1977-10-00 Record Plant, New York City, NY

Springsteen donates songs to Patti Smith, who is recording her new album in the same studios at the same time as Bruce is recording his. According to interview comments in 2000 by Lenny Kaye (Smith's guitarist and songwriting partner) Springsteen handed over demos of not one but three different songs for Smith/Kaye's perusal, the first two of which Bruce apparently composed with Patti specifically in mind - and then a third one, "Because The Night". Smith preferred the latter. After some re-writing of the Springsteen lyrics to give the song a more feminine, sensual feel the Patti Smith Group recorded the song in November. Springsteen didn't perform on Smith's studio version. The identities of other two Springsteen-donated songs (Smith never recorded either), remain an intriguing mystery. Kaye's 2000 comment that "I would love to hear a tape of those (two) songs today" would indicate he doesn't have a copy of these Springsteen mystery song demos in his collection. The Smith recording of "Because The Night" was first released as a U.S.A. single in late February 1978 and appeared on her Easter album in March. It was a major international hit single during the April-May 1978 period.