Because the Night
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| “Because the Night” | |||||
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| Single by Patti Smith Group from the album Easter |
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| B-side | "God Speed" | ||||
| Released | March 1978 | ||||
| Format | Vinyl (7") | ||||
| Recorded | Record Plant Studios | ||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 3:32 | ||||
| Label | Arista | ||||
| Writer(s) | Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith |
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| Producer | Jimmy Iovine | ||||
| Certification | Silver (U.K.)[1] | ||||
| Patti Smith singles chronology | |||||
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"Because the Night" is a rock song written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, and released as a lead single from Patti Smith Group 1978 album Easter. The song was a hit, rising to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 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. In 1987, "Because the Night" by Patti Smith Group was ranked number 116 on NME magazine's list of "The Top 150 Singles of All Time".[2]
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[edit] History
The original song was recorded by Bruce 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. Though it was never released on a Springsteen studio album, in concert beginning with his Darkness 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] Charts
| Chart (1978)[3][4][5][6] | Position |
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| Billboard Hot 100 | 13 |
| UK Singles Chart | 5 |
| Austria | 21 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 16 |
| Sweden | 9 |
[edit] 10,000 Maniacs' version
| “Because the Night” | |||||
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| Single by 10,000 Maniacs from the album MTV Unplugged |
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| B-side | "Eat for Two" | ||||
| Released | October 28, 1993 | ||||
| Format | CD, Cassette | ||||
| Recorded | Sony Music Studios, April 21, 1993 |
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| Genre | Alternative rock | ||||
| Length | 3:44 | ||||
| Label | Elektra, MTV Networks | ||||
| Writer(s) | Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith |
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| Producer | Paul Fox | ||||
| 10,000 Maniacs singles chronology | |||||
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A well-known live version was recorded by 10,000 Maniacs in 1993 for MTV Unplugged, with a few lyrical alterations. The recording gained considerable radio airplay and reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was the first time the group broke the top forty.
| Chart (1993)[7] | Position |
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| UK Singles Chart | 65 |
| Billboard Hot 100 | 11 |
| Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 7 |
| Top 40 Mainstream | 7 |
| Chart (1994)[8] | Position |
| Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 9 |
[edit] Other cover versions
- In 1986, heavy metal band Keel did a hard rock version of the song on their album The Final Frontier.
- In 1992, Co Ro featuring Taleesa released a version that sold over 660,000 copies. It was a gold record in France and reached number one in Italy, Spain, and several other European countries.
- In 1998 Kim Wilde released a cover of the song which appearing on the Germany-only various artists release Philharmania.
- The Spanish band Tahúres zurdos covered this for their 2000 album El tiempo de la luz. The title ("La noche es") and the lyrics where translated into Spanish, but the song kept the "Because the night belongs to lovers, because the night belongs to us" part intact in English. The lyrics are not a literal translation, but still quite true to the original.
- German DJ Jan Wayne released a dance version in 2002.
[edit] Live cover performances
- During a Bruce Springsteen show in Miami U2 singer Bono came on stage to perform the song live with the E Street Band. At a Vote for Change-tour performance R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe performed the song with Springsteen. Member of E Street Band, Nils Lofgren has never recorded the song but is known for an especially fiery concert performance of it. The genesis for this version came about when Springsteen asked Lofgren to work on a solo to add to the song, and it has since become a Lofgren staple.
- Fifth season American Idol contestant Becky O'Donohue performed the song in an episode of the talent-contest program in 2006.
[edit] Cascada Version
| “Because the Night” | |||||
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| Single by Cascada from the album Perfect Day |
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| Released | May 28, 2008 | ||||
| Format | CD | ||||
| Recorded | 2007 | ||||
| Genre | Eurodance | ||||
| Length | 3:25 | ||||
| Label | All Around the World | ||||
| Writer(s) | Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith |
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| Producer | Yann Pfeiffer, DJ Manian | ||||
| Cascada singles chronology | |||||
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According to an online message posted on Cascada's official website, Natalie Horler stated that "Because the Night" would be the third single to be released from their second studio album Perfect Day. A release date for the single is yet TBC. The music video, which uses live concert footage (suggested to be from a Clubland Live concert in Manchester), has been made, as stated by Horler on the website. It premiered on YouTube on 28th of May, and quickly became a fan-favorite music video.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Certified Awards. British Phonographic Industry (1978-06-01). Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
- ^ Best of All-time Lists. Acclaimed Music. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ Billboard chart – Patti Smith Group. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ UK chart – Patti Smith Group. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ European charts – Patti Smith Group. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ Irish charts. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
- ^ UK chart – 10,000 Maniacs. Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
- ^ Billboard charts – 10,000 Maniacs. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
[edit] External links
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