Blinded by the Lights

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For the song by Bruce Springsteen, see Blinded by the Light. For the Polish TV series, see Blinded by the Lights (TV series). For the song by the Weeknd, see Blinding Lights.
"Blinded by the Lights"
Single by the Streets
from the album A Grand Don't Come for Free
Released27 September 2004 (2004-09-27)[1]
Length4:45
Label
SongwriterMike Skinner
ProducerMike Skinner
The Streets singles chronology
"Dry Your Eyes"
(2004) 		"Blinded by the Lights"
(2004) 		"Could Well Be In"
(2004)

"Blinded by the Lights" is a song by English rapper and producer Mike Skinner under the music project the Streets. It was released in September 2004 as the third single from the project's second studio album A Grand Don't Come for Free. The song reached number ten on the UK Single Chart and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.

Background

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Mike Skinner has described the song as “a woozy account of taking drugs in a nightclub.” The lyrics follow the protagonist through the stages of an ecstasy high, capturing anxiety, confusion, paranoia, and the sense of disconnection that comes with overstimulation in a club environment.[2] The lyrics portray feelings of anxiety, jealousy, and paranoia as the narrator loses control of the situation, with moments such as “Swear Simone’s kissing Dan” reflecting mistrust and social unease.[3]

Critical reception

[edit]

Clare Considine of Red Bull described it as a rare song that has “distilled UK rave culture" and none have done it "with quite such honesty as Skinner.” [4] HeadStuff similarly emphasized the track’s narrative of panic and disorientation caused by “dodgy ecstasy.”[5]

Leonie Cooper of NME called the best part of the song the, "massive wobbly synth line."[6] Decca Aitkenhead of The Guardian said that, "nothing has ever evoked the atmosphere of clubbing on ecstasy in the 90s more perfectly."[7] Ethan Brown of New York called the song, "a panicky haze of impure pills, paranoia, and social isolation."[8] Andy Battaglia of The A.V. Club called the song, "a sparse, moody track that gets washed in whoosh as his second dose of ecstasy kicks in."[9]

Music video

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The music video was directed by Adam Smith and premiered in September 2004.[10]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Blinded by the Lights"
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[11] 92
Germany (GfK)[12] 63
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 16
Scotland Singles (OCC)[14] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 10
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[16] 2

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 25 September 2004. p. 37.
  2. ^ Reid, Graham (29 March 2012). "MIKE SKINNER/THE STREETS INTERVIEWED (2004): The sound of the tenements". Elsewhere. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Single Review: The Streets – Blinded by the Lights". Drowned in Sound. September 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  4. ^ "The 10 best songs by The Streets and Mike Skinner". Red Bull. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  5. ^ Kilmartin, Danny (17 July 2023). "One Track Minded | 'Blinded By The Lights' Is The Streets' Crown Jewel". HeadStuff. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  6. ^ Cooper, Leonie (13 October 2017). "The Streets' 10 best songs". nme.com. NME. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  7. ^ Aitkenhead, Decca (18 March 2012). "Mike Skinner: 'I get withdrawal symptoms if I've not created something for a few days'". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  8. ^ Brown, Ethan (7 June 2004). "Straight Talk". nymag.com. New York. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  9. ^ Battaglia, Andy (18 May 2004). "The Streets: A Grand Don't Come For Free". music.avclub.com. AV Club. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  10. ^ Blinded by the Lights - Music Video Music Video Database
  11. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 269.
  12. ^ "The Streets – Blinded by the Lights" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Chart Track: Week 46, 2004". Irish Singles Chart.
  14. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  16. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  17. ^ "British single certifications – Streets – Blinded by the Lights". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
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