Patti Smith Reveals the Backstory to Her Most Successful Song and Performs Live With David Remnick

(mystical music)

The song's a collaboration with Bruce Springsteen.

Bruce was workin' on this song when I was recording Easter

and he was having difficulty with the lyrics, unlike Bruce

but he was and he had a great chorus and a very anthemic

piece of music in my key and he gave it to me and at the

time I had met my future husband, I had met Fred.

I was waiting, we had a long distance relationship

and Fred was living in Detroit and I was livin' in

New York and we didn't have cell phones or nothin' back then

and we didn't have much money so long distance calls

cost a lot of money and so we only got to talk

to each other once a week.

I always laugh when people say my boyfriend hasn't text me

in 45 minutes I'm a thinkin' jeez.

(audience laughing)

So once a week I would wait for Fred to call so one night

I was waiting for him and Bruce had given me this music

and I had sorta neglected it and so Fred was supposed to

call me like at 7:30 and then 8:30 came and then 9:30

and I was all dressed and ready for this phone call

and I know some girls would've been cool and just left

but I'm not that kinda girl, I'll just wait and wait

and wait so I didn't know what to do with myself so I picked

up this cassette with Bruce's music and I wrote some lyrics

to occupy my time.

So Fred called me at about, oh about midnight

and by then I had written the lyrics to what would become

my most successful song and that's why in this song

it has these words have I doubt, when I'm a lone,

love is a ring the telephone because I was waiting for

a phone call from Fred.

[Guy] Ready?

Yep.

♫ Take me now baby here as I am

♫ Pull me close, try and understand

♫ Desire is hunger is the fire I breathe

♫ Love is a banquet on which we feed

♫ Come on now try and understand

♫ The way I feel under your command

♫ Take me now as the sun descends

♫ They can't hurt you now,

♫ Can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now

♫ Because the night belongs to lovers

♫ Because the night belongs to us

♫ Because the night belongs to lovers

♫ Because the night belongs to us

(audience applauding)

♫ Have I doubt when I'm a lone

♫ Love is a ring the telephone

♫ Love is an angel disguised as lust

♫ Here in our bed until the morning comes

♫ But come on now try and understand

♫ The way I feel under your command

♫ Take my hand as the sun descends

♫ They can't hurt you now

♫ Can't hurt you now, can't hurt you now

♫ Because the night belongs to lovers

♫ Because the night belongs to us

♫ Belongs to lovers

♫ Because the night belongs to the New Yorker

♫ Although we're filled with doubt

♫ The vicious circle turns and burns

♫ Without you I cannot live, forgive the yearning burning

♫ I believe it's time to feel to heal

♫ Touch me now, touch me now, touch me now

♫ Because the night belongs to lovers

♫ Belongs to us

♫ Belongs to lovers

♫ Because the night belongs to us

♫ 'Cause we believe in the night with lovers

♫ 'Cause we believe in the night we trust

♫ Because the night belongs to lovers

♫ Because the night belongs to love

(audience applauding)

David Remnick.

Thank you.

(audience applauding)

Thank you everybody.