If one mark of a great song is its ability to live on through cover versions, then technically “Because the Night” is a great song. But honestly, I never really loved it growing up. For decades, it never impressed me. It never stayed with me. But now that I’m older, I think I finally get and finally appreciate what Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith did here when they co-wrote this song together. “Because the Night” is a song about love, but it’s not a love song. Not many artists have ever pulled off something like that.

“With love we sleep. With doubt the vicious circle turn and burns. Without you I cannot live.”