Bruce Springsteen has built a career on delivering legendary live performances, with his electrifying energy and deep connection to his audience making every show unforgettable. With over 20 studio albums, countless EPs, and rare recordings, deciding on a setlist is no easy task for “The Boss.” Yet, despite the sheer number of songs he has performed over the decades, some tracks have never been given the spotlight.
Among these is the 1979 classic “Bring On The Night”, a song recorded during the sessions for The River. While this period was one of Springsteen’s most prolific—eventually leading to Nebraska and other defining works—this particular track never made the album’s final cut. Instead, it circulated on bootlegs for years before officially surfacing on the 1998 box set Tracks.
Given that it never appeared on a proper studio album, it’s easy to see why “Bring On The Night” hasn’t been featured in a live setlist. However, its omission remains surprising, considering its deep emotional pull and the fact that many lesser-known tracks have found their way into Springsteen’s concerts.
Springsteen is no stranger to leaving fan favorites off the setlist. One of his most famous exclusions is “Born in the USA”, which he refuses to play in his home country due to its continued misinterpretation as a patriotic anthem. While that song still gets played overseas, “Bring On The Night” has never been performed anywhere, making it a true outlier in his vast catalog.
For now, the song remains an overlooked gem, left to exist only in recordings. But as Springsteen’s unpredictable nature has proven time and time again, there’s always a chance that fans may one day hear “Bring On The Night” in a live setting.
