1. Completely agree with you!

        Just one from me this week. I decided not to go with the other I had in mind as I thought someone else might play it, but not so far! But I’ve thrown in an ad and a bonus track to give that little bit more 😊

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  14. You did it to me again, Nancy. I was originally going to go with Joe Cocker’s song, “With a Little Help From My Friends,” but I thought that probably a lot of people would go with that. So I decided to go with another song where I thought more people were familiar with the cover than the original and perhaps didn’t even realize that it was a cover. Like, you know, “Blinded By the Light.”

    My post is scheduled for to publish four hours from now.

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