Blind Vision

"Blind Vision" is a song by English synth-pop band Blancmange, released in April 1983 as the lead single from their second studio album Mange Tout (1984). Written by Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe, and produced by John Luongo,[2] "Blind Vision" reached No. 10 in the UK and remained in the charts for eight weeks.[3] A music video was filmed to promote the single, which received light rotation on MTV.[4]

"Blind Vision"
Single by Blancmange
from the album Mange Tout
B-side"Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is"
ReleasedApril 1983[1]
GenreSynth-pop
Length3:58
LabelLondon
Island (US)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)John Luongo
Blancmange singles chronology
"Waves"
(1983)		 "Blind Vision"
(1983)		 "That's Love, That It Is"
(1983)
Music video
"Blind Vision" on YouTube

Background

In a 1982 interview with Record Mirror, Arthur said of the song, "It's about people who are too blinkered to see what's staring them in the face, too stubborn to accept the truth. It's also about blind faith, accepting religion at face value."[5]

Critical reception

Upon release, Paul Simper of Number One stated: ""Living on the Ceiling" kept me firmly rooted to the ground. This is quite a bit better with John Luongo giving the song a tighter, brassier sound."[6] John Shearlaw of Record Mirror commented: "Moody and more shouted than sung. A boinging bass and the odd brass trip keep the pressure on and that's just as well."[7]

In a retrospective review of Mange Tout (1984), Bill Cassel of AllMusic considered the song to be "nigh irresistible".[2] Paul Scott-Bates of Louder Than War commented: ""Blind Vision" gave us the almost iconic bass driven Blancmange sound. The funky guitar and remarkable percussion helped give the track a frenetic feel with a synth riff perfectly pairing up to the powerful sound of The Uptown Horns."[8] The Electricity Club noted the song "introduced a brass element to Blancmange's palette of sounds, alongside a more muscular percussion".[9]

Track listing
7" single
  1. "Blind Vision" – 3:58
  2. "Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is" – 3:22
7" single (US release)
  1. "Blind Vision" – 3:49
  2. "Waves" – 4:10
7" single (US promo)
  1. "Blind Vision" – 3:58
  2. "Blind Vision" – 3:58
12" single
  1. "Blind Vision" – 9:39
  2. "Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is" – 3:25
  3. "On Our Way To?" – 5:36
12" single (US release)
  1. "Blind Vision (Long Version)" – 9:35
  2. "Blind Vision (Edit)" – 3:49
  3. "Waves" – 4:10
12" single (US promo)
  1. "Blind Vision (Long Version)" – 9:35
  2. "Blind Vision (Dub Version)" – 6:44
  3. "Blind Vision (Edit)" – 3:49

Personnel

Blancmange

  • Neil Arthur – lead vocals, producer of "Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is" and "On Our Way To?"
  • Stephen Luscombe – keyboards, synthesizers

Additional personnel

  • Dolette McDonald, Brenda Jay Nelson, Jocelyn Brown – backing vocals on "Blind Vision"
  • David Rhodes – guitar on "Blind Vision"
  • James Bion Dolillo – maestro on "Blind Vision"
  • Crispin Cioe, Arno Hecht – saxophone on "Blind Vision"
  • Robert Funk – trumpet on "Blind Vision"
  • Paul Litteral – trombone on "Blind Vision"
  • Bashiri Johnson – percussion on "Blind Vision"
  • Neil Jason – extra bass on "Blind Vision"

Production and artwork

  • John Luongo – producer of "Blind Vision"
  • Jay Mark – engineer on "Blind Vision"
  • Linda Randazzo – assistant engineer on "Blind Vision"
  • John Fryer – engineer on "Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is" and "On Our Way To?"
  • Mike Howlett – producer of "Waves"
  • Ashworth – photography

Charts
Chart (1983) Peak
position
German Singles Chart[10] 44
Irish Singles Chart[11] 11
UK Singles Chart[3] 10
US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco[12] 3

References
  1. "Blancmange - Blind Vision / Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is - London - UK - BLANC 5". 45cat. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  2. Bill Cassel (1984-05-24). "Mange Tout - Blancmange | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  3. "BLANCMANGE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  4. Billboard magazine - Video Music Programming - July 9, 1983 - page 29
  5. Ludgate, Simon (1 May 1982). "Wobbling under!". Record Mirror. p. 16.
  6. Number One - Singles - Paul Simper - 7 May 1983 - page 34
  7. Record Mirror - Singles - John Shearlaw - 30 April 1983 - page 17
  8. "Blancmange: Mange Tout Deluxe Edition - album review". Louder Than War. 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  9. PaulB (2017-08-28). "BLANCMANGE – The Blanc Tapes – The Electricity Club". Electricity-club.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  10. Steffen Hung. "Blancmange - Blind Vision". germancharts.de. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  11. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  12. "Blancmange BLIND VISION Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
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