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.

Si Senor
Ben E. King Lyrics

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Do my dance moves i can't dance tho
I got bands tho bitch yo man broke
Pistol stay on me still got hands tho
She get paid for it i ain't paying tho
Niggas ain't got it
They ain't playing broke bitch I sold soap
I didn't have coke feens knew it was fake
But they had hope they hoped it was Yes

But it was nope

Got they heart broke they could not smoke
And they love coke that's a bad joke
Say no to drugs say no to drugs
It ain't never in the picture
But I always got my blicka
Before I argue with a nigga
Up my pistol (make it clap)
Shorty and her sister
Gettin nat orgy for a nigga
I ain't no ordinary nigga
Bitches see me get the

Do my dance moves i can't dance tho
I got bands tho bitch yo man broke
Pistol stay on me still got hands tho
She get paid for it i ain't paying tho
Niggas ain't got it
They ain't playing broke bitch I sold soap
I didn't have coke feens knew it was fake

But they had hope they hoped it was Yes
But it was nope

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ben E. King's song "Si Senor" depict a narrative of the singer's experiences with economic struggle and the allure of illegal activities. The opening lines express a contradiction: the singer admits their lack of dance skills but boasts about their financial success, contrasting with a partner whose man is broke. The mention of a pistol suggests a sense of danger, possibly indicating the singer's involvement in illegal activities to maintain their status. The line "She get paid for it, I ain't paying tho" suggests a refusal to engage in transactional relationships, further emphasizing the singer's self-sufficiency.

The lyrics continue with the singer claiming that others lack financial stability while the singer earned money through an unconventional means, selling soap instead of drugs. The reference to "coke" implies that there were people who believed the singer was selling cocaine, displaying the desperation of those struggling with addiction. The line "Got their heart broke they could not smoke" hints at the consequences of drug addiction, and the mention of "love coke" highlights the destructive nature of substance abuse. The repeated phrase "say no to drugs" advocates for abstaining from drugs, emphasizing their negative impact.

Si SenorBen E. King Lyrics

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Si Senor
Ben E. King Lyrics