In 1958, Ben Nelson joined a doo wop group, The Five Crowns. Later that same year, The Drifters' manager fired the members of the group and replaced them with The Five Crowns, who had performed several engagements with The Drifters. He co-wrote the first hit by the new version of The Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959). He also sang lead, using his birth name, on "Save the Last Dance for Me," a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, "Dance With Me," "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears," and other The Drifters hits.
In 1960 he left the group after failing to gain a salary increase and a fairer share of the group's royalties. At this point he assumed the more memorable stage name Ben E. King in preparation for a solo career. Remaining on Atlantic, King scored his first solo hit with the stylish, Latin-tinged ballad "Spanish Harlem" (1961). "Stand by Me" was his next recording. "Stand by Me", written by King along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller was voted one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. "Stand by Me" and "Spanish Harlem" were named as two of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and were both also given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
King's records continued to place well on the pop charts until 1963, when British pop bands began to dominate the popular music scene. His hits after 1963 were "What is Soul?" (1967), "Supernatural Thing, part 1" (1975), and the re-issue in 1986 of "Stand by Me" following the song's use as the theme music to the movie of the same name.
Don't Play That Song
Ben E. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't play it no more
Don't play it no more
No no no no no no no
Don't play that song for me
It brings back memories
The days that I once knew
The days that I spent with you
Oh no! Don't let it play
It fills my heart with pain!
Please stop it right away!
I remember just what it said
It said (darling I love you) you Know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied, you lied, you lied lied lied lied
Remember on our first date?
You kissed me and you walked away
You were only seventeen
I never thought you'd act so mean
But baby you told me you loved me
You told me you cared
You said "I'll go with you darlin' almost anywhere"
But baby you know that
(Darling I love you) you Know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied, you lied, you lied lied lied lied
Don't play it no more
Don't play it no more
Stop it baby! No no no no no no no
Don't play it no more! Baby Please! Don't play it baby!
Don't play it no more! No no no no no no, stop it baby!
(Darling I love you) you Know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) yes baby you lied
"Don't Play That Song" by Ben E. King is a song about heartbreak and trying to move on. The singer asks the person in charge of the music to stop playing a certain song because it brings back memories of the time spent with a person who lied and broke their heart. The song is an emotional appeal for closure and the ability to move forward.
The lyrics, "Don't play that song for me, it brings back memories, the days that I once knew, the days that I spent with you," succinctly convey the emotions that come with hearing a song that reminds one of a painful past. The song goes on to recount the lies that were told by the person and the pain that it caused the singer. The repetition of "Don't play it no more" emphasizes the desperation to move on and leave the pain behind.
Overall, "Don't Play That Song" is a relatable song about heartbreak and the difficulty of letting go of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't play it no more
Stop playing that song
Don't play that song for me
That song reminds me of past memories with my ex, I don't want to hear it
Oh no! Don't let it play
I don't want to hear it, it just makes me feel sad
It fills my heart with pain!
It reminds me of the pain I felt when we broke up
Please stop it right away!
Please turn it off immediately
Remember on our first date?
Do you remember our first date?
You kissed me and you walked away
You left me hanging after our first kiss
You were only seventeen
You were still young and naive
I never thought you'd act so mean
I didn't expect you to treat me poorly
You told me you loved me
You said you loved me
You said "I'll go with you darlin' almost anywhere"
You promised to go anywhere with me
(Darling I love you) you Know that you lied!
You said you loved me, but you lied
Don't play it no more! Baby Please! Don't play it baby!
I'm begging you to stop playing that song
(Darling I love you) yes baby you lied
Yes, you lied when you said you loved me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ahmet Ertegun, Betty Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind