Light of Day (song)

Last updated

"Light of Day", sometimes written as "(Just Around the Corner to the) Light of Day", is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and performed initially by Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox with their fictitious band The Barbusters in the 1987 film Light of Day . The song has since become a staple in Jett's concerts.

Contents

The song appeared on the Light of Day soundtrack album. As a single, it reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1987, and it was credited to The Barbusters (Joan Jett and The Blackhearts) on the record label. It received additional album-oriented rock airplay due to its Jett and Springsteen connection. A music video featuring The Barbusters performing the song, interspersed with numerous scenes from the rest of the film, was popular on MTV. The song has also appeared on several Jett compilation albums.

In 2011 American Songwriter named "Light of Day" their Favorite Movie Song. [1]

Lyrics

"Light of Day" is a powerful guitar-driven, roadhouse-flavored stomper that features Springsteen's usual automotive imagery and includes some of his heartland rock sentiments as well as some of the film's sensibility:

Well, I've been out of the woods for six days and nights now
And I'm a little hot wired but I'm feeling all right now
I got some money in my pocket and I won't need a ride, yeah!
I gotta make it down to Galveston by Saturday night, yeah

Well, I'm a little down under but I'm feeling okay
And I got a little lost down along the way
Well, I'm just around the corner till the light of day, yeah

The song's lyrics focus on the quest for happiness amidst life's difficult circumstances, told through the eyes of a person driving and traveling the nation and world in search of something better, only to find that it really existed at home all along.[ citation needed ]

Song's inspiration and use by Springsteen

The tale is told that Springsteen donated the song to film director Paul Schrader as loose payment for his having appropriated Schrader's working title for this film for the song "Born in the U.S.A." [2] The song was originally written for the Born in the U.S.A. album, and recorded by Springsteen in 1983. That version remains unreleased.

Springsteen subsequently featured "Light of Day" heavily in his own concerts; it showed up during his 1987 Jersey Shore club appearances, then served as the main set closer throughout his 1988 Tunnel of Love Express, 1992-1993 "Other Band", 1995 (six shows with Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers in a band featuring Springsteen on lead guitar and occasional lead vocal) and 1999-2000 Reunion Tours. Two such performances were captured in the 1993 In Concert/MTV Plugged and 2000 Live in New York City videos and albums, but any particular rendering could be extended to arbitrary length via Springsteen raps, vamps, stage hijinks, and false endings.

The song has rarely been performed since The Rising Tour, where it only appeared one time — on the last day of the tour. It was played four times on the 2007-2008 Magic Tour and eleven times on the 2012-2013 Wrecking Ball World Tour. It made a more permanent return on the High Hopes Tour in 2014, where it resumed its traditional position as set closer. It was performed a few times in 2015 by Springsteen and one time on The River Tour 2016 with special guests Joe and Johnny Grushecky. On June 29, 2017 it was performed together again on the stage of the Canadian National Arts Center, for the public induction of Michael J. Fox in the Governor General's performing arts awards 2017. [3] On March 31, 2024, the song opened Springsteen and the E Street Band's show in San Francisco on their 2023-2024 tour marking the first time Springsteen had performed it with the E Street Band since 2016.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Van Zandt</span> American musician and actor (born 1950)

Steven Van Zandt, also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared in several television drama series, including as Silvio Dante in The Sopranos (1999–2007) and as Frank Tagliano in Lilyhammer (2012–2014). Van Zandt has his own solo band called Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, intermittently active since the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Runaways</span> American rock band from Los Angeles

The Runaways were an American all-female rock band who recorded and performed from 1975 to 1979. Formed in 1975 in Los Angeles, the band released four studio albums and one live album during its run. Among their best-known songs are "Cherry Bomb", "Hollywood", "Queens of Noise" and a cover version of the Velvet Underground's "Rock & Roll". Never a major success in the United States, the Runaways became a sensation overseas, especially in Japan, thanks to the single "Cherry Bomb".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Smear</span> American guitarist (born 1959)

Georg Albert Ruthenberg, better known by his stage name Pat Smear, is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead guitarist and co-founder of Los Angeles–based punk band The Germs and for being a rhythm guitarist for grunge band Nirvana, and Foo Fighters. After Nirvana disbanded following the suicide of its frontman Kurt Cobain, drummer Dave Grohl went on to become the frontman of Foo Fighters with Smear joining on guitar. Smear left Foo Fighters in 1997 before rejoining as a touring guitarist in 2005 and being promoted back to a full-time member in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Jett</span> American rock musician (born 1958)

Joan Jett is an American rock singer, guitarist, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for founding and performing with the Runaways, who recorded and released the hit song "Cherry Bomb". With the Blackhearts, Jett is known for her rendition of the song "I Love Rock 'n Roll" which was number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks in 1982. Jett's other notable songs include "Bad Reputation", "Light of Day", "I Hate Myself for Loving You" and her covers of "Crimson and Clover", "Do You Wanna Touch Me " and "Dirty Deeds".

<i>In Concert/MTV Plugged</i> 1993 live album by Bruce Springsteen

In Concert/MTV Plugged is a 1992 concert video and 1993 live album by Bruce Springsteen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southside Johnny</span> Musical artist

John Lyon, known professionally as Southside Johnny, is an American singer-songwriter who usually fronts his band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

<i>Light of Day</i> 1987 film by Paul Schrader

Light of Day is a 1987 American musical drama film starring Michael J. Fox, Gena Rowlands and Joan Jett in her film debut. It was written and directed by Paul Schrader. The original music score was composed by Thomas Newman and the cinematography is by John Bailey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dawn (band)</span> Filipino rock band

The Dawn is a Filipino rock band which first achieved commercial success during the late 1980s in the Philippines. The band broke up in 1995 with lead vocalist Jett Pangan forming another band, the Jett Pangan Group. The Dawn reunited in late 1999. The Dawn is considered the "longest-lived and most prolific rock band in the Philippines".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Nile</span> Rock and folk musician

Willie Nile is an American singer-songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E Street Band</span> Bruce Springsteens backing band

The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing career, the band consisted of guitarists Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, and Patti Scialfa, keyboardists Danny Federici and Roy Bittan, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg, and saxophonist Clarence Clemons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Born in the U.S.A. (song)</span> 1984 song by Bruce Springsteen

"Born in the U.S.A." is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen and released in 1984 on the album Born in the U.S.A. One of Springsteen's best-known singles, it was ranked 275th on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and in 2001, the RIAA's Songs of the Century placed the song 59th, remaining a favorite in classic rock. The song addresses the economic hardships of Vietnam veterans upon their return home, juxtaposed ironically against patriotic glorification of the nation's fighting forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour</span> 1999–2000 concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

The Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour was a lengthy, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place over 1999 and 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elle King</span> American musician (born 1989)

Tanner Elle Schneider, known professionally by her stage name Elle King, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and actress. Her musical style is influenced by country, rock, and blues.

"Land of Hope and Dreams" is a 1999 song written by Bruce Springsteen and performed by Springsteen and the E Street Band. After being performed on tour and released on multiple live albums, a studio recording was released for the first time on Wrecking Ball in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High Hopes Tour</span> 2014 concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

The High Hopes Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with special guest guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. The tour was seen as a continuation of his previous tour and was in support of eighteenth studio album, High Hopes, which was released in January 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monumentour</span> 2014 concert tour by Fall Out Boy and Paramore

The Monumentour was a co-headlining concert tour by American rock bands Fall Out Boy and Paramore in support of their latest albums, Save Rock and Roll (2013) and Paramore (2013). It was supported by New Politics as the opening band. The tour was set to play a total of forty-four concerts over the course four months in North America. The tour was announced in January 2014, and was later expanded in April 2014. It was the first time the bands toured together, hence the name Monumentour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jett Rebel</span> Dutch musician

Jelte Steven Tuinstra, known professionally as Jett Rebel, is a Dutch singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, music producer and recording artist. The moniker Jett Rebel refers to a solo artist who performs live in different band formations in the Dutch music scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trapped (Jimmy Cliff song)</span> Song performed by Jimmy Cliff

"Trapped" is a 1972 song written and recorded by reggae artist Jimmy Cliff and popularized by Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Byrd</span> American musician

Ricky Byrd is a rock and roll guitar player, singer, songwriter and producer. He spent over a decade as a member of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, where he contributed music and background vocals to two platinum albums, I Love Rock 'n Roll and Up Your Alley, the gold certified Album, and four others for the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Got Back</span> 2022–2023 concert tour by Paul McCartney

Got Back was a concert tour by English musician Paul McCartney, that started on 28 April 2022 and ended on 16 December 2023. The tour is McCartney's first following the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in the cancellation of a planned European leg of his Freshen Up tour in 2020, which included a planned performance at Glastonbury Festival. McCartney performed at Glastonbury on 25 June 2022, as a conclusion to the first leg of the Got Back tour.

References

  1. "The 30-Day Song Selection Spectacular: #3, Favorite Movie Song". American Songwriter. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  2. American Top 40, March 21, 1987 (the song also debuts in the countdown that week).
  3. "2017 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Gala | Celebrating Canada's Highest Honour in the Performing Arts | Thu, Jun 29, 2017, 6:30 pm | Southam Hall".