Because the Night
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Because the Night" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Patti Smith Group | ||
| from the album Easter | ||
| Released | 1978 (North America) | |
| Format | 45 | |
| Recorded | — | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 3:22 | |
| Label | Arista Records | |
| Writer(s) | Patti Smith Bruce Springsteen |
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| Producer(s) | Todd Rundgren | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Patti Smith Group singles chronology | ||
| — | "Because the Night" (1978) |
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Because the Night is a rock song composed by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, and first released on Smith's 1978 album Easter.
The original song was recorded by Springsteen during sessions for his Darkness on the Edge of Town album. The Patti Smith Group was working on Easter in the studio next door, and the bands were exchanging tapes; Springsteen even composed some songs in the other band's style. With male-centered lyrics and a reported Latin feel, the original version of the song — a workingman's lament — wasn't finding a place on the Springsteen album. Smith took the song and recast it from a female perspective, and it was included on Easter, becoming the first single release from that album.
The song was a hit, rising to #13 on the U.S. pop singles chart, and helping propel sales of Easter to mainstream success — even as Smith was deciding to retire from a life of constant touring. The song remains one of the best known of Smith's catalog.
Though it was never released on a Springsteen studio album, in concert beginning with his 1978 tour Springsteen would often perform the song with his original lyrics, borrowing Smith's rock arrangement. The only commercially-released recording of a Springsteen version of the song was included on Live/1975-85.
[edit] Subsequent versions
This song has been interpreted by a number of artists since then.
In 1992, Co Ro featuring Taleesa had a big hit with it, selling over 660,000 copies in France and Germany. It was a gold record in France and hit number one in several European and South American countries, including Italy and Spain.
A well-known version was recorded by singer Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs in 1993 for MTV Unplugged, with a few lyrical alterations. The recording gained considerable radio airplay and actually eclipsed the original Smith single by reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
In 1986, the heavy band Keel did the number, while in 2002 Jan Wayne had his turn. In 2002, the singer Nadine released a Eurodance version of this song. Nils Lofgren has never recorded the song but is known for an especially fiery concert performance of it.
On February 21, 2006, fifth season American Idol contestant Becky O'Donohue performed the song in an episode of the talent-contest program; it was the first Idol appearance of a Springsteen song, other than a brief snippet of "Fire" during the same season's audition rounds.
[edit] External links
- Original artyfacts from Lenny Kaye from Creative Loafing
- Springsteen lyrics
