Bruce Springsteen - Because the Night (V3) - Studio take, Atlantic Studios, NYC (September 27, 1977)

“Because the Night” first appeared on several Darkness-era sessions song lists, once as “The Night Belongs to Lovers”. One or more of these song lists may pre-date the first recording session on June 1. The song was first recorded at Atlantic Studios, New York on the first night of sessions on June 1, 1977 as “Because the Night (Belongs to Lovers)” with some work-in-progress and bluffed lyrics. V1 above may be this June 1 recording, but that cannot be confirmed. The next known recording was on July 1, 1977 also at Atlantic Studios, and is less embryonic but still with some unfinished lyrics. This may be V2. The information we have indicates that Springsteen cut his last take on September 27, 1977 at the Record Plant in New York, possibly V3 above. While closer to the final revision the lyrics are still incomplete, with several bluffed lines in the verses. Bruce did not officially release a studio take until 2010 on The Promise. This recording, V4, sees Springsteen singing Smith’s lyrics over the June 1977 backing tracks. The new vocal take was recorded June 25, 2010 in the Record Plant Studio truck parked on his Colts Neck, NJ property. He sung Smith’s lyrics live in their entirety for the first time in a promotional appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in November 2010.