Songfacts®:

• Originally titled "Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day," Springsteen wrote this song in 1983 and gave it to filmmaker Paul Schrader for his 1987 movie starring Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett as a brother and sister who lead a garage band. That movie was originally titled Born In The U.S.A.; Schrader sent Springsteen the script in 1981 hoping he would take a role in the film. Bruce declined, but he liked the title and used it for a song he was working on called "Vietnam." With the title changed to "Born In The U.S.A.," it became one of Springsteen's most iconic tracks when it was released in 1984, and also the title track to his album. Bruce thanked Schrader in the liner notes, but Schrader could no longer call his film Born In The U.S.A. because it would come off as a Springsteen rip-off. So Springsteen made recompense by giving Schrader the song "Just Around The Corner To The Light Of Day," which shortened to "Light Of Day," became the title for his movie.
• Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett performed this in the movie. The song was released as a single credited to "The Barbusters" (the name of the group in the film) and it hit #33 in the US. In the movie, the song is a duet with Fox and Jett, but the single was just Jett accompanied by her band, The Blackhearts. Some clever editing was done for the video to show Michael J. Fox but never see him sing.
  
  On this version, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers played Hammond organ.
• The song tells the story of a man on the road, headed to Galveston. We don't get many details but can suss that he's about to turn a corner in his life, and he's very excited about it.
• This is one of Springsteen's live favorites. He often performs an inspirational extended version, preaching lines like "I can not offer you eternal life, but I can offer you life right now!"
• Springsteen started performing this song in 1987 with his E Street Band - most listeners had no idea he had written it for the movie. He never released a studio version but a live rendition is part of his In Concert/MTV (Un)Plugged album. Recorded in 1992 as part of MTVs "Unplugged" series, Springsteen insisted on playing electric and calling it "Plugged." The album and home video from the concert were released in 1993.
• The title was used as the name of a benefit concert Springsteen played at The Stone Pony, a small club in New Jersey, in 2000. Proceeds went to The Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Michael J. Fox, who starred in the movie Light Of Day, has Parkinson's.
• Springsteen performed this with Joan Jett at two benefit concerts in New Jersey in 2001. Proceeds from the shows went to victims of the September 11 attacks.
• In 2000, the Light of Day foundation was formed, taking its name from this song. Music impresario Bob Benjamin started the foundation after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, with proceeds going toward the search for a cure. Benjamin organized a series of concerts to raise money, which proved very successful. Springsteen has performed at many of these events to lend his support.