Because the Night

This article is about the song. For the novel, see Because the Night (novel). For the TV series, see The Sister (TV series).

"Because the Night"
U.S. and some European releases picture sleeve
Single by Patti Smith Group
from the album Easter
B-side"God Speed"
ReleasedMarch 2, 1978 (1978-03-02)
RecordedAugust 1977
StudioRecord Plant, New York City, U.S.
Genre
Length3:22
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith
Producer(s)Jimmy Iovine
Patti Smith singles chronology
"Ask the Angels"
(1977) 		"Because the Night"
(1978) 		"Privilege (Set Me Free)"
(1978)
Audio
"Because the Night" by Patti Smith on YouTube

"Because the Night" is a rock song from 1977 written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith[2] that appears on the Patti Smith Group album Easter, which was released in 1978. On March 2, 1978, the song was released as a single, and was commercially successful, reaching No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[3] and No. 5 in the United Kingdom, which helped propel Easter to mainstream success.

The song has been covered by several artists. In 1993, a live acoustic version was recorded by 10,000 Maniacs, featuring Natalie Merchant, for MTV Unplugged. This version reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100,[4] making it the highest charting version of the song in the U.S. The song also became 10,000 Maniacs highest charting single in the U.S. and Canada.

In 1987, the song was ranked No. 116 on NME magazine's list of "The Top 150 Singles of All Time".[5] It remains the best-known song of Smith's catalog. In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 358 on "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[6] The Independent listed the song as one of the ten best new wave singles of 1978.[1]

  1. ^ a b "Playlist: 10 best new wave singles of 1978". The Independent. June 7, 2018.
  2. ^ Hughes, Hilary (June 21, 2018). "Patti Smith on 'Because The Night' at 40: How Her Bruce Springsteen Collaboration Is 'A Whole Life in A Song'". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  3. ^ "Patti Smith". Billboard.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "10,000 Maniacs". Billboard.com. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  5. ^ "NME's Top 150 Singles". NME. London: IPC Media. February 28, 1987. pp. 28–29.
  6. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2022.