Some of the best rock songs come from moments that are a lot more relatable than you might expect. In the 2017 HBO documentary The Defiant Ones, Patti Smith reveals how an evening spent waiting for her future husband to call helped inspire “Because the Night,” her hit with Bruce Springsteen. As the hours ticked by and her frustration grew, Smith picked up an unfinished song Springsteen had given her and turned that restless anticipation into lyrics that would become a rock classic. And if you grew up listening to 10,000 Maniacs’ memorable MTV Unplugged cover, the story behind the song is an especially good reason to turn it up again.
The story behind “Because the Night” in The Defiant Ones
In HBO’s 2017 four-part documentary The Defiant Ones, director Allen Hughes follows the unlikely but successful partnership between producer Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, tracing their careers and the ways they helped shape the music business. The big story may be Jimmy and Dre, but tucked inside the documentary is a terrific piece of rock history: how Patti Smith took an unfinished Springsteen song and turned it into one of the biggest hits of her career—and one of rock’s most iconic anthems about longing and love.
In 1978, music producer Jimmy Iovine was working with Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen separately. Springsteen had written the music and chorus for “Because the Night” but was struggling to finish the lyrics. With Springsteen’s permission, Iovine brought the song to Smith while she was recording her 1978 album Easter. At the time, Smith was in a long-distance relationship with her future husband, Fred “Sonic” Smith, who was living in Detroit while she was in New York. With limited money for phone calls, the two usually spoke just once a week.
As Smith recounts in The Defiant Ones, she had initially put Springsteen’s cassette recording of “Because the Night” aside because she had committed herself to recording only songs she had written herself. But one night, while waiting for Fred to call, the hours passed and she grew increasingly agitated. Rather than simply sit by the phone, she played Springsteen’s tape and began writing lyrics. Fred finally called around midnight, but by then, Smith had written the words that would become “Because the Night.”
Few song openings are as recognizable as the piano intro to “Because the Night,” but what makes the song resonate is the personal frustration that became its emotional core. The lyric “Love is a ring, the telephone” grew directly out of Smith’s anticipation of hearing from the man she loved. What began as an evening of impatience and longing became one of the biggest hits of her career.
“Because the Night” appeared on Easter in 1978 and became Smith’s biggest commercial hit, reaching the Top 20 in the United States. Springsteen later released his own live version, while the song went on to enjoy a long life through covers by other artists. One of the most memorable was 10,000 Maniacs’ version for MTV Unplugged in 1993, featuring Natalie Merchant on lead vocals. Many fans consider it the definitive version.
Related: Punk, Disco, New Wave and Classic Rock Collided in the Year Critics Call Rock’s Greatest: Michael Jackson, Blondie and The Clash
The 10,000 Maniacs cover—and the song’s second life
For many Gen X listeners, “Because the Night” is a 10,000 Maniacs song, and some may not realize it was first released by Patti Smith and co-written by Bruce Springsteen. The 10,000 Maniacs version became a major radio hit, reaching No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1994, two spots higher than Smith’s original.
The song has continued to attract artists from across genres. Dance act CO.RO, featuring Taleesa, released a Eurodance interpretation in the early 1990s; Kim Wilde recorded a version in 1998; and Garbage teamed up with Screaming Females for a more guitar-driven take in 2013. The Selecter also brought ska influences to the song in 2015. Springsteen’s own live performances have kept his connection to the track alive, too.
The segment from The Defiant Ones, which is currently recirculating on social media, offers a terrific reminder that some of the most enduring popular songs come from very ordinary, relatable moments. Smith had no idea she was writing a grand rock anthem. She was simply waiting for a phone call from the person she loved and channeling that angst into art.
Social media commenters have called Smith “punk Dolly Parton”—a pretty perfect description of the rock icon’s mix of grit, individuality and unmistakable personality.
Related: Punk Pioneer Patti Smith Calls Her ‘Knight’ Releases First Solo Album at 79: ‘You Always Have to Reinvent Yourself’
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