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.
Groovin'
Ben E. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
あてもなく走らせ driving 隣座る my princess
行先は unknown
騒がしい街 横目に talking それだけでも prime for me
Just going and going この道は rainbow
どこか遠くまでナビゲート ふかすアクセル
夜の風を切って where do you want to go?
邪魔が入らない空間から 浮かび上がる new world
「願いが叶うように あの星を捕まえに行こう」
Wanna spend more time with you
時計外し 永遠を making out of limits
光に溶ける night driving
僕らだけの愛の grooving
吸い込まれ flowing
このまま星たちと踊っていよう
夜空に drawing
Just steppin' now ほら 1,2,3 you don't stop!
効かないブレーキ まだタイムアップには早すぎるステージ
どこまでもfly 飛ばしてく highway
Feel like forever この時間は誰も知らない secret
まるで first sight 二人を照らす moon light
Night drive groovin'
街に響くエンジン音に合わせ その気分もクレッシェンド
隠せてない高鳴りを 僕だけに聴かせてよ
What do you need? 秘密の key
夢の国までエスコート queen
Just going and going 煌めく golden show
Back seat 漂う silence こんなに you're the finest
夜の闇を裂いて where do you want to go?
なにげない仕草 everything もう既に you got me crazy
次の瞬間 can I get ya? コトバよりも feel the love
会話の隙間 そっと searching
等間隔 灯る 恋の lighting
横顔に speechless
この夜の終わりには 何が見たい?
全てが dreaming
I'm asking you ほら tell me now I can't stop!
焦らずにクール装うけど アツくなる myself
もっと wanna know 飛ばしてく highway
「帰りたくない」その一言 ずっと待ってるんだ baby
刻む good time 紛れもなく true love
Night drive groovin'
「願いが叶うように あの星を捕まえに行こう」
Wanna spend more time with you
このまま朝まで 何度でも come again
光に溶ける night driving
僕らだけの愛の grooving
吸い込まれ flowing
このまま星たちと踊っていよう
夜空に drawing
Just steppin' now ほら 1,2,3 you don't stop!
効かないブレーキ まだタイムアップには早すぎるステージ
どこまでもfly 飛ばしてく highway
Feel like forever この時間は誰も知らない secret
まるで first sight 二人を照らす moon light
Night drive groovin'
These lyrics are from the song "Groovin'" by Ben E. King. The lyrics describe a night drive with a special person, where the singer and their companion are enjoying the freedom of the open road and the magic of the nighttime. The driving serves as a metaphor for their relationship, as they navigate through unknown destinations together, feeling the excitement and thrill of the moment.
The lyrics create a vivid image of the city streets and the bustling atmosphere surrounding them, but the singer's focus remains solely on their companion. They mention how every time their eyes meet, there is a magical connection and the feeling of being in a new world. The singer expresses their desire to capture the moment and make it last forever, suggesting that they want to spend more time with their companion and make unforgettable memories together.
Throughout the lyrics, there is a sense of adventure and freedom, symbolized by the night drive. The singer emphasizes the enchanting atmosphere, the stars, and the moonlight, as if they were dancing with them in the night sky. The lyrics also hint at a deeper connection between the singer and their companion, with references to secrets, true love, and the desire to be together until morning comes.
Line by Line Meaning
キー回しgo start 君を連れ去る この midnight
Start the car and take you away on this midnight
あてもなく走らせ driving 隣座る my princess
Drive aimlessly while sitting next to my princess
行先は unknown
The destination is unknown
騒がしい街 横目に talking それだけでも prime for me
In this noisy city, just the sight of people talking is enough for me
Just going and going この道は rainbow
Just keep going on this colorful road
どこか遠くまでナビゲート ふかすアクセル
Navigate to somewhere far with a heavy foot on the accelerator
夜の風を切って where do you want to go?
Cut through the night wind, where do you want to go?
かける music 揺らす heart beat 目が合う度 かかる magic
Play music, shake the heartbeat, every time our eyes meet, magic happens
邪魔が入らない空間から 浮かび上がる new world
From a space free of obstacles, a new world emerges
「願いが叶うように あの星を捕まえに行こう」
"Let's go catch that star, so our wishes can come true"
Wanna spend more time with you
I want to spend more time with you
時計外し 永遠を making out of limits
Taking off the watch, creating eternity beyond limits
光に溶ける night driving
Night driving melting into the light
僕らだけの愛の grooving
Our unique love grooving
吸い込まれ flowing
Getting sucked in, flowing
このまま星たちと踊っていよう
Let's keep dancing with the stars like this
夜空に drawing
Drawing in the night sky
Just steppin' now ほら 1,2,3 you don't stop!
Just keep stepping now, look, 1, 2, 3, you don't stop!
効かないブレーキ まだタイムアップには早すぎるステージ
The brakes don't work, it's still too early for the time to be up on this stage
どこまでもfly 飛ばしてく highway
Fly as far as possible on this highway
Feel like forever この時間は誰も知らない secret
It feels like forever, this time is a secret known only to us
まるで first sight 二人を照らす moon light
Just like the first sight, the moonlight illuminates the two of us
Night drive groovin'
Grooving during the night drive
街に響くエンジン音に合わせ その気分もクレッシェンド
Matching the sound of the engine echoing in the city, the mood also crescendos
隠せてない高鳴りを 僕だけに聴かせてよ
Let me be the only one who can hear the unmistakable pounding in your chest
What do you need? 秘密の key
What do you need? The secret key
夢の国までエスコート queen
Escorting the queen to the land of dreams
Just going and going 煌めく golden show
Just keep going, shining golden show
Back seat 漂う silence こんなに you're the finest
In the back seat, silence drifts, you're the finest like this
夜の闇を裂いて where do you want to go?
Tearing through the darkness of the night, where do you want to go?
なにげない仕草 everything もう既に you got me crazy
Every casual gesture, everything, you've already got me crazy
次の瞬間 can I get ya? コトバよりも feel the love
In the next moment, can I get ya? Feel the love more than words
会話の隙間 そっと searching
In the gaps of our conversation, gently searching
等間隔 灯る 恋の lighting
Lighting up in evenly spaced intervals, the lighting of love
横顔に speechless
Speechless at your profile
この夜の終わりには 何が見たい?
At the end of this night, what do you want to see?
全てが dreaming
Everything is dreaming
I'm asking you ほら tell me now I can't stop!
I'm asking you, come on, tell me now, I can't stop!
焦らずにクール装うけど アツくなる myself
Coolly pretending not to be impatient, but I'm getting hot myself
もっと wanna know 飛ばしてく highway
I want to know more, let's fly on this highway
「帰りたくない」その一言 ずっと待ってるんだ baby
"I don't want to go back", I've been waiting for that one word, baby
刻む good time 紛れもなく true love
Engrave good times, undeniably true love
Night drive groovin'
Grooving during the night drive
「願いが叶うように あの星を捕まえに行こう」
"Let's go catch that star, so our wishes can come true"
Wanna spend more time with you
I want to spend more time with you
このまま朝まで 何度でも come again
Just like this until morning, come again as many times as you want
光に溶ける night driving
Night driving melting into the light
僕らだけの愛の grooving
Our unique love grooving
吸い込まれ flowing
Getting sucked in, flowing
このまま星たちと踊っていよう
Let's keep dancing with the stars like this
夜空に drawing
Drawing in the night sky
Just steppin' now ほら 1,2,3 you don't stop!
Just keep stepping now, look, 1, 2, 3, you don't stop!
効かないブレーキ まだタイムアップには早すぎるステージ
The brakes don't work, it's still too early for the time to be up on this stage
どこまでもfly 飛ばしてく highway
Fly as far as possible on this highway
Feel like forever この時間は誰も知らない secret
It feels like forever, this time is a secret known only to us
まるで first sight 二人を照らす moon light
Just like the first sight, the moonlight illuminates the two of us
Night drive groovin'
Grooving during the night drive
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Rike, Funk Uchino, Kengo Ishibashi, Osamu Fukuzawa
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Krupey
Love both versions. Ben’s and Zep’s. Great energy and vibe.
Jas Fan
Mannfred Mann 1964 version sounds more ledzep heard it from. 🎸
obbor4
That bass player sounds great, and Ben E. too!
rokarolla
I love how they put all the pieces together back then.
Matheus Piter
Led Zeppelin 💕
falafel dürüm
Led Zep made it so much more epic and intense😍 especially in Montreux '70
kabeauregardajax
Manfred Mann do a killer version also. Pre Zep.
Nicholas Dashkiwsky
This is where they got it from...
Hear Pal Here
Awesome! I'd sadly never heard the original before but was only familiar with Led Zeppelin's cover at the Royal Albert Hall performance. Thank you for sharing this!
Hear Pal Here
@Graeme Selkirk Right on! I'm back to listen to this again now... so funky with those horns!