“Because the Night” – 10,000 Maniacs
(Words/music: Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen, available on MTV Unplugged, Elektra 1993)
If it didn’t carry such a specific connotation, I’d declare “Because the Night” my favorite power ballad. Springsteen and Smith play off their mutual strengths, specifically their flair for the dramatic and their unconventionally powerful voices. “Because the Night” starts with a bittersweet piano line and gives the impression of a lonely piano feature before swelling and taking on the power of the full band. Appropriately, both Springsteen and Smith take their vocal cues from their arrangement; by the end of the song, both Smith and Springsteen emote the same passion and desperation as their lyrics. It’s this same quality that makes the 10,000 Maniacs version work for me. Natalie Merchant has her opportunity to step into the spotlight and plays up her strengths as a vocalist. That’s not to shortchange her band (who create a wonderful arrangement behind her, managing to elicit the necessary energy out of the unplugged arrangement), but this is Merchant’s moment in the spotlight (and let’s be honest, that’s the reason she’s the focal point in the cover photo). Like Springsteen and Smith, Merchant builds up to her emotional climax; while she doesn’t have the same power as the other two, she compensates with the sweet sincerity in her voice.
Merchant’s version, like the original Smith version and the Springsteen version on the Live 1975 – 1985 box, climaxes during the bridge. If the verses laid out the protagonist’s desire for her lover, the bridge drives home the extent of her longing. Appropriately, this is the musical turning point as well as the song builds in the final few bars. Merchant’s voice cracks slightly on the second “take me now,” and rather than feel like a bad note it almost sounds like she’s getting choked up. Whether it’s a bit of acting or an authentic moment of emotion, it only underscores the intensity of the moment.
More on 10,000 Maniacs: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm
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