Manfred Mann’s Live ’76 “Spirits In The Night” Set Is Midnight Special GOLD

Manfred Man, The Spirit Of The Night

Covering Bruce Springsteen’s “Spirit In The Night” on Midnight Special in ’76, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band slays hard and rocks the house with some seriously epic electric solos that might just melt the flesh off of your face. Well known from 70’s Springsteen cover, “Blinded By The Light,” Earth Band brought vocals, an altered chorus harmony and killer guitar work to the stage.

Interesting Fact: Springsteen wrote this after Columbia Records rejected his first attempt at an album, telling him to make some songs that could be played on the radio. He came up with this and “Blinded By The Light.”

From their Nightingales and Bombers album, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s cover of “Spirits In The Night” reached #97 on the Billboard Hot 100 in ’76 with band member Mick Rogers on the album version’s lead vocals. One year after, the band re-released the single featuring Chris Thompson on lead vocals this time which reached #40 on the Billboard Top 40 in ’77.

The song’s creeping, slow tempo matches the lyrics so well with stellar live vocals from Manfred in this Midnight Special, extra special cover. With insane solos from guitarists Dave Flett, Manfred, and Colin Pattenden, they blow Springsteen’s version away with talent, emotion and soul.

+ Spirits In The Night Lyrics +

Crazy Janey and her mission man
Were back in the alley tradin’ hands
‘Long came Wild Billy with his friend G-Man
All duded up for Saturday night
Well, Billy slammed on his coaster brakes
And said, “Anybody wanna go on up to Greasy Lake?
It’s about a mile down on the dark side of Route 88
I got a bottle of rosé so let’s try it
We’ll pick up Hazy Davy and Killer Joe
And I’ll take you all out to where the gypsy angels go
They’re build like light
And they dance like spirits in the night (all night), in the night (all night)
Oh, you don’t know what they can do to you
Spirits in the night (all night), in the night (all night)
Stand up right now and let them shoot through you”

Well now, Wild Billy was a crazy cat
And he shook some dust out of his coonskin cap
He said, “Trust some of this, it’ll show you where you’re at
Or at least it’ll help you really feel it”
By the time we made it up to Greasy Lake
I had my head out the window and Janey’s fingers were in the cake
I think I really dug her ’cause I was too loose to fake
I said, “I’m hurt.” She said, “Honey, let me heal it”
And we danced all night to a soul fairy band
And she kissed me just right, like only a lonely angel can
She felt so nice
Just as soft as a spirit in the night (all night), in the night (all night)
Janey don’t know what she do to you
Spirit in the night (all night), in the night (all night)
Stand right up and let her shoot through me

Now, the night was bright and the stars threw light
On Billy and Davy dancin’ in the moonlight
They were down near the water in a stone mud fight
Killer Joe gone passed out on the lawn
Well now, Hazy Davy got really hurt
He ran into the lake in just his socks and his shirt
Me and Crazy Janey was makin’ love in the dirt
Singin’ our birthday songs
Janey said it was time to go
So we closed our eyes and said goodbye to Gypsy Angel Row
Felt so right
Together we moved like spirits in the night (all night), in the night (all night)…