Last night, March 26, some of the biggest rock stars came together at Carnegie Hall for a special event called People Have the Power: A Celebration of Patti Smith. Famous musicians like Bruce Springsteen and Flea performed to honor Patti Smith and her amazing music. The night wasn’t just about great songs—it also raised money to help kids who don’t have much get a chance to learn music. So, it was a fun show with a big heart.
One of the highlights was when Bruce Springsteen, nicknamed “The Boss,” teamed up with Flea and other talented musicians to play Patti Smith’s song “Because the Night” from 1978. The group included Steve Jordan, who drums for the Rolling Stones, Charlie Sexton, who plays with Bob Dylan, Tony Shanahan from Patti’s band, and Benmont Tench from Tom Petty’s band. Together, they made the love song sound awesome, and you can watch it online.
Why did Bruce pick “Because the Night” to celebrate Patti? Well, it’s a special song with a cool story. Bruce wrote it for his own album in 1978 called Darkness on the Edge of Town, but he couldn’t get it to sound right with his band. It didn’t fit the album’s story either, so he almost forgot about it. Then, his producer Jimmy Iovine, who was also helping Patti with her album Easter, had an idea. He convinced Bruce to give the song to Patti. She added her own words and turned it into a hit.
Bruce later said in a book called Why Patti Smith Matters that he was happy Patti took the song. He really liked her and was excited she wanted to work on it. He said if it weren’t for her, the song would still be hidden away, and no one would know it. Patti, a super cool punk rock star, made “Because the Night” the main song on her Easter album. It became her biggest hit ever, reaching No. 13 in the U.S. and No. 5 in the U.K.
The night at Carnegie Hall was a big way to say thank you to Patti Smith for her music, and Bruce’s performance showed how much her work means to him and everyone else. Plus, it helped kids who love music, making it a night to remember!
