1978 Hit, Written by Two Rock Legends, Became an Ultimate Love Anthem

Nearly 40 years after its release, Patti Smith's 1978 hit, "Because the Night," has remained one of the most enduring love songs from the rock genre. In 2025, Billboard ranked the song, off Smith's record, Easter, as the eighth best rock love song ever released.

Billboard reported that the song came out of a collaborative effort from Smith and fellow rock legend Bruce Springsteen. While speaking on stage at the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Springsteen explained that he had penned an incomplete version of "Because the Night," which record executive Jimmy Iovine requested that he give to Smith. Springsteen said he immediately agreed to do so because he "love[s] Patti." He also complimented how Smith and Iovine improved upon his original version of the song.

"Of course, with Jimmy's guidance, Patti turns 'Because the Night' into a huge top five record. Which is something I couldn't have ever done. Because I didn't have the guts to turn it into a love song, as Jimmy knew Patti would," said Springsteen during the ceremony.

Before a 2015 performance for TheNew Yorker, Smith explained she was given "Because the Night" because Springsteen "was having difficulty with the [song 's] lyrics" around the time she was recording Easter.

"He had a great chorus and a very anthemic piece of music in my key, and he gave it to me," said Smith.

She then said she added her lyrics comparing love to a telephone call because she was in long-distance relationship with her late husband, Fred "Sonic" Smith, who died in 1994 at the age of 46. She explained that she had been waiting by the phone for a few hours for Smith's call before deciding to work on "Because the Night."

"Bruce had given me this music, and I had sort of neglected it. And so Fred was supposed to call me like at 7:30, and then 8:30 came and then 9:30 and, you know, I was all dressed and ready, you know, for this phone call," recalled Smith, now 79. "And I know some girls would have been cool and just left, but I'm not that kind of girl. I'll just wait and wait and wait, so, I didn't know what to do with myself, so I picked up this cassette that was Bruce's music and I wrote some lyrics to occupy my time, and so Fred called me about midnight, and by then I had written the lyrics."

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 1:57 PM.