I Saw the Light (Todd Rundgren song)

"I Saw the Light"
"I Saw the Light"
Single by Todd Rundgren
from the album Something/Anything?
B-side	"Marlene"
Released	March 1972
Recorded	Late 1971
Genre	Pop; power pop; soft rock; Merseybeat;
Length	2:59
Label	Bearsville
Songwriter(s)	Todd Rundgren
Producer(s)	Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren singles chronology

"I Saw the Light" is a song written and performed by American musician Todd Rundgren that was released as the opening track from his 1972 album Something/Anything? In the album's liner notes, Rundgren states that he intended the song to be the hit of the album, and copied the Motown tradition of putting hit songs at the beginning of albums.^[6]

Background

Rundgren wrote the track in 20 minutes, a feat he attributes to his reliance on stimulants such as Ritalin. "It caused me to crank out songs at an incredible pace. You can see why, too, the rhymes are just moon/June/spoon kind of stuff."^[7]

Personnel

Todd Rundgren – all instruments and vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1972)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[8]^[9]	21
Canada RPM Top Singles^[10]	15
UK Singles Chart^[11]	36
US Billboard Hot 100^[12]^[13]	16
US Billboard Easy Listening^[14]	12
US Cash Box Top 100^[15]	11

Year-end charts

Chart (1972)	Rank
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[16]	88

Cover versions

1972 – The New Seekers, on the Circles album
1985 – Yukihiro Takahashi, on Once a Fool
1984 – Herman Brood, on The Brood (as "Eyes")
1987 – Mood Six, "I Saw the Light" (a video for the song was shown on MTV's 120 Minutes)
1989 – Workshy, on The Golden Mile.
1997 – Terry Hall, Laugh (released as a single)
1997 – Lori Carson, on Everything I Touch Runs Wild
1998 – Hal Ketchum. This version reached No. 36 on the US country charts, and No. 50 on the Canadian country charts.^[17]
2012 – Yo La Tengo, on Super Hits of the Seventies (also released on deluxe versions of their Fade)
2015 – Jason Schwartzman, Rashida Jones, Maya Rudolph, David Johansen and Bill Murray, on A Very Murray Christmas

References

^ "Pop". Billboard. Vol. 84, no. 13. March 25, 1972. p. 56. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
^ Peter Buckley (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 895. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0.
^ Chabon, Michael. "Tragic Magic: Reflections on Power Pop". Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
^ Zimmerman, Lee (May 4, 2015). "Todd Rundgren, Emil Nikolaisen, Hans-Peter Lindstrom: Runddans". PopMatters. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
^ Stanley, Bob (September 13, 2013). "Progressive Rock (And Simpler Pleasures)". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 368. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.
^ Something/Anything (Media notes). Bearsville Records. 1972. 2BX 2066.
^ "Todd Rundgren: Nothing but the truth - Features - Music". Independent.co.uk. September 24, 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 261. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
^ "RPM 100 Singles". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. June 24, 1972. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
^ "Todd Rundgren - I Saw the Light". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
^ "I Saw the Light - Todd Rundgren". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 212.
^ "Top 100 1972-06-17". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
^ "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972". Musicoutfitters.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
^ "RPM Country 100". RPM. Vol. 67, no. 8. May 18, 1998. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2011.

[1] "Pop". Billboard. Vol. 84, no. 13. March 25, 1972. p. 56. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 18, 2023.

[2] Peter Buckley (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. 895. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0.

[3] Chabon, Michael. "Tragic Magic: Reflections on Power Pop". Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013.

[4] Zimmerman, Lee (May 4, 2015). "Todd Rundgren, Emil Nikolaisen, Hans-Peter Lindstrom: Runddans". PopMatters. Retrieved August 18, 2023.

[Stanley_2013-5] Stanley, Bob (September 13, 2013). "Progressive Rock (And Simpler Pleasures)". Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Faber & Faber. p. 368. ISBN 978-0-571-28198-5.

[6] Something/Anything (Media notes). Bearsville Records. 1972. 2BX 2066.

[7] "Todd Rundgren: Nothing but the truth - Features - Music". Independent.co.uk. September 24, 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2021.

[aus-8] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 261. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[australian-charts.com-9] Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.

[10] "RPM 100 Singles". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. June 24, 1972. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2016.

[11] "Todd Rundgren - I Saw the Light". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 17, 2011.

[12] Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X

[13] "I Saw the Light - Todd Rundgren". Billboard. Retrieved July 17, 2011.

[14] Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 212.

[15] "Top 100 1972-06-17". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved March 22, 2015.

[16] "Top 100 Hits of 1972/Top 100 Songs of 1972". Musicoutfitters.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2016.

[17] "RPM Country 100". RPM. Vol. 67, no. 8. May 18, 1998. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2011.

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v t e Hal Ketchum
Discography
Studio albums	Past the Point of Rescue Sure Love Every Little Word I Saw the Light Lucky Man Father Time
Compilation albums	The Hits
Notable singles	"Small Town Saturday Night" "I Know Where Love Lives" "Past the Point of Rescue" "Five O'Clock World" "Sure Love" "Hearts Are Gonna Roll" "Mama Knows the Highway" "Someplace Far Away (Careful What You're Dreaming)" "(Tonight We Just Might) Fall in Love Again" "That's What I Get for Losin' You" "Stay Forever" "I Saw the Light"