Song title: Protection
Protection - Bruce version
Night after night
I keep holding on
You say you love me
Then you leave me so lonely
I don’t believe a single thing you’re sayin’
I think it’s all some evil game you’re playin’
Still all day long all I do is think about you
You got me believin’ that I can’t live without you
Well if you want it, well here’s my confession
Well I can’t help it, you’re my obsession
Protection, that’s what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that’s what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
The phone rings in the middle of the night
And when I pick it up, you won’t answer
Knock on the door, I rush down the stairs
When I open up, there’s no one there [1]
Out in the darkness I feel your eyes on me
I lay in bed, and feel your hands upon me
Well is it all just my imagination
You keep me end up livin’
I can’t live without
Protection, that’s what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that’s what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
I stand alone, at my window
I see you waiting, in the shadows down below
I feel your fingers on my face
I know I wanna stay, I wanna run away
Protection, that’s what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that’s what I need
I want protection, baby, from your love Notes:
Written by Springsteen for Donna Summer during the Nebraska/BITUSA sessions. This is the Springsteen version.
[1] A candidate early working is Your love is all around me
Protection - Donna Summer version
Night after night
I keep holding on
You say you love me
Then you leave me so lonely
Baby I don’t believe a word you’re sayin’
I think it’s all some evil game you’re playin’
Still all day long all I do is think about you
You got me believin’ that I can’t live without you
Well if you want it, here’s my confession
Baby I can’t help it, you’re my obsession
Protection, that’s what I need
I need protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that’s what I need
I need protection, baby, from your love
I wait at home by the telephone
When I call your house, baby, you’re not there
Knock on the door and I rush down the stairs
When I open up, baby, you’re not there
When we’re together
When we’re together and you put your arms around me
You keep my mind
Forever, ever in doubt
You want me believin’
That, baby, I can’t live without
Protection, that’s what I need
I need protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that’s what I need
I need protection, baby, from your love
We stand alone, at my window
And stare out, at the shadows down below
I mfeel your fingers on my face
I want to stay, I want to run away
Protection, that’s what I need
I need protection, baby, from your love
Protection, that’s what I need
I need protection, baby, from your love Notes:
Written by Springsteen for Donna Summer. This is the Donna Summer version, similar to Springsteen's one.
This song has never been published on any official release.
Very few performances of this songs are known (to me, at least!):
- 01/01/1988 Fort Monmouth, Oceanport,NJ ,USA
- 28/01/1988 ????, Eatontown,NJ ,USA
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database
First known live performance: 01/01/1988 Fort Monmouth, Oceanport,NJ ,USA
Last known live performance: 28/01/1988 ????, Eatontown,NJ ,USA
Song 'history':
Studio recordings have surfaced from the THE RIVER sessions, but the song was not used for that album.
Recorded during the BITUSA sessions (late 1982-mid 1984), but then not included on the album.
The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database