Bruce Springsteen has written and recorded nearly 400 songs. A staggering number of them have become hits and\/or classic album tracks. In recognition of that fact, Columbia Records \u2013 his label since the start of his recording career \u2013 has released no fewer than four different albums purporting to collect his \u201cgreatest\u201d or \u201cbest\u201d tracks.<\/p>\n
And quite a few of Bruce\u2019s fellow recording artists have recognized the greatness of his work, going so far as to record their own takes on his music. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of (his first) Greatest Hits<\/em> album, here are five greats from The Boss that were covered by others.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause the Night\u201d from Live 1975-85<\/em> (1986)<\/strong>
\nPoet, author, doyenne of the punk movement, New York legend Patti Smith had long since established herself as one of rock\u2019s most important voices by the time she recorded Easter<\/em>, her third album fronting the Patti Smith Group. That LP included \u201cBecause the Night,\u201d a stirring anthem co-written by Smith and Bruce Springsteen. The song made it to #13 on the U.S. singles chart, faring even better (#5) in the UK. Fifteen years later, 10,000 Maniacs would score a hit with their own cover of the song (from MTV Unplugged<\/em>). Springsteen never released a studio version of his own, but a live version is on Live 1975-85<\/em>.<\/p>\n