| "Blinded by the Lights" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bythe Streets | ||||
| from the albumA Grand Don't Come for Free | ||||
| Released | 27 September 2004 (2004-09-27)[1] | |||
| Length | 4:45 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter | Mike Skinner | |||
| Producer | Mike Skinner | |||
| The Streets singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Blinded by the Lights" is a song by English rapper and producerMike Skinner under the music projectthe Streets. It was released in September 2004 as the third single from the project's second studio albumA Grand Don't Come for Free. The song reached number ten on theUK Single Chart and was certified Silver by theBritish Phonographic Industry.
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]
Clare Considine ofRed 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 ofNME called the best part of the song the, "massive wobbly synth line."[6] Decca Aitkenhead ofThe Guardian said that, "nothing has ever evoked the atmosphere of clubbing on ecstasy in the 90s more perfectly."[7] Ethan Brown ofNew York called the song, "a panicky haze of impure pills, paranoia, and social isolation."[8] Andy Battaglia ofThe A.V. Club called the song, "a sparse, moody track that gets washed in whoosh as his second dose of ecstasy kicks in."[9]
The music video was directed by Adam Smith and premiered in September 2004.[10]
| 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 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[17] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| |
| Studio albums | |
| Extended plays | All Got Our Runnins (2003) |
| Mixtapes | |
| Singles | |
| Other songs | |
| Related articles | |
