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.
5."Stand By Me"
Ben E. King Lyrics
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And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me
If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains 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
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me, yeah
Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me
Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me
"Stand By Me" is a song about the power of love and companionship. The lyrics are extremely emotive and describe a scenario where the night is dark and the surroundings are uncertain, but as long as the person singing has someone they love "standing" by them, they won’t be afraid. The song speaks to the notion that human beings are not meant to go through life alone and that the presence of someone we care about can provide comfort in even the most trying of circumstances.
King sings about the potential destruction of the world and how, even in the face of such an apocalyptic occurrence, he wouldn't cry or lose hope so long as his loved one is with him, standing by him. The use of repetition in the lyrics, particularly in the chorus, emphasizes the importance of the message that King wants to impart to his listeners. The phrase "darlin', darlin', stand by me" is repeated multiple times throughout the song emphasizing the idea that love and emotional support is not only a nice-to-have but a must-have.
Line by Line Meaning
When the night has come
When darkness arrives
And the land is dark
And everything around me is pitch-black
And the moon is the only light we'll see
And in the darkness, the only glimmer of light is the moon
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
I will not feel frightened, I will not feel scared
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
As long as you are by my side to support me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
And my beloved, stand next to me, oh please stand next to me
Stand by me, stand by me
Be my support, be my buoy
If the sky that we look upon
If the sky that we gaze at
Should tumble and fall
Becomes unstable and crashes down
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
And the solid mountains disintegrate into the ocean
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
I will not weep, I will not cry a single drop
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
As long as you support me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me
And my beloved, stay alongside me, oh stay alongside me
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me, yeah
Support me, be my pillar, stay with me
Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Whenever you need help, please don't hesitate to reach out for my support
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me
Oh stay beside me, be the one I can count on, support me
Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me
My sweet love, be there for me, support me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me
Stay next to me, be there for me, support me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BEN KING, JERRY LEIBER, MIKE STOLLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind