I'll Stand By You Always

I'LL STAND BY YOU ALWAYS - V1 5:32 SA
SONG FOR HARRY POTTER - V2a 5:32 cdr ep
I'LL STAND BY YOU ALWAYS - V2b 5:29 O&S
I'LL STAND BY YOU - V2c 4:35 BLINDED: OST

Note: A ballad written by Springsteen sometime between 1998 and 2000, inspired by reading the Harry Potter books to his youngest son Sam. This is not a children's song, however. Sometime in early 2001, Bruce made the song available to director Chris Columbus, who at the time was shooting the first of the Potter movies. However, the Springsteen song was ultimately rejected due to Harry Potter novelist/creator JK Rowling's contractual stipulation that no commercial songs of any type be used in the Potter film series. Warner Brothers Music President Gary Lemel, who was involved in the Potter music, was asked for comment by USA Today, but said he preferred not to comment publicly – but in doing so seemingly verified the basic truth in the story. In September or October 2001, Springsteen donated the song to fellow Sony artist (and Latin/salsa star) Marc Anthony, who recorded a cover version. In late 2001 both Sony and Anthony issued press releases specifically promoting the Springsteen composition and mentioning it would be one of the tracks on Anthony's forthcoming album Mended (and likely the lead single off the album). Strangely, when the Mended album was finally released in April 2002, the song was not on the album, nor was it issued as a single. A later special edition of Mended with bonus tracks also didn't include the song. There has been no explanation as to why the Springsteen composition was not issued.

V1 is from early 2001, a rough demo version with very few lyrics written. However, Bruce finished them quickly, and recorded the completed studio version V2a on January 28, 2001 in the studio next to his Rumson home. The studio version was exclusively given out on an in-house promo CD-R to some very few top executives at Columbia Records. The CD-R was burned on October 31, 2001, right around the time when the track was being offered up to the Harry Potter producers, about a week before the Live In New York City DVD was released. The CD-R contains three tracks: "Song For Harry Potter", "My Hometown (Live)", and "This Hard Land (Live)". V2b is the probably the same studio recording, copyrighted on June 13, 2001 and apparently donated to the Harry Potter movie. This version uses a similar base track, but the lyrics are completed. It leaked on February 10, 2017.

In late 2018, Ron Aniello added overdubs and effects to the base recording. It was mixed by Bob Clearmountain on February 19, 2019 at Stone Hill Studio, Colts Neck, NJ, specifically for the Blinded by The Light soundtrack album, and released August 9, 2019. V2c is actually the same as V2b, but fades out 50 seconds earlier, features more backing vocals, and the mix is slightly different. It was produced by Ron Aniello and mastered by Bob Ludwig. Aniello is also credited as engineer and mixing engineer, Toby Scott is credited as engineer (2001), and Rob Lebret is credited as engineer and mixing engineer.

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