PROTECTION

Unofficial studio version

Two, three, four!
One, two, three, four!

Ooh, ooh

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 saying
I think it's all some evil game you're playing

Still all day long, all I do is think about you
You got me believing 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
A knock on the door, I rush down the stairs
When I open up, there's no one there

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 in doubt, believing I can't live without your

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
Whoa!

[Saxophone solo]

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 want to stay, but I want to 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

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

Info

PROTECTION is a song written by Bruce Springsteen who donated it to Donna Summer for her 1982 album Donna Summer. He appears on Summer's recording of the track, playing guitar solo and providing backing vocals. See Donna Summer's cover version for more details.

The above lyrics are for a take that Springsteen recorded with the E Street Band in studio in early 1982. See the "Studio Recording" section below for more details.

Consideration for Release

Bruce Springsteen's PROTECTION was registered at the United States Copyright Office on 08 Mar 1982. The song was part of an eleven-song selection that Springsteen's manager Jon Landau had in mind for the Born In The U.S.A. album, but the song did not make the final cut.

In his 2012 book E Street Shuffle: The Glory Days of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Clinton Heylin wrote that PROECTION was "almost a surprise inclusion on The Essential Bruce Springsteen bonus rarities disc."

Studio Recording

According to Sony's logs of Bruce Springsteen's studio sessions, PROTECTION was recorded on 23 Feb 1982 at The Hit Factory in New York City, NY. A complete and excellent-quality take of PROTECTION recorded with the E Street Band is in circulation among collectors, and most probably it's the one cut during the 23 Feb 1982 session. The above lyrics are transcribed from that circulating studio version of PROTECTION.

Additionally, six complete and incomplete acoustic home demo takes of PROTECTION are circulating among fans. They are work-in-progress takes recorded at Springsteen's home in Holmdel, NJ, sometime between January and June 1979. Aside from the title, these acoustic demos have very little to do with what was subsequently recorded with the band in 1982. For more details, see home demo version 1, home demo version 2, home demo version 3, home demo version 4, home demo version 5, and home demo version 6.

Bootleg Releases

The 1982 studio version of PROTECTION can be found on several bootlegs, including The Lost Masters Vol. 4 (Labour Of Love) [track 03], The Lost Masters Essential Collection Vol. 1 (Labour Of Love) [disc 2, track 04], and The Genuine Tracks (Scorpio) [disc 3, track 17].

Bruce Springsteen -- The Lost Masters Vol. 4 (Labour Of Love)

Bruce Springsteen -- The Lost Masters Essential Collection Vol. 1 (Labour Of Love)

Bruce Springsteen -- The Genuine Tracks (Scorpio)

Live History

In preparation for Tunnel Of Love Express Tour, PROTECTION is known to have been practiced during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place in late January and early February 1988 at Expo Theater in Fort Monmouth, NJ, prior to the tour's first leg. See the live 28 Jan 1988 version for more details. The song was not played on any of the tour's regular dates.

Covers

At least 8 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's PROTECTION.

Donna Summer -- Donna Summer

LP - Geffen Records (GHS 2005) - USA, 1982

Donna Summer's cover version of PROTECTION was also released as a single and included on a various artists Bruce Springsteen tribute album. See Donna Summer's cover version for more details.

Μόνικα Δούκα -- Σε Ζητώ

LP - Νίκμαρ (1) - Greece, 1983

PROTECTION is a Greek adaptation titled "Σε Ζητώ".

Маргарита Хранова -- 5

LP - Балкантон (ВТА 11199) - Bulgaria, 1983

PROTECTION is a Bulgarian adaptation (same music but different lyrics) titled "Кapиepa".

Claude Duke -- Protection

12" single - no label (no catalog number) - USA, 1984

12" single containing two versions of PROTECTION.

Yola Polastry -- La Banda De... ¡Hola Yola!

LP - Odean / lempsa (ELD-02.01.1170) - Peru, 1984

PROTECTION is a Spanish adaptation titled "Buscando".

Various artists -- Tributo A La Niñez

CD-R - Ya Estas Ya Producciones / 1001 Records (YP-4) - Peru, 2002

PROTECTION is a Spanish adaptation titled "Buscando", performed by Kyleran.

Graziano Romani -- Soul Crusader Again: The Songs Of Bruce Springsteen

CD - Route 66 Music (RT612017004) - Italy, 2017

This is a Bruce Springsteen tribute album.

The Boss Brothers -- Protection

Digital single - 729285 Records DK (no catalog number) - The Netherlands, 2023

This is a download-only digital single.

Credits / References

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Some of the above info about the studio recording is taken from Brucebase.

Available Versions

List of available versions of PROTECTION on this website:

Page last updated: 30 Jan 2017