Spirit in the Night
"Spirit in the Night" | ||||
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Single by Bruce Springsteen | ||||
from the album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. | ||||
B-side | "For You" | |||
Released | May 1973 | |||
Recorded | September 11, 1972 with final dubs and mixing October 26, 1972[1] | |||
Studio | 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York | |||
Genre | Rock, gospel[2] | |||
Length | 5:00 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Springsteen | |||
Producer(s) |
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Bruce Springsteen singles chronology | ||||
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Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. track listing | ||||
9 tracks
Side two
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"Spirit in the Night" is a song written and originally recorded by American singer/songwriter
Original version
The original version of "Spirit in the Night" was released on Bruce Springsteen's debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. It was one of the last songs to be written and recorded. Springsteen and producer Mike Appel submitted the finished album to Columbia Records on August 10, 1972, but Clive Davis, president of the record label, was concerned that none of the tracks had the commercial appeal required to be released as a single.[3][4] Springsteen quickly wrote, and on September 11 recorded, two additional songs, "Spirit in the Night" and "Blinded by the Light".[3][4] Since recording sessions had been completed in late June, most of the band members had since become engaged elsewhere. As a result, the lineup for "Spirit in the Night" was limited to Vini Lopez on drums, and Springsteen on all other instruments, but featured the addition of Clarence Clemons on saxophone, adding a new dimension to the music.
Although most of the songs on Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. were packed with lyrics to the extent that sometimes they overwhelm the musical arrangements,
Live performance
Although the release of the song as a single was unsuccessful, "Spirit in the Night" was a favorite at Springsteen concerts into the 1980s.
With 572 live performances as of May 2020, "Spirit in the Night" is, behind "Growin' Up", by far the most frequently played song from Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.[10] The song live involves important crowd participation, with the audience singing the "all night" verse during the chorus while Springsteen interacts very closely with the front rows, sometimes even throwing himself into the pit. In the 1970s, the twenty-something Springsteen usually played "Spirits" third, and nightly ventured out into the audience, sometimes with Clarence Clemons in tow.
Personnel
According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:[11]
- Bruce Springsteen – vocals, bass, piano, congas, hand claps
- Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez – drums, hand claps
- Clarence Clemons – saxophone, backing vocals, hand claps
- Harold Wheeler – piano
Manfred Mann's Earth Band version
"Spirits in the Night" | ||||
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Single by Manfred Mann's Earth Band | ||||
from the album Nightingales & Bombers | ||||
B-side | "As Above So Below Part 2" | |||
Released | July 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Studio | The Workhouse, London | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length |
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Label | Bronze | |||
Songwriter(s) | Bruce Springsteen | |||
Producer(s) | Manfred Mann and the Earth Band | |||
Manfred Mann's Earth Band singles chronology | ||||
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Greasy Lake
Greasy Lake, where the action takes place, may be a mythical place. Former E Street Band drummer
The Greasy Lake in the song inspired a short story named "Greasy Lake" by
References
- ^ Heylin, Clinton (2012). Springsteen Song by Song A Critical Look. New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc. p. 14. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ Margotin & Guesdon 2020, pp. 114–115.
- ^ a b "BruceBase Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." Archived from the original on 2018-09-26. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8256-3470-3.
- ^ ISBN 0-440-10694-X.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-275-98938-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8256-3470-3.
- ^ "Yeats – Crazy Jane poems (1933) | taste to waste". Tastetowaste.wordpress.com. 2011-12-22. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
- ^ ISBN 0-7119-5304-X.
- ^ "Spirit In the Night". Brucebase. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-78472-649-2.
- ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. April 23, 1977. p. 90. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
- ^ a b "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. November 1, 1975. p. 22. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
- ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. November 1, 1975. p. 12. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "The Billboard Hot 100 Spirit in the Night June 18, 1977". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
- ISBN 978-0-89820-209-0.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - July 9, 1977" (PDF).
- ISBN 0-7119-5304-X.
- ^ White, Ryan (2014). Bruce Springsteen Album by Album. London, UK: PALAZZO EDITIONS LTD. pp. 19–20. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ISBN 0-203-49470-9. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
External links