“Stand By Me,” Song
Ben E. King had several hits with The Drifters, and this was his second solo success. Uploaded by maniadb.com.
When Mike Stoller came up with the bass line that begins “Stand By Me,” he had one of his greatest moments as a composer. Then his partner Jerry Leiber and Ben. E. King wrote the lyrics, and a classic was born. According to BMI, this song was performed about 7 million times during the 20th century, making it the fourth-most-performed song of the century.
Uploaded by likethedew.com.
Ben E. King had been singing with The Drifters, and this was his second solo hit (after “Spanish Harlem”). “Stand By Me” went to number one on the R&B chart, and topped out at number four on the Hot 100. It reached the top 10 again 25 years later when it was re-released as the theme song from the movie of the same name.
“Stand By Me” was named the number 25 Song of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. It’s in the Grammy Hall of Fame. And Rolling Stone put it at number 121 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Hey kids – let’s spin this platter right now!