Album: Don't Play That Song (1961)

Charted: 1 4

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• When the night has come
  And the land is dark
  And the moon is the only light we'll see
  No I won't be afraid, oh I won't be afraid
  Just as long as you stand, stand by me
  
  So darlin', darlin', stand by me
  Oh stand by me
  Oh stand
  Stand by me, stand by me
  
  If the sky that we look upon
  Should tumble and fall
  Or the mountain should crumble to the sea
  I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
  Just as long as you stand, stand by me
  
  And darlin', darlin'
  Stand by me, oh stand by me
  Whoa, stand now
  Stand by me, stand by me
  
  Darlin', darlin', stand by me
  Oh, stand by me
  Oh, stand now
  Stand by me, stand by me
  Whenever you're in trouble, won't you stand by me?
  Oh, stand by me
  Whoa, just stand now
  Oh, stand, stand by me
  
  When all of your friends have gone Writer/s: Ben King, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
  Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 38

• Me from SomewhereGreat that Ben tokk the song and made it a hit but in my opinion Otis Reedings cover blows it away
• David from LondonI met Ben E King outside a nightclub in Artillery Lane, near Liverpool St. station in London in 1968. We shook hands and I've dined out on that ever since !
• Bill M from Illinois UsaToday, on Sirius/XM 60s on 6 (Top 600 Songs of the 1960s hours 1), there was a song called "I'll Be There." I'd swear the melody was exactly the same as Stand By Me. Does anyone know if this was a follow up song to Stand By Me? Sorry, I didn't hear the artists name, but you would be certain it was "Stand By Me" except the lyrics were changed to "I'll Be There" almost as if she was saying yes, I'll Stand by You.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm
  Former Drifter and solo star Ben E. King died Thursday (May 1st, 2015) of apparently natural causes at the age of 76. Ben was born in Henderson, North Carolina, but moved to Harlem at the age of 9. While still in high school he sang briefly with the Moonglows before joining the Five Crowns in 1957. When the manager of the already-successful Drifters decided to fire the entire group the next year in a contract dispute, he replaced them with the Five Crowns, including Ben. Ben co-wrote and sang lead on the Crown/Drifters first hit, "There Goes My Baby" (#2-1959). Ben also sang lead on "Save The Last Dance For Me" (#1-1960), "I Count The Tears" (#17-1961) and "This Magic Moment" (#16-1960), but only cut 13 songs with the group before leaving in a his own dispute for a solo career in 1960. His first session for Atco Records yielded "Spanish Harlem" (#10-1961) and "Stand By Me" (#4-1961 and again #9 when it was re-released thanks to the movie with the same name in 1986). Other hits included "Amor" (#18-1961), "Don't Play That Song" (#11-1962) and "I (Who Have Nothing" (#29-1963). While his career ebbed in the late '60s, it was revived with "Supernatural Thing" (#5) in 1975. Ben was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009...
  May he R.I.P.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 11th 1966, "Stand By Me" by Spyder Turner entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #99; and eight weeks later on February 5th, 1967 it peaked at #12 {for 2 weeks} and it also spent 12 weeks on the Top 100...
  On the record he performed in the style of the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and Chuck Jackson...
  It reached #3 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
  He had one other Top 100 record, "I Can't Make It Anymore", it stayed on the chart for two weeks, peaking at #95...
  Spyder, born Dwight David Turner, will celebrate his 68th birthday in two months on February 4th {2015}.
• Mecid from Baku, AzerbaijanJohn Lennon did it better than king . because he is greatest
• Pierre from Chelsea, Quebec, CanadaInteresting cover of that classic, one of the best songs ever, by DION DIMUCCI - the Great One - on his album DION - NEW MASTERS (2003).
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyThe song was also featured in the 1980s movie "Urban Cowboy" and was performed by Mickey Gilley, it peaked at #22. Earl Grant released an instrumental version in 1965 and it peaked at #75. When Ben E. King lip synked the song on American Bandstand in 1960, the opening bass line was shown being played on a six string guitar not a bass guitar...
• Au-yeung from Hong Kong, Hong KongA great song, delight everybody in their hearts with love and friendships.
• Brad from Lexington, KyJohn Lennon's version kills every other version of this song ever created. Hands down.
• Adam from South Pasadena, Israelthis is a song where me and my friends are about to watch the movie and we just start singing it. we laugh, joking ben king is rolling over in his grave, but it connects us
• John from Salem, CaThis song has been a part of my life since I graduated in 1961. You can read my memoir and comments about this simple but great piece of music at www.JustOneOpinion.com. Did anyone here catch BEK's performance at the Mark Twain Prize for George Carlin? It was great. Video posted with article.
• Steve Dotstar from Los Angeles, CaLove those strings by Stan Applebaum..a work of genius!
• Caitlin from Upper Township, NjSuch a lovely, timeless song. King was a master of using simple words and sudsy metaphors to paint brilliant pictures of a love that knows no bounds and will last forever, without coming off as cheesy
• Randy from Tonawanda, NyStand by me gives off a hidden message that not many people catch on too, and in my opinion, is the strongest message capable of being given off through a song.
• Nunzio from Darwin, AustraliaThe Cassius Clay (M.Ali) version was done as the B side of the single off his LP but it wasn't on the LP. It is on the CD version & it's on one of the Golden Throats CD's.
• Kevin from Memphis , TnA+ song from an A+ movie. (dyk: in the movie only Chris dies in the novella 3 of them die. which 3?
  read the novella, also in that book "Different Seasons" are 2 other novellas made into movies: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and The Body.
• Raymond from Sydney , AustraliaThis song is magnificient because it accurately paints a picture of the power of love and the nothingness of reality. If only we knew how, we could realise true love in our relationships and create a better world. I know how, seek me out, if you are searching.
• Guy from Woodinville, WaI'm as big a John Lennon fan as exists. He and Phil Spector did an excellent cover of this song on his Rock 'n' Roll album, but Ben E. King's version will never be improved upon!
• Daniel from Sayreville, NjI think this song is wonderful, but it would be better if it was longer.
• Patrick from Omagh, IrelandThe Staples Singers sang at 'The Bands' farewell concert (The Last Waltz), the show was held in the Winterland Arena in Sanfrancisco in 1976
  The performed with 'The Band' singing The Weight.
• Patrick from Omagh, IrelandThe late great 'Marc Bolan' of T Rex recorded a worthy version of this classic song, I rate Bolan's rendition of 'Stand by Me' above that of John Lennon's, but Ben E. King's version stands the test of time and remains a timeless classic.
• Swansong200 from Calhoun, GaOn a Zeppelin bootleg I have from their 1972 Japan Tour, they play this song as one of the encores. Very beautiful, and very tastefully done.
• Jon from Oakridge, OrLennon's version: great. King's version: best.
• Kim from London, Englandi love this song so much, i'm getting married next year and we are having our first dance together to this song!
• Philip from Calcutta, IndiaThere is a rather rare cover of this song by U2 and Springsteen together. The version is live and it begins with Bono asking "Anybody else like to play my guitar?" and then saying "Bruce Springsteen like to play my guitar" to the roar of the crowd. Bono enthused by the response of the crowd asks "Is he a local boy or something?"
  In itself the version is interesting because of the guitaring.
• Jazzz from FrankfurtI was only 8 yrs. old when I first heard it. I loved it right away. Ever since then it has remained my number one love song of all times. I love so many different kinds of music, and so much in my life is in a constant flow, but I can still listen to that song as if I was hearing it for the first time. Now that's what I call a powerful song, right?
  Plus, the way Ben sings it is just incredible. Few singers have ever toched my heart with their emotional performance as he has. He just really FEELS what he SINGS.
• Markus from Stockholm, SwedenI actually have to agree that Ben E. King sings it better than John Lennon
• Markus from Stockholm, SwedenI think the lyrics are better than anything else in this song... No version of this song has just ever been able to really strike me melodically, so to speak
• Gary from Manchester, Englandthis is my favourite song ever and no cover can match it. especially not john lennon. no offence, but it just isn't as good. you dont need to read into it much, there is no secret meaning. in fact it's really quite simple, no matter what happens, stand by me. love it.
• Teresa from Mechelen, BelgiumThe cover version by John Lennon is produced by Phil Spector; it's very good.
• Fred from New York, NyThat wasn't too rare in Soul music, Robert. People would take Gospel music and take out the references to God to make Soul.
• Ben from Cheverly, Mdthis is my favorite love song EVER!
• Niall from Ireland, Irelandthe novella/short story was called "The Body"
• Robert from Puyallup, WaI knew it had to be based on an old Gospel song; I've always said, if you take out the "Darling, darling"s, it's a prayer.
• Brad from Center Line, MiUgh. It wasn't a novel, it was a short story (see above). It isn't Steven King, it is Stephen.
• Bree Roxanne from Bristol, EnglandI really love this song, it reminds me of my fantastic holiday last year.i could listen to it all night.
• AnonymousI believe that the cover version by lennon was a much better version of the song. The song is also played in the movie "Stand by Me" based on the Steven King novel of the same title.

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