PROTECTION

Studio version

Two, three, four!
One, two, three, four!

Ooh, ooh

Night after night I keep holding on
You say you love me, then you leave me so lonely
I don't believe a single thing you're saying
I think it's all some evil game you're playing

Still all day long, all I do is think about you
You got me believing that I can't live without you
Well, if you want it, well, here's my confession
Well, I can't help it, you're my obsession

Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love

The phone rings in the middle of the night
And when I pick it up, you won't answer
A knock on the door, I rush down the stairs
When I open up, there's no one there

Out in the darkness I feel your eyes on me
I lay in bed and feel your hands upon me
Well, is it all just my imagination
You keep me in doubt, believing I can't live without your

Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Whoa!

[sax solo]

I stand alone at my window
I see you waiting in the shadows down below
I feel your fingers on my face
I know I want to stay, but I want to run away

Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love

Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that's what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love

Page last updated: 13 Jan 2013

Intro

PROTECTION is a song written by Bruce Springsteen who donated it to Donna Summer for her 1982 album Donna Summer. He appears on Summer's recording of the track, playing guitar solo and providing backing vocals. See Donna Summer's cover version for more details.

Bruce Springsteen's PROTECTION was registered at the United States Copyright Office on 08 Mar 1982.

The above lyrics are transcribed from a take that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band recorded in studio in early 1982.

Springsteen's Versions

Seven complete and incomplete acoustic home demo takes of PROTECTION are circulating among fans. They are work-in-progress takes and were recorded at Springsteen's home in Holmdel, NJ, sometime between January and June 1979. For more details, see home demo version 1, home demo version 2, home demo version 3, home demo version 4, home demo version 5, and home demo version 6.

The song was recorded with the E Street Band around Jan-Feb 1982 at The Hit Factory in New York City, NY. The above lyrics are for the only 1982 take that's in circulation among collectors. It is complete, in excellent quality, and can now be found on several bootlegs including The Lost Masters Vol. 4 (Labour Of Love), The Lost Masters Essential Collection Vol. 1 (Labour Of Love), and The Genuine Tracks (Scorpio).

PROTECTION was part of an eleven-song selection that Springsteen's manager Jon Landau had in mind for the Born In The USA album, but the song did not make the final cut.

Live History

In preparation for Tunnel Of Love Express Tour, PROTECTION is known to have been practiced during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place in late January and early February 1988 at Expo Theater in Fort Monmouth, NJ, prior to the tour's first leg. See the live 28 Jan 1988 version for more details. The song was not played on any of the tour's regular dates.

[Click here to display/hide detailed Tunnel Of Love Express Tour rehearsals performances list]

Covers

As far as it's known, only two artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's PROTECTION, most notably Donna Summer.

Donna Summer -- Donna Summer LP - Geffen Records (GHS 2005) - USA, 1982 LP - Warner Bros. Records (K 99163) - UK, 1982 Donna Summer's cover of PROTECTION was also released as a single and included on a various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute albums. See Donna Summer's cover version for more details.

Claude Duke -- Protection 12-inch EP - Miami Tapes and Records (no catalogue number) - USA, 1984 3-track EP containing three versions of PROTECTION.

Yola Polastry -- La Banda de... ¡Hola Yola! LP - Odean / lempsa (ELD-02.01.1170) - Peru, 1984 This is a Spanish version of the song, titled "Buscando".

Various artists -- Tributo A La Niñez CD-R - Ya Estas Ya Producciones / 1001 Records (YP-4) - Peru, 2002 PROTECTION is performed by Kyleran. This is a Spanish version of the song, titled "Buscando". The album was only released on CD-R.

Available Versions

List of available versions of PROTECTION on this website:

• Studio version
• Home demo version 1
• Home demo version 2
• Home demo version 3
• Home demo version 4
• Home demo version 5
• Home demo version 6
• Live 28 Jan 1988 version
• Donna Summer's cover version

Credits / References

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake).

Some of the above info about the studio recording is taken from Brucebase. Info about some of the above cover releases is taken from the Nebraska website.

Request

Please contact me if you have scans for Claude Duke's Protection EP or Yola Polastry's La Banda de... ¡Hola Yola! album. Any additions, comments, or corrections to this page are welcome. You can contact me via the below form or by email: . You will be credited. Thanks in advance.

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