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.
At Last
Ben E. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What is there to moon glow, when love has passed you by
Then there came a midnight and the world was new
Now here am I so spellbound, darling
Not by stars, but just by you
At last my love has come along
My lonely days are over and life is like a song
My heart was wrapped in clover the night I looked at you
I found a dream that I can speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill I've never known
You smiled and then the spell was cast
And here we are in Heaven
For you are mine at last
At last my love has come along
My lonely days are over and life is like a song
At last the skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped in clover the night I looked at you
I found a dream that I can speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill I've never known
You smiled and then the spell was cast
And here we are in Heaven
Ben E. King's "At Last" is a soulful ballad that expresses the fulfillment of a long-awaited love. The lyrics of the song reveal a strong emotional journey from the singer's past to the present. He reflects on his experiences of missed opportunities and lost love, expressing that even the beauty of the sky and the stars did not spark any emotion within him. Then, suddenly, he finds himself falling under the enchantment of a new love during a midnight encounter, and he is now "spellbound" by the presence of his beloved. It is evident that his love is intense, and he feels as if his life has acquired deeper meaning, making him feel like he is on top of the world.
He sings, "At Last my love has come along," implying that finally, his wait for true love is over. The "lonely days" are gone, and life is now "like a song." He describes that the skies above are blue, and furthermore, his heart is "wrapped in clover"; he has found his happiness. He explains that he has found a dream that he can call his own and a thrill that he has never experienced before. Finally, he proclaims that it was her smile that cast a spell on him, and being together feels like being in heaven. The lyrics of the song make the audience feel the singer's emotions, vulnerability, and expectation in a way that would touch any heart.
Line by Line Meaning
I was never spellbound by a starry sky
I have never been captivated by the beauty of the night sky
What is there to moon glow, when love has passed you by
What is the point of admiring romantic moonlight when you have lost love?
Then there came a midnight and the world was new
But then, one night, everything changed
Now here am I so spellbound, darling
And now I am completely enchanted, my love
Not by stars, but just by you
Not by celestial bodies, but rather by you, my love
At last my love has come along
Finally, the one I love has arrived
My lonely days are over and life is like a song
My days of loneliness are now past, and my life has become like a joyful melody
At Last the skies above are blue
Finally, the skies have cleared and life is good again
My heart was wrapped in clover the night I looked at you
I felt incredibly lucky and fortunate the night I laid eyes on you
I found a dream that I can speak to
I discovered a dream that I can now talk about
A dream that I can call my own
A dream that I can claim as mine
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
I experienced a thrill that made me want to press it against my cheek
A thrill I've never known
A level of joy and excitement I had never felt before
You smiled and then the spell was cast
Then you smiled, and I was completely under your spell
And here we are in Heaven
Now we are together, fully content and blissful
For you are mine at last
I am eternally grateful because you belong to me now
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Imani M
I am so glad this exists 💞 At last is such a beautiful song and I am so glad there are so many great versions!!
Joseph DIAO
It's amazing how happiness can be expressed so directly in the form of performing arts despite harsh circumstances that the black americans lived in at the time (and to some degrees today also)
Kelly Martinez
2021 never die
Anna Pluskota
🌹
van buren
Nat King Cole's version is way better!