Because The Night (3:30)

“Because the Night” is a song by the Patti Smith Group, written by Smith and Bruce Springsteen, released as a single in 1978, taken from Smith’s album Easter. According to the Because the Night Songfacts, Springsteen gave it to Patti Smith because he thought it would suit her voice. He was also in a legal battle with his manager, Mike Appel, that kept him from recording for almost 3 years. 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”.