THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

568-The Drifters-Saturday Night at the Movies

1964-It didn’t chart until re-issued in 1972, when reaching Number 3.

Best Bit-At 0.36. The Drifters must have been very partial to a night out at the movies, because I can recall another occasion when they told us what they got up to when sitting in the back row.

The Drifters are one, if not the longest running act in Pop music, having formed in New York City, United States in 1953.Since their inception there has been a total of 43 different group members, with several splinter groups being formed by former members, usually identified with a ‘possessive credit’ such as ‘Bill Pinkney’s Original Drifters.’

The Drifters have had nine lead singers appear on their chart hits between 1953-1976, with perhaps the best acknowledged being Clyde McPhatter (1932-1972,) a band member between 1953-1955, Johnny Moore (1934-1998,) who joined the band in 1954, and intermittently was in and out of the band until his death in 1998, and Ben E. King (1938-2015.) a member between 1958-1960, before rejoining again in 1981-1985 (see also best songs 804.)

‘Saturday Night at the Movies’ was added to The Drifters fifth studio Album ‘The Good Life With The Drifters’ released in 1965, with lead vocals by Johnny Moore. The song reached Number 18 on Billboard in 1964, but wasn’t a hit until re-issued in the UK in 1972 as a double ‘A’ side with ‘At the Club.’ The success of the song led to a renewed interest in the band, as their current record label ‘Bell’ released new material, which gave the band eight consecutive top 40 singles between 1973-1976.

‘Saturday Night at the Movies’ was co-written by the legendary song writing duo of the husband and wife team Barry Mann, who provided the melody, and Cynthia Weil who wrote the lyrics (see also best songs 782 and 247.) Mann and Weil were also responsible for providing The Drifters with their 1963 Billboard Number 9 hit single ‘On Broadway.’

‘Who cares what picture you see, when your huggin’ with your baby in the last row in the balcony.’