Our Song of the Day, “Stand By Me,” will never die. There have been more than 500 versions crooned by an array of personalities from Muhammad Ali to John Lennon to Mickey Gilley. Ben E. King was the first to have a hit with it. He co-wrote it and recorded it on October 27, 1960.
The song made a comeback 25 years later when it became the title track for Rob Reiner’s movie of the same name. The song reached number four on the Billboard 100 in 1961 and number nine in 1986.
King went solo in 1960, after a successful career with the Drifters. He had his first hit solo hit, “Spanish Harlem,” in 1961.
“Stand By Me,” came next. He wrote it with Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber.
King was not a songwriter, but he came into the studio one day to rehearse and said he started writing a song. He started singing the opening lines, “When the night has come and the land is dark and the moon is the only light we’ll see… I won’t cry, I won’t cry…” He said that’s all he had.
Leiber asked if he wanted them to finish it. He said yes, and that’s how the song came about. King received 50 percent of the royalties and the other half went to Leiber and Stoller.
Twenty-five years later Reiner met Leiber at a party where he played several of their songs. Reiner called the song writing pair a few months later and asked if it was OK to use “Stand by Me” as the title of his movie and use the song in the movie. They said sure, never thinking it would become such a big hit again.
"Stand by Me" is now part of America’s songbook.
Song of the Day is created by Sheldon Zoldan, and produced by Pam James for WGCU. Audio production is by Simon Dunham, WGCU. To receive the Song of the Day in your inbox every day, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
