Blind Vision Explained

Blind Vision
Cover:	Blancmange Blind Vision 1983 Single Cover.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Blancmange
Album:	Mange Tout
B-Side:	Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is
Released:	April 1983^[1]
Length:	3:58
Label:	London Island (US)
Producer:	John Luongo
Prev Title:	Waves
Prev Year:	1983
Next Title:	That's Love, That It Is
Next Year:	1983

"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]

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	10
US Billboard Hot Dance/Disco^[12]	3

Notes and References

1. Web site: Blancmange - Blind Vision / Heaven Knows Where Heaven Is - London - UK - BLANC 5 . 45cat . 2018-10-21.
2. Web site: Bill Cassel . Mange Tout - Blancmange | Songs, Reviews, Credits . AllMusic . 1984-05-24 . 2018-10-21.
3. Web site: BLANCMANGE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company . Officialcharts.com . 2018-10-21.
4. Billboard magazine - Video Music Programming - July 9, 1983 - page 29
5. Ludgate. Simon. 1 May 1982. Wobbling under!. Record Mirror. 16.
6. Number One - Singles - Paul Simper - 7 May 1983 - page 34
7. Record Mirror - Singles - John Shearlaw - 30 April 1983 - page 17
8. Web site: Blancmange: Mange Tout Deluxe Edition - album review . Louder Than War . 2017-07-30 . 2018-10-21.
9. Web site: PaulB . BLANCMANGE – The Blanc Tapes – The Electricity Club . Electricity-club.co.uk . 2017-08-28 . 2018-10-21.
10. Web site: Steffen Hung . Blancmange - Blind Vision . germancharts.de . 2018-10-21.
11. Web site: The Irish Charts - All there is to know . The Irish Charts . 2018-10-21.
12. Blancmange BLIND VISION Chart History . Billboard . 2018-10-21 . 2018-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181022001306/https://www.billboard.com/music/blancmange/chart-history/dance-club-play-songs/song/353352 .