THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

804-Ben E. King-Stand by Me.

1961-Number 27 single. When it was re-released in 1987, it reached Number 1.

Best Bit-At 0.46. There are over 400 recorded cover versions of this song, with this, the original version, alone, earning it’s writers in royalties, in excess of £17 million, and counting.

Ben E. King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson, on September 28th, 1938, in Henderson, North California, United States, he died on April 30th, 2015, after a brief illness, at the age of 76. Ben E. King started singing in church choirs at an early age, before going on to form the ‘Four B’s,’ who were a ‘Doo-Wop’ group. In 1958 while still using his birth name, he joined a ‘Doo-Wop’ group called the ‘Five Crowns, with some of their members, including Ben E. King, being invited to join the ‘Drifters’ (see also best songs 568.) As a member of the Drifters he recorded 13 songs, on which on 11 of them he was the lead singer, including their debut hit on ‘Atlantic Records,’ ‘There Goes My Baby,’ in 1959, a song which he had also co-written. In May 1960, he left the Drifters to pursue a solo career, which was when he first began to go by the stage name ‘Ben E. King.’

As the lead singer with the Drifters, Ben E. King had five top 40 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 in America, including ‘Save the Last Dance for Me,’ in 1960, which reached Number 1, while in the UK, three of his songs with the Drifters, on where he was lead vocalist reached the top 40, with ‘Save the Last Dance for Me,’ charting the highest at Number 2. As a solo artist Ben E. King has released 25 studio Albums between 1961-2010, and 59 singles between 1960-1992. On Billboard, five of those singles reached the top 40, with ‘Stand by Me’ charting the highest on it’s 1987 re-issue, when making Number 4, while in the UK, three of his singles have charted on the top 40, with ‘Stand by Me,’ reaching Number 1, also on it’s 1987 re-issue.

‘Stand by Me’ was co-written by Ben E. King, and the legendary songwriting duo of Jerry Leiber, (1933-2011) and Mike Stoller, (see also best songs 954-524-124 and 86) with the songs production credited to Leiber and Stoller. ‘Stand by Me’ was recorded by Ben E. King shortly after he had left the Drifters, with the royalties being split, 50% for Ben E. King, and 25% each to Leiber and Stoller. King had got the idea for the song from a 1905 Gospel hymn called ‘Stand by Me,’ which had been written by a Philadelphia minister called Charles Tindley, (1851-1933) the 1905 ‘Stand by Me,’ had been based on ‘Psalm 46,’ in the ‘King James Version’ of the Bible. Some of the words of the Psalm read,’Will not we fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.’ Mike Stoller has said,’Ben E. had the beginnings of a song, both words and music. He worked on the lyrics together with Jerry, and I added elements to the music, particularly the bass line. To some degree, it’s based on a gospel song called “Lord Stand By Me”. I have a feeling that Jerry and Ben E. were inspired by it. Ben, of course, had a strong background in church music.’ Charles Tindley who had composed the original hymn, was left off the composer credits, as it was considered that his work had been sufficiently transformed. This wasn’t the first time Tindley was omitted from the credits of a song that he had originated, as he also wrote ‘I’ll Overcome Someday,’ (1901) which eventually became ‘We Shall Overcome.’

In 1986 ‘Stand by Me’ was used in the American coming-of-age drama film of the same name, directed by Rob Reiner, which introduced the song to a whole new generation, but the real reason for the songs resurgence, was when it was chosen by ‘Levi Jeans,’ to be played on their 1987 advertising campaign, for their ‘Levi’s 501′ jeans. On Billboard in America,’Stand by Me’ has also been a top 40 hit for ‘Spyder Turner, (1967-Number 12) John Lennon. (1940-1980) (1975-Number 20) and Mickey Gilley (1936-2022) (1980-Number 22.) In the UK, ‘Stand by Me’ has also been a hit for John Lennon, (1975-Number 30) Kenny Lynch, (1938-2019) (1964-Number 39) and 4 The Cause (1998-Number 12.) In 2007 the American singer Sean Kingston heavily sampled ‘Stand by Me,’ for his song ‘Beautiful Girls,’ which went on to become a Billboard, and UK Number 1 single.

Of all the cover versions of ‘Stand by Me,’ Ben E. King has chosen the recording by John Lennon has his favourite, saying,’David Ruffin from the Temptations did a great version of it. And, of course, the one that held up in my head the most was John Lennon’s version. He took it and made it as if it should have been his song as opposed to mine. Now there’s a Dominican singer named Prince Royce, he has a version out there that I think is brilliant. And then there’s Sean Kingston, with ‘Beautiful Girls,’ that’s another one that did well. So many of them have done well. As a songwriter, it pleases me a lot, you don’t always have a chance to write a song that people can relate to.’

‘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.’