The latest fruit of Bruce Springsteen‘s upcoming soul covers album Only the Strong Survive has arrived in the form of “Nightshift,” the Boss’ cover of the Commodores’ late-career, 1985 hit single. The track, which improbably reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the Commodores’ biggest hit in four years, is a tribute to late soul legends Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson.
“An essential song selection in the early creation of Only the Strong Survive, the track inspired Springsteen, his producer Ron Aniello and engineer Rob Lebret to christen themselves ‘The Nightshift’ while finishing this new record,” according to a statement.
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Springsteen previously released his version of Frank Wilson’s “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)” as the first single from Only the Strong Survive, which arrives Nov. 11 from Columbia Records. The album was recorded at Springsteen’s Thrill Hill Recording in New Jersey and features vocals by soul icon Sam Moore of Sam & Dave on William Bell’s “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” and Dobie Gray’s “Soul Days.” The E Street Horns are present throughout, along with backing vocalists Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore, Curtis King Jr., Dennis Collins, and Fonzi Thornton.
“The music that led me to this epiphany is soul music,” Springsteen said. “I put my own spin on the singing and my team mastered and sonically modernized some of the most beautiful songs in the American pop songbook.”
Springsteen will perform on Nov. 7 at the annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit concert in New York, and his 2023 world tour with The E Street Band begins Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla.
