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.
Gypsy
Ben E. King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, I wanna fall asleep again
But the memory of her burning skin
Uummhh, keeps me yearning
You know I?m yearning?
Oh, oh, oh oh, oh, you gypsy, you heartbreaking gypsy
Gypsy will you ever come home
Another drink, another cigarette
Lord, I?d try anything to forget
But the memory of her burning touch
Uummh, just keeps on returning, just keeps returning?
Oh, oh, oh, oh you gypsy, you heartbreaking gypsy
I said gypsy won?t you ever come home
Who's gonna kiss my eyes, my eyes, my eyes, gypsy like you do
Who's gonna tell me lies, sweet lies, sweet lies
And make me believe they?re true?
I miss her morning kiss when I wake up?
I look and I see her face there in my coffee cup?
I didn't know what a-loneliness was?
Baby, baby, baby, I said I'm learning?
You know I'm learning?
Oh, oh, oh, oh you gypsy, you heartbreaking gypsy
I said gypsy won?t you ever come home
Listen to me darling, I said a-gypsy, I said a heartbreaking gypsy
I said, a-darling, won't you ever come home
Say, I'm a-lonely, I'm a-lonely, a-little
I said a-gypsy, I said a heartbreaking gypsy
I said baby just, just come on home
Hear me when I said, I said now oh gypsy
Gypsy, gypsy, heartbreaking gypsy?
Gypsy won't you ever come home?
The song "Gypsy" by Ben E. King tells the story of a man who is struggling to move on from the memory of a woman named Gypsy. He wakes up crying and yearning for her touch even though she is not there. He tries to drink and smoke to forget her, but her memory keeps coming back to him. He longs for her sweet lies and kisses, and feels the loneliness now that she is gone. He misses her so much that he even sees her face in his coffee cup. He pleads for Gypsy to come back home to him, acknowledging that she has broken his heart but he still loves her.
Through these lyrics, Ben E. King captures the pain and longing of lost love. Despite the singer's efforts to forget, the memory of Gypsy lingers on and he continues to yearn for her. The repetition of the word "gypsy" reinforces her elusive and mysterious nature, and the contrast between her burning touch and her sweet lies creates a complex and conflicting image of her character. Ultimately, the song is a lament for a love that is lost and seemingly impossible to regain.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up weeping from my sleeping den
I often wake up crying from my bed
Oh, I wanna fall asleep again
I wish I could go back to sleep
But the memory of her burning skin
I can't forget the feeling of her warm touch
Uummhh, keeps me yearning
It makes me long for her even more
You know I?m yearning?
I hope you understand this feeling I have
Another drink, another cigarette
I try to forget by drinking and smoking
Lord, I?d try anything to forget
I am desperate to erase her memory
But the memory of her burning touch
Her touch is still vivid in my mind
Uummh, just keeps on returning, just keeps returning?
It keeps coming back to me
Oh, oh, oh, oh you gypsy, you heartbreaking gypsy
You, my beloved, break my heart
I said gypsy won?t you ever come home
I plead for you to come back to me
Who's gonna kiss my eyes, my eyes, my eyes, gypsy like you do
No one can kiss me the way you did
Who's gonna tell me lies, sweet lies, sweet lies
Who else can tell me sweet lies that I believe?
And make me believe they?re true?
I want to believe in those lies again
I miss her morning kiss when I wake up?
I miss waking up to her kiss
I look and I see her face there in my coffee cup?
I see her face in everything
I didn't know what a-loneliness was?
I didn't know what it feels like to be alone
Baby, baby, baby, I said I'm learning?
But now I am learning what it feels like
Oh, oh, oh, oh you gypsy, you heartbreaking gypsy
My love for you hurts me so much
I said gypsy won?t you ever come home
Please come back to me
Listen to me darling, I said a-gypsy, I said a heartbreaking gypsy
I am speaking to you, my dear love
I said, a-darling, won't you ever come home
My dear love, please come back
Say, I'm a-lonely, I'm a-lonely, a-little
I feel so alone without you
I said a-gypsy, I said a heartbreaking gypsy
My love for you is like a curse
I said baby just, just come on home
I beg of you, please come back to me
Hear me when I said, I said now oh gypsy
Listen to what I'm saying, my love
Gypsy, gypsy, heartbreaking gypsy?
Oh, my beloved, you break my heart
Gypsy won't you ever come home?
Please come back to me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RONAN HARDIMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Benn
Another wonderful tune by one of the very best soul/rhythm & blues singers ever. What an incredible voice Benny has. Well done---Amazing
Michael Friedman
Excellent musical performance by Ben E. King.
Norma J.
Thanks for posting this and the short bio on the writers and producers, they were genius for creating some of the best music of my life time, forever grateful.
Atomank68
If anyone who is younger than 45-yrs. old, and are not familiar with Mr. King's preferences in music, he has stated that he has had a love for Italian romantic diddys since he and his wife's honeymoon to that country in the late 50s. He was not unusal as the early post-war pop music scene was raging with latin music themes and orchestral modes. Italian-inflence music ("VOLARE", etc.) and of course Frank, Dean, Mario, Rudy, Jerry, Henry, etc. were the marquee stars!
Premo
thanks for this i was making a mix with his music and realised very quick that his sound was not as rnb and sould styled as other singers from the era made a very hard mix for me to make lol
Maxine Ramsumair
I had forgotten about this beautiful song, thank you so much for posting this it brings back so many memories to me. Rest in Peace Ben.
Rachael Grant
These songs will never grow old love it
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen Aussie fan.
Ben E.King sure had an incredible voice---one of the best of all time.
springcolley
Second to none, Mr. Ben E King. Just love him.
Valerie Deuchars
@Errol Barrows you are sooo sooo right I keep asking myself the the question why x