SONG OF THE DAY
“Because The Night” by 10,000 Maniacs (10,000 Maniacs: MTV Unplugged, Elektra, 1993). Written by Patti Smith & Bruce Springsteen.
INTERESTING FACTS (a la wikipedia)
– “Because the Night” is a song by the Patti Smith Group, written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith which was released as a single in 1978, taken from Smith’s 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”.
– The original song was recorded by Bruce Springsteen during sessions for his Darkness on the Edge of Town album. He had trouble finishing it; the Patti Smith Group was working on Easter in the studio next door, with engineer/producer Jimmy Iovine working on both albums. Iovine gave Smith a tape of the song, she recasted it, and it was included on Easter, becoming the first single release from that album.
– Though it was never released on any of Springsteen’s studio albums, in concert beginning with his Darkness Tour Springsteen would often perform the song with his own lyrics.
– The song was first performed live (with Patti Smith) at CBGB’s in New York City on December 30, 1977.
– Until the release of Springsteen’s The Promise box set in November 2010, the only commercially-released recording of a Springsteen version of the song was included on Live/1975–85 on which Smith was listed as co-writer.
– In 1980, Tony Award winner Patti LuPone sang the song during her legendary engagement at the New York nightclub Les Mouches.
– 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 #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was the first time the group broke the top forty.
– In 2007, the Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall collaborated with the all-star cast of Cuban musicians known as the Buena Vista Social Club. Their version of the song was released with the album Rhythms del Mundo Classics on July 31, 2009.
– The song was performed live by Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith and U2 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden on Friday, October 30, 2009. There were two takes of the song, as the first take suffered from missed cues and technical issues. The second take, suggested by Bono at the end of the first, was tighter and even more impassioned than the first.
– R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe performed the song with Springsteen at a Vote for Change tour performance.
– E Street Band member 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.
– MTV Unplugged is a 1993 live album by 10,000 Maniacs. The music was recorded for the MTV Unplugged series and it was also the last album by the band featuring Natalie Merchant as vocalist. In 1994, it reached #13 on the Billboard 200.
– 10,000 Maniacs is a United States-based alternative rock band, which formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups. To date they are most known for their 1987 hit “Hey Jack Kerouac”.