Madman Drummers, Bummers and Indians

I had a mind blowing, I-did-not-know-that moment today. It's not earth shattering as in a cure for cancer or something important but it blew my mind.

I did not know until today that Bruce Springsteen wrote "Blinded By The Light." As in revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night, blinded by the light. I learned this from the nice folks at XMRadio. They even played both versions for my listening pleasure.

Cube neighbor Shaun felt that the Boss's version lacked the magic of the Manfred Mann version. I do not see it that way, namely, because nothing is more pleasing to me than hearing a songwriter sing one of their compositions. Even if they are like the late, amazing Harlan Howard and can't sing a lick, there is something very special and beautiful about a composer doing their song.

Bruce's version is a lot grittier, angrier, if you will, more acoustic, while Manfred had the synthesized, 70's thing happening. In fact, if I'd have heard the Springsteen version before, it would've not immediately been recognizable to me as the same song. It's just different.

Another song that I was not aware of who wrote it until recently, although not as mind blowing because he's amazing, is that Nashvillian Steve Cropper co-wrote "Knock On Wood." I knew he wrote "Dock of the Bay" but not knock, knock, knock on wood. I bet those two ditties have bought him a lot of biscuits.

I usually know useless stuff like this that in the grand scheme of life, doesn't matter diddly squat, but, somehow my brain deems important.