Ben E. King (born Benjamin Earl Nelson in September 28, 1938 (died of natur… Read Full Bio ↴Ben E. King (born Benjamin Earl Nelson in September 28, 1938 (died of natural causes, aged 76 on April 30, 2015.) in Henderson, North Carolina) was an American soul and pop singer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me", a top ten hit in both 1961 and 1986.

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.

Granada
Ben E. King Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Granada, I'm falling under your spell
And if you could speak what a fascinating tale you would tell
Of an age the world has long forgotten
Of an age that weaves the silent magic in Granada today

The dawn in the sky greets the day with a sigh for Granada
For she can remember the splendor that once was Granada
It still can be found in the hills all around as I wander along

Entranced by the beauty before me
Entranced by a land full of sunshine and flowers and song
And when day is done and the sun starts to set in Granada
I envy the blush of the snow clad Sierra Nevada
For soon it will welcome the stars
While a thousand guitars play a soft Habanera

Then moonlit Granada will live again
The glory of yesterday romantic and gay.

Overall Meaning

The song "Granada" by Ben E. King is a romantic ode to the city of Granada, Spain. The singer seems to be enchanted by the city, falling under its spell, and imagining the tales it could tell if it could speak. He reveals that Granada was once a place of great splendor, an age that the world has long forgotten. However, the magic that once existed still lingers in the city today. The singer explores the city, admiring its beauty and being entranced by its land full of sunshine, flowers, and song. As the day turns into night, he envies the snow-clad Sierra Nevada, which will soon welcome the stars while a thousand guitars play a soft Habanera. The city will be alive again, romantic and gay, full of the glory of yesterday.

The song effectively paints a vivid picture of the beauty of Granada, and the singer expresses his enchantment and admiration for the city through the use of descriptive words and imagery. The lyrics focus on the magic of Granada but also allude to its past grandeur and cultural significance. The song's melody also adds to the overall romantic and dreamy ambiance of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Granada, I'm falling under your spell
I am captivated by the charm of Granada

And if you could speak what a fascinating tale you would tell
If Granada could speak, she would recount an enthralling story

Of an age the world has long forgotten
A time from the past that has been lost from memory of the world

Of an age that weaves the silent magic in Granada today
The magic of the bygone era still permeates Granada's surroundings

The dawn in the sky greets the day with a sigh for Granada
The sunrise of the day feels melancholic for Granada

For she can remember the splendor that once was Granada
Granada can still recall the magnificence of its past

It still can be found in the hills all around as I wander along
The beauty of Granada's yesteryears is still evident in the surrounding hills as I walk

Entranced by the beauty before me
Mesmerized by the allure surrounding me

Entranced by a land full of sunshine and flowers and song
Spellbound by a region full of bright sunlight, blossoming flora, and sweet melodies

And when day is done and the sun starts to set in Granada
As the day comes to an end and the sun sets in Granada

I envy the blush of the snow clad Sierra Nevada
I am envious of the rosy tint on the snow-capped Sierra Nevada

For soon it will welcome the stars
Soon it will be adorned by the twinkling stars

While a thousand guitars play a soft Habanera
As the serene music of a thousand guitars plays a soft Habanera tune

Then moonlit Granada will live again
Then the moonlit Granada will come alive once again

The glory of yesterday romantic and gay.
The glory of the bygone era was romantic and cheerful

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HANS-PETER LINDSTROM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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