"Prove It All Night" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on May 23, 1978, as the first single from his fourth studio album Darkness on the Edge of Town.
| "Prove It All Night" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bruce Springsteen | ||||
| from the album Darkness on the Edge of Town | ||||
| B-side | "Factory" | |||
| Released | May 23, 1978[1] | |||
| Recorded | September 16, 1977 | |||
| Studio | ||||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 3:57 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Bruce Springsteen | |||
| Producer(s) | Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen | |||
| Bruce Springsteen singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Content
editThe protagonist promises to prove his love all night, a vow that can be seen as either opportunistic or youthfully optimistic, depending on one's point of view. Thus it can be experienced as either humorous or sincere. Lyrically the song is similar to other Springsteen numbers such as "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”, Born to Run(Bruce Springsteen song and "Thunder Road".[2] The entire song contains a sense of optimism that the two individuals' quest for love will someday be realized but, at the same time, it seems that the world is closing in on them in that the characters' chances of falling in love are growing more limited as time passes. The song begins with a piano intro played by Roy Bittan. The rhythm guitar work is quite faint, but fits the groove and feel of the song. Following the second stanza is a sax solo which precedes a somewhat intricate-sounding guitar solo by Springsteen. The solo, played quite fast, effectively voices the protagonist's mounting desire to elope.
Cash Box called it a "winner" with "strong upfront beat, chimes, piano/organ and [Clarence] Clemons' rich and rough sax" and "effective hook, raw singing, [and] searching guitar solo."[3] Record World called it "an instantly-memorable Springsteen rocker, dominated by keyboards and sax."[4]
An earlier take of the song has different lyrics; several lines and verses from "Something in the Night" were used instead.
Chart performance
editThe single gained little traction with Top 40 radio stations, reaching only number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100[5] and number 57 in Canada.[6]
Live performances
edit"Prove It All Night" has been a regular selection in Springsteen and E Street Band concerts since its release.
The song was performed in a different arrangement from the studio recording on two occasions on the River Tour in November 1980.[7] A live version of the song did finally appear on Springsteen's 2001 release Live in New York City documenting the Reunion Tour,[2] as did a Rising Tour performance on the 2003 Live in Barcelona DVD, but both were in a shorter, more conventional treatment.
In a concert in Barcelona during the Wrecking Ball Tour, Springsteen surprised the audience by playing the song again in the 1978 arrangement. It made its first appearance in the United States since 1980 by request at Fenway Park in Boston on August 15, 2012. It continued to make semi-regular appearances on the remainder of the tour, as well as on 2014's follow-up High Hopes Tour. It was also played by request in São Paulo, Brazil, on September 18, 2013.[citation needed]
Acclaim
editThe song was ranked as the number 6 single of 1978 by Dave Marsh and Kevin Stein[8][9] and as one of the 7500 most important songs from 1944 through 2000 by Bruce Pollock.[10]
Personnel
editAccording to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon:[11]
- Bruce Springsteen – vocals, guitars
- Roy Bittan – piano
- Clarence Clemons – saxophone
- Danny Federici – organ
- Garry Tallent – bass
- Steven Van Zandt – guitars, vocal harmonies
- Max Weinberg – drums
References
edit- ^ Graff, Gary (May 23, 2023). "How Bruce Springsteen's 'Prove It All Night' Was Reborn Onstage". Ultimate Classic Rock. Archived from the original on May 25, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Prove It All Night allmusic review". allmusic. Retrieved 2010-04-11.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 3, 1978. p. 24. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. June 10, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 795.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - August 5, 1978" (PDF).
- ^ "Brucebase - 1980". Brucebase.wikidot.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ^ Marsh, D. & Stein, K. (1981). "Top of the Pops: The Best of the Top 40 Singles by Year "Book of Rock Lists"". Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Rocklist.net...Dave Marsh Singles Lists: 1972 to 1980". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ^ Pollock, Bruce (2005). The Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs of the Rock and Roll Era: 1944-2000 (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge. p. 288. ISBN 9780415970730.
- ^ Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2020). Bruce Springsteen All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-78472-649-2.
External links
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