BECAUSE THE NIGHT

Live 28 Dec 1980 version



Take me now baby here as I am
Pull me close try and understand
I work all day out in the hot sun
I break my back till the morning comes

Come on now try and understand
The way I feel when I'm in your hands
Take me now as the sun descends
They can't hurt you now
They can't hurt you now
They can't hurt you now

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us

What I got I have earned
What I'm not baby I have learned
Desire and hunger is the fire I breathe
Just stay in my bed till the morning comes

Come on now try and understand
The way I feel when I'm in your hand
Take me now as the sun descends
They can't hurt you now
They can't hurt you now
They can't hurt you now
Go!

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us

Your love it seeds with doubt
The vicious circle turns and burns without
You know I cannot live, forgive me now
But time has come to take the moment and
They can't hurt us now
They can't hurt us now

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us

[Guitar solo]

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to us
Because the night belongs to us


Info

The above lyrics are for the live 28 Dec 1980 performance of BECAUSE THE NIGHT at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, during The River Tour. This live 28 Dec 1980 performance of BECAUSE THE NIGHT was included on the Live/1975-85 box set in 1986. The guitar solo part is edited out on the official release, from three minutes to a bit over a minute and a half.


The live 28 Dec 1980 version of BECAUSE THE NIGHT was included on the Greatest Hits (2009 Europe edition) compilation album.

The 28 Dec 1980 Show

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band rounded up the 1980 leg of The River Tour with three concerts at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, on 28, 29, and 31 Dec 1980. The three shows were recorded live with the Record Plant Remote Truck by Toby Scott, assisted by David Bianco and Jim Scott, and later became one of the main sources for the Live/1975-85 box set which includes six recordings from these shows. Four additional recordings were released as B-sides and on compilation albums.

Ticket stub for the 28 Dec 1980 show at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
Ticket stub for the 28 Dec 1980 show at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

  1. MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY
  2. BADLANDS
  3. TWO HEARTS
  4. TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT
  5. DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN
  6. INDEPENDENCE DAY
  7. WHO'LL STOP THE RAIN
  8. FACOTRY
  9. THE PROMISED LAND
  10. OUT IN THE STREET
  11. THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND
  12. THE RIVER
  13. PROVE IT ALL NIGHT
  14. THUNDER ROAD
  15. CADILLAC RANCH
  16. HUNGRY HEART
  17. SHERRY DARLING
  18. FIRE
  19. BECAUSE THE NIGHT
  20. 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
  21. FOR YOU
  22. STOLEN CAR
  23. WRECK ON THE HIGHWAY
  24. POINT BLANK
  25. THE TIES THAT BIND
  26. RAMROD
  27. YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH)
  28. BACKSTREETS
  29. ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT)
  30. SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN
  31. JUNGLELAND
  32. BORN TO RUN
  33. DETROIT MEDLEY

The Live/1975-85 Box Set

With the Born In The U.S.A. album and tour, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band reached the highest level of rock stardom. Columbia Records was expecting a follow up studio album and tour that would, like it's predecessor, achieve a huge commercial success. Instead, Springsteen released Live/1975-85, an over-three-hours-and-a-half-long live compilation album consisting of 40 tracks recorded at various concerts between 1975 and 1985.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live/1975-85
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live/1975-85

The set was produced by Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, and Bruce Springsteen, and hit the stores on 10 Nov 1986. It was released as a box set with either five vinyl records, three cassettes, or three CDs. Live/1975-85 is the first album to be credited to "Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band" instead of "Bruce Springsteen" only.

The highly-anticipated live album generated advance orders of more than 1.5 million copies, making it the largest dollar-volume pre-order in the history of the record business at the time. Record stores around the country found fans waiting in line on Monday morning before opening and one New York store reportedly sold the album right off the back of the delivery truck. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard album chart and also became the first five-record set to reach the top 10 and the first to sell over a million copies. Live/1975-85 is the second-best-selling live album in U.S. history based on RIAA certification. It has been certified by the RIAA for 13 times platinum, trailing only Garth Brooks' Double Live.

Side 1 (vinyl LP format):

1.THUNDER ROADRecorded live on 18 Oct 1975 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
2.ADAM RAISE A CAINRecorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
3.SPIRIT IN THE NIGHTRecorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
4.4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)Recorded live on 31 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

Side 2 (vinyl LP format):

1.PARADISE BY THE "C"Recorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
2.FIRERecorded live on 16 Dec 1978 at Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
3.GROWIN' UPRecorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
4.IT'S HARD TO BE A SAINT IN THE CITYRecorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA

Side 3 (vinyl LP format):

1.BACKSTREETSRecorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
2.ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT)Recorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA
3.RAISE YOUR HANDRecorded live on 07 Jul 1978 at The Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, CA

Side 4 (vinyl LP format):

1.HUNGRY HEARTRecorded live on 28 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
2.TWO HEARTSRecorded live on 08 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
3.CADILLAC RANCHRecorded live on 06 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
4.YOU CAN LOOK (BUT YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH)Recorded live on 29 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
5.INDEPENDENCE DAYRecorded live on 06 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

Side 5 (vinyl LP format):

1.BADLANDSRecorded live on 05 Nov 1980 at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
2.BECAUSE THE NIGHTRecorded live on 28 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
3.CANDY'S ROOMRecorded live on 08 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
4.DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWNRecorded live on 29 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
5.RACING IN THE STREETRecorded live on 06 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

Side 6 (vinyl LP format):

1.THIS LAND IS YOUR LANDRecorded live on 29 Dec 1980 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
2.NEBRASKARecorded live on 06 Aug 1984 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
3.JOHNNY 99Recorded live on 19 Aug 1985 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
4.REASON TO BELIEVERecorded live on 19 Aug 1984 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

Side 7 (vinyl LP format):

1.BORN IN THE U.S.A.Recorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
2.SEEDSRecorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
3.THE RIVERRecorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA

Side 8 (vinyl LP format):

1.WARRecorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
2.DARLINGTON COUNTYRecorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
3.WORKING ON THE HIGHWAYRecorded live on 19 Aug 1985 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
4.THE PROMISED LANDRecorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA

Side 9 (vinyl LP format):

1.COVER MERecorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA
2.I'M ON FIRERecorded live on 19 Aug 1985 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
3.BOBBY JEANRecorded live on 21 Aug 1985 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
4.MY HOMETOWNRecorded live on 30 Sep 1985 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA

Side 10 (vinyl LP format):

1.BORN TO RUNRecorded live on 19 Aug 1985 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
2.NO SURRENDERRecorded live on 06 Aug 1984 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
3.TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUTRecorded live on 20 Aug 1984 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ
4.JERSEY GIRLRecorded live on 09 Jul 1981 at Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford, NJ

Greatest Hits 2009 Edition

Greatest Hits (2009 edition) is a compilation album released by Columbia Records on 13 Jan 2009 in the United State where it was sold exclusively through Wal-Mart retailers. The album was also released (but non-exclusively) in Canada. Unlike the 1995 Greatest Hits release and The Essential Bruce Springsteen in 2003, this compilation was billed to "Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band" instead of just "Bruce Springsteen". The album contains 12 previously released studio tracks and clocks at 53:08.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Greatest Hits (2009 USA edition)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Greatest Hits (2009 USA edition)

On 01 Jun 2009, Columbia Records released a European edition of the compilation album with an alternative track listing to promote Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's European leg of the Working On A Dream Tour. The European edition was also released in Israel and Mexico, and in Australia in August 2009. The album comes in a standard jewel case, but a limited digipack edition was also released in Europe. Greatest Hits (2009 European edition) contains 16 previously released studio tracks and 2 live bonus tracks taken from the Live/1975-85 box set. It clocks at 79:03.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Greatest Hits (2009 Europe edition)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Greatest Hits (2009 Europe edition)

The album charted in several countries, but only made it to # 1 in Sweden. In general, the album did much better in Europe than in North America.

Other Official Releases

The live 28 Dec 1980 version of BECAUSE THE NIGHT was also included on some Bruce Springsteen promo-only samplers. It was also included on some EP's released in conjunction with the Live/1975-85 box set. In 1995, it was included on the European and South African pressings of the Secret Garden EP and used as the B-side to the Murder Incorporated European single.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- The
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- The "Live" / The Legend Comes Alive

LP - CBS/Sony (XDAP 93156) - Japan, 1986
MC - CBS/Sony (XDKP 93022) - Japan, 1986

Promotional release compiling 10 tracks from the Live/1975-85 box set. The cassette tape issue is extremely rare and features a different artwork.

A1- BORN IN THE U.S.A. [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
A2- SEEDS [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
A3- COVER ME [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
A4- BOBBY JEAN [Live 21 Aug 1985 version]
A5- NO SURRENDER [Live 06 Aug 1984 version]
B1- BORN TO RUN [Live 19 Aug 1985 version]
B2- WAR [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
B3- THUNDER ROAD [Live 18 Oct 1975 (early show) version]
B4- HUNGRY HEART [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
B5- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live (Argentina LP issue)
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Live

LP - CBS (70.015) - Argentina, 1986
MC - CBS (170015) - Argentina, 1986
MC - CBS (8283-4) - Uruguay, 1986

Sampler compiling 10 tracks from the Live/1975-85 box set.

A1- THUNDER ROAD [Live 18 Oct 1975 (early show) version]
A2- COVER ME [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
A3- I'M ON FIRE [Live 19 Aug 1985 version]
A4- TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT [Live 20 Aug 1984 version]
A5- HUNGRY HEART [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
B1- BORN TO RUN [Live 19 Aug 1985 version]
B2- BORN IN THE U.S.A. [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
B3- WAR [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
B4- DARLINGTON COUNTY [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
B5- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
Bruce Springsteen -- Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen -- Bruce Springsteen

7" EP - CBS (SSC 6011) - South Africa, 1987

Promotional sampler compiling 4 tracks from the Live/1975-85 box set.

A1- FIRE [Live 16 Dec 1978 version]
A2- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
B1- HUNGRY HEART [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
B2- BORN TO RUN [Live 19 Aug 1985 version]
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Fire
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Fire

12" EP - Columbia (CAS 2636) - USA, 1987

Promotional release.

A1- FIRE [Live 16 Dec 1978 version, with spoken intro]]
A2- FIRE [Live 16 Dec 1978 version, without spoken intro]]
B1- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
B2- SEEDS [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Born To Run Live
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Born To Run Live

2x7" EP - CBS (BRUCE B2) - UK, 1987

UK-only box set containing two 7" singles, Born To Run Live and "Spirit In The Night / Because The Night", the latter being exclusive to this box set. All four tracks are taken from the Live/1975-85 box set.

A1- BORN TO RUN [Live 19 Aug 1985 version]
B1- JOHNNY 99 [Live 19 Aug 1985 version]
C1- SPIRIT IN THE NIGHT [Live 07 Jul 1978 version]
D1- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
Bruce Springsteen -- Secret Garden
Bruce Springsteen -- Secret Garden

CD EP - Columbia (661295 2) - Austria, 1995

Austrian pressing for the European market.

01- SECRET GARDEN
02- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
03- PINK CADILLAC
04- 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
Bruce Springsteen -- Secret Garden
Bruce Springsteen -- Secret Garden

CD EP - CBS/Sony (661295 2) - Austria, 1995

Austrian pressing for the Spanish market.

01- SECRET GARDEN
02- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
03- PINK CADILLAC
04- 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
Bruce Springsteen -- Secret Garden
Bruce Springsteen -- Secret Garden

CD EP - Columbia (CDSIN 30 I) - South Africa, 1995

01- SECRET GARDEN
02- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
03- PINK CADILLAC
04- 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated

7" single - Columbia (661313 7) - Holland, 1995

A1- MURDER INCORPORATED
B1- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated

12" EP - Columbia (661313 6) - Holland, 1995

Dutch pressing for the French market, withdrawn for unknown reasons.

A1- MURDER INCORPORATED
A2- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
B1- PINK CADILLAC
B2- 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated

CD single - Columbia (661313 1) - Austria, 1995

Austrian pressing for the French market.

A1- MURDER INCORPORATED
A2- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated
Bruce Springsteen -- Murder Incorporated

CD EP - Columbia (661313 2) - Austria, 1995

Austrian pressing for the French market.

A1- MURDER INCORPORATED
A2- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
B1- PINK CADILLAC
B2- 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY)
Bruce Springsteen -- Bruce Springsteen (1984 - 1993)
Bruce Springsteen -- Bruce Springsteen (1984 - 1993)

CD-R - Sony (no catalog number) - Japan, 2005

Japan-only promotional "Digest" CD-R advance sampler tying in with the release of the second batch of the Japanese 2005 "mini-LP"-style Springsteen CD album reissues. This disc comes in a plain slimline jewel case with no artwork.

Bruce Springsteen -- Live 1975-1985 Digest CD
Bruce Springsteen -- Live 1975-1985 Digest CD

CD-R - Sony (no catalog number) - Japan, 2005

Japan-only promotional "Digest" CD-R advance sampler tying in with the release of the Japanese 2005 "mini-LP"-style CD album reissue of Live/1975-85. This disc comes in a plain slimline jewel case with no artwork.

01- THUNDER ROAD [Live 18 Oct 1975 (early show) version]
02- 4TH OF JULY, ASBURY PARK (SANDY) [Live 31 Dec 1980 version]
03- GROWIN' UP [Live 07 Jul 1978 version]
04- IT'S HARD TO BE A SAINT IN THE CITY [Live 07 Jul 1978 version]
05- BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
06- RACING IN THE STREET [Live 06 Jul 1981 version]
07- WAR [Live 30 Sep 1985 version]
08- BOBBY JEAN [Live 21 Aug 1985 version]
09- BORN TO RUN [Live 19 Aug 1985 version]
10- NO SURRENDER [Live 06 Aug 1984 version]
11- JERSEY GIRL [Live 09 Jul 1981 version]

Available Versions

List of available versions of BECAUSE THE NIGHT on this website:

BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Official studio version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Unofficial studio version 1]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Unofficial studio version 2]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 30 May 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 01 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 05 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 07 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 08 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 09 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 12 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 14 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 15 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 16 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 18 Jul 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 09 Aug 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 19 Sep 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 20 Sep 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 30 Sep 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 08 Dec 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 15 Dec 1978 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 03 Oct 1980 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 28 Dec 1980 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 29 Dec 1980 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 31 Dec 1980 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 05 Jun 1981 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 17 Jul 1984 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 12 Jun 1985 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 27 Sep 1985 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 11 Jun 1988 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 03 Jul 1988 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 19 Mar 2000 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 23 Nov 2002 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 02 Oct 2004 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 31 Jul 2012 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 12 Apr 2014 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Live 17 Jan 2016 version]
BECAUSE THE NIGHT [Patti Smith Group's cover version]

Page last updated: 09 Feb 2017