When I was growing up, music was a huge part of my life.
The first time I kissed a boy “Sunglasses at night” was playing in the background.
The first concert I went to was Shaun Cassidy. I should add I went WITH MY MOM. Let me also say it’s awkward yelling “I love you Shaun–CALL ME!” while your mom is sitting in the chair next to you. I’m not saying I didn’t do it, I’m just saying it was weird.
I made up a dance to “Pop Music” and knew every lyric to every song (still do) to the “Grease” album.
I listened to Crosby, Stills, and Nash, The Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac, and The Doobie Brothers. 70′s music was killer. And then the 80′s was even better.
One song I’ve loved for most of my life was a little ditty by a band with a really strange name. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.
You know what song I’m talking about, don’t you–”Blinded by the light.”
But what you probably don’t know is that the song was originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen. But for some reason The Boss couldn’t make it work. It wasn’t a hit for him. So this band with a strange name changed some of the lyrics and re-recorded it. Suddenly, it became one of the biggest hits of all time. Mostly due to the fact that everyone sang it wrong.
I’ve always sang it like this…”Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche, another runner in the night.”
I never thought about how the song made absolutely no sense. I just loved singing the word “douche” at the top of my lungs. Even though now I *know* the song doesn’t say “douche” I still sing it like that. Because why would I not.
If you listen to the song, you will swear they are saying douche.
I wondered how many other people out there sing it that way. So I turned to Twitter.
And here are some of the tweets I got back.
Even Bruce Springsteen joked that it became a hit only after Manfred Mann changed the song to be about a feminine hygiene product.
So see? Douche.
In case any of you are unfamiliar with the song–which how would that even be possible–unless you’re originally not from planet Earth, or you’re 12–in which case WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THIS WEBSITE AND WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS?–here is a video I found on YouTube. Ignore the fact that there are some misspelled words. You’ll get the gist.
Please tell me you thought it was douche too.
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
OMG – I’m loving @AlysasAntics – Yes, it’s so HOT you need a potholder!!
Yes! That made me laugh out loud!
I could never figure out why the douche needed to be wrapped up either. LOL
And what was it wrapped in? A tortilla? Because that’s what I imagine.
Of course it’s douche!
There was a great comedy routine once on Canadian comedy network that was just three guys sitting there debating THIS SONG and each of them sang different interpretations of the lyrics, almost in a round, until they were singing on top of one another. Douche was a big part of it. If I could ever remember their names, I would totally send you the link. It was awesome.
OOH, find the link PRONTO!
It’s definitely douche. Just like that other song “Don’t bring me dowwnn, douche!” Convinced.
You are absolutely right! Also, I LOVE that song!!
Until this very moment, I didn’t know it wasn’t douche. Now I’m scarred for life.
Sorry. My bad.
My husband and I were having this conversation just the other day. I sang it the correct way, wrapped up like a douche, and my husband sang it the wrong way, revved up like a duece. I told him that deuces don’t get revved or wrapped so he must be wrong. Clearly mine makes way more sense, so WE are right….
Yes, we ARE!
Yeah, I totally thought it was, “Wrapped up like a douche…another rumor in the night.” =)~
No Way! My 1st concert was Shaun Cassidy too (and I was 8 so had to go with mom too-embarrassing even then)
and absolutely it’s douche
That was you?! I thought you looked familiar.
I am seriously lyrically impaired. You obviously are, too.
I take that as a compliment, seeing how my lyrics are supremely more entertaining.
I don’t know if deuce makes it better, when I was teaching high school the boys used to ask me if they could go to the bathroom to drop a deuce. Which just gives the song a whole other meaning I don’t need to think about.
One word. Ew.
I always thought it was “ya know, the roamer in the night.” I was up in the air about deuce/douche though… (and now I’ll have that song in my head all day!)
Dude, I have had the song in my head ever since I wrote the post this morning. So I feel ya.
Douche, totally.
It has always been douche and always will be.
period.
I always knew the word was “deuce” somehow, but I like old cars, so maybe that’s it. Plus, I don’t think I knew the word “douche” until I was a teenager.
Feel left out now.
The first time I heard this song, and even now when I hear it on the radio I swear it’s really douche, not deuce. Why would a deuce be wrapped up either is another thing that puzzles me greatly.
Not enough to ponder to hard mind you. I still sing douche, nice to know that I’m not alone
I luff you
This made me giggle, snort and even guffaw.
Damn, I adore you
It’s “The Vacant Lot – Blinded by the Light” – it’s on YouTube…I can’t figure out how to post the link but it’s worth the 3.5 minutes to watch it.
You’re not the only one – this is actually a topic on wikipedia, although I didn’t know that until after I read your hilarious post.
Thanks for this and all your posts from chilly Northern Canada!!!
Whoops, sorry, this was meant to be a reply to Bellawriter, above!
I always thought it was douche, then one time I saw an interview on VH-1 where the Boss was all like, “dude, come on. its totally deuce. get real” so if Bruce says its deuce…its deuce. Sorry yall
I have tried and tried and TRIED to hear anything but douche. I think it really is douche and they had a bet to see if they could get away with saying douche in a song and get people to believe that’s not what they said.
I’m cracking up that there are 31 (now 32) comments about a blog post entitled “Douche” and only 20 comments on the previous post entitled “Superman.”
I think we all have our priorities straight!!
…..and hell yeah it was douche! Can’t you just see all those guys sitting around the studio in 1977, stoned as hell, laughing their asses off every time the lyric was replayed in their headphones. They HAD to have known the reaction. It’s just too obvious.
Classic debate. I’m with you on this one Shauna.
I sang it as “douche” too, but very quietly if my mom was in the car with me. You see, she once heard me singing along to Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s The Night” and asked me “Devra, do you know what a virgin is?” And I was totally baffled as to what the hell she was asking me. She then explained “A virgin is someone who hasn’t had sexual intercourse.” Which completely confused me as I had thought the lyric to the song was “Don’t say a word my version child.” As if there were another type of child somewhere. A different version.
I clearly had a lyric problem as I also thought Billy Joel’s “Only The Good Die Young” included a lyric about “Nevelettes in the sun” and thought a Nevelette was some sort of animal that liked to bask itself.
Oh, laughing right out loud! I will ever-more think of an animal called Nevelettes when hearing that song
Love it!
I am so with you on this one…. I know I am coming in late, but dude, this post spoke to me in VOLUMES!
I grew up just a couple of years behind you and that song made so much more sense when I got to be about 12 and learned what a ‘douche’ is, but I still couldn’t figure out either why it was a great thing to be wrapped up like one! Learning it is really ‘deuce’ nearly ruined the song until I decided to just keep singing ‘douche’.