The No. 1 Song Bruce Springsteen Incidentally Wrote, and the Single Lyric Change That Made It a Chart-Topper

It is pretty surreal that Bruce Springsteen has never had a No. 1 hit. Well, Springsteen hasn’t had a No. 1 that he performed himself. Which is absolutely and downright criminally absurd when you realize some of his biggest hits include “Dancing In The Dark,” “Born in the U.S.A.,” and “I’m On Fire.” Though, nonetheless, at least the man can still say he has written a No. 1 smash hit.

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The song that exists as Springsteen’s one and only No. 1 is “Blinded By The Light,” which was successfully covered by the British rock band, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. Released in 1976 on their album, The Roaring Silence, Springsteen’s song is the group’s first and last No. 1 hit. Consequently, many have argued that the group is in fact a one-hit wonder. Regardless, they still have Springsteen beat, but they couldn’t have done it without him.

Bruce Springsteen’s No. 1 Hit Lyrics

Springsteen originally released “Blinded By The Light” on his 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N. J.. Though, given that it was Springsteen’s debut album, the song didn’t gain much traction. As a matter of fact, the album itself didn’t reach the charts until 12 years after its release. Springsteen surely never imagined that this song would go on to become a No. 1 hit, but thanks to Manfred Mann’s Earth Band being fans of his, it did.

After Manfred Mann’s Earth Band released the song, it became an international smash hit, as it peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 20 weeks on the chart. Furthermore, it also reached the top 10 in the UK, New Zealand, and Canada. However, Manfred Mann didn’t just score stellar chart placement, as the band also acquired mass notoriety, which helped them continually exist to this day.

Regarding its success, Bruce Springsteen sat down with VH1 Storytellers and divulged what he thought about the cover. He stated in the interview, “This song is my only number one song, I’ve never had another number one song.” “Except this one wasn’t done by me; it was done by Manfred Mann, which I appreciate. But, they changed this line.”

Springsteen continues, “My line says, ‘cut loose like a deuce,’ and theirs said, ‘cut loose like a douche.’” “I have a feeling that is why the song skyrocketed to number one, but it worked y’know” and “What can I say? The public spoke, and they were right y’know.’” Regardless of the one altered line, Bruce Springsteen can’t and seemingly won’t argue with success. After all, Manfred Mann was weirdly able to accomplish something Bruce Springsteen hasn’t.

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