| JUST AROUND THE CORNER TO THE LIGHT OF DAY | uncirculating |
Note: Studio take of "Light Of Day" was recorded at The Hit Factory on May 25, 1983 under the title "Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day" but never considered for Born In The U.S.A. and never bootlegged
The story of this song has it's genesis in 1981, when screenwriter/director Paul Schrader asked Springsteen to write a song for his upcoming film about struggling rock musicians, titled Born In The U.S.A. Bruce declined and instead took Schrader's title, transforming a song he had in the pipeline, "Vietnam", into perhaps his biggest hit, "Born In The U.S.A.". Fast forward four years – in 1985, when Schrader received the go-ahead to make the film, he couldn't use his working title because by that point it had become too closely associated with Springsteen. Schrader again asked Bruce for a song and Bruce donated "Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day" – which Schrader loved so much that he re-copyrighted his screenplay in 1985 under the new title Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day. In 1986 when the film was being shot, both the movie and song titles were shortened to "Light Of Day". It had never been intended that Springsteen's recording would be used in the film. The song was recorded by the film's stars, Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox ("The Barbusters"), and released concurrently with the movie in February 1987. The Barbusters first performed the song live at a nightclub appearance in mid-1986, while Springsteen first performed the song live on April 12, 1987. A 1992 live version was officially released on MTV Unplugged. In 2001 Springsteen said of the song: "It's so basic that you can do anything with it. Start it. Stop It. Do all kinds of routines inside it. It's one of those all-purpose pieces of music." For this reason "Light Of Day" was the main set closer across two tours - the 1992/93 World Tour and the 1999/2000 Reunion Tour.