Bruce Springsteen Once Made Amends to a Film Director With a Hit Song in 1987
Bruce Springsteen used the title of Paul Schrader’s planned film, *Born in the U.S.A.*, for a song and the 1984 album that became a major success. The title’s cultural impact left Schrader unable to use it for his film, so Springsteen offered him a different song as compensation.
That song, first recorded under the longer title “(Just Around the Corner to the) Light of Day”, was shortened to “Light of Day” and became the film’s title. Released in 1987, the film starred Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett, whose band’s version of the song reached the US Top 40 after MTV played its video. Springsteen later performed the track live, and his only official release of it appeared on his 1993 *Concert/MTV Plugged* album.
In short
- Springsteen repurposed Schrader’s film title for his hit album.
- He gave the director “Light of Day” in return.
- Joan Jett’s version reached the US Top 40 in 1987.
Explained simply
Bruce Springsteen is an American singer and songwriter whose 1984 album Born in the U.S.A. became a major success. Paul Schrader, an American film director and screenwriter, had planned a film with the same title, but the song and album made the name strongly associated with Springsteen.
Springsteen offered Schrader another song, “Light of Day”, for the film, which took its title from the track. The 1987 film starred actor Michael J. Fox and musician Joan Jett; Jett’s band recorded a version that reached the US Top 40 after its video was shown on MTV.