ɹˈɛkɚd pɹədˈuːsɚ ɹˈɪtʃɚd pˈɛɹi hæd ˌɪntɹədˈuːst ðə sˈɔŋ tə ðə pˈɔɪntɚz baɪ plˈeɪɪŋ ðˌɛm ɐ tˈeɪp ʌv spɹˈɪŋstiːn sˈɪŋɪŋ ɪt, kˈɔːzɪŋ ɐnˈiːɾə pˈɔɪntɚ tə sˈeɪ: "ɪts tˈuː lˈoʊ fɔːɹ mˌiː: aɪ ɡˈɛs juː wˈɔnt ɹˈuːθi tə sˈɪŋ ɪt" tə wˌɪtʃ pˈɛɹi ɹᵻplˈaɪd: "nˈoʊ aɪ wˈɔnt juː tə sˈɪŋ ɪt."
Record producer Richard Perry had introduced the song to the Pointers by playing them a tape of Springsteen singing it, causing Anita Pointer to say: "It's too low for me: I guess you want Ruthie to sing it" to which Perry replied: "No – I want you to sing it."