RE: Patti/Bruce /Because The Night

["Mitch Gart" <MGart>]

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1027

says:

"Springsteen gave this to Patti Smith in 1976 because he thought it
would suit her voice. He was also in a legal battle with his manager,
Mike Appel, that kept Bruce from recording for almost 3 years. It became
the only hit for Patti Smith.
When Springsteen gave this to Patti Smith, He had the music and the
chorus written, but not the verses. She wrote the words in one night."

That's always about what I had thought, that Broooce wrote the music and
chorus and Patti filled in the words.  It really fits because the music
is a little more standard straight-ahead rock than Patti's usual style,
while the words of the verses are beautiful and pure Patti.  For me the
music is masculine and the words are feminine.

I saw the two of them perform it together once.  It was a concert at
CBGB Theater (not club) about 1977 and Bruce joined Patti onstage for an
encore just before the fire marshals stopped the concert and kicked
everybody out.

- Mitch


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-babel-list [mailto:owner-babel-
> list] On Behalf Of Phil Grabar
> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 1:24 AM
> To: babel-list
> Subject: Patti/Bruce /Because The Night
>
> Does anyone have the definitive answer as to how Patti and Bruce came
> to write Because The Night Together?  Did he write the music and she
> the lyrics?
>
> Phil