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.

Wishing For Tomorrow
Ben E. King Lyrics

Jump to: Line by Line Meaning ↴

The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams
When every man is torn apart
With nightmares and with dreams
Will no one lay the laurel wreath
When silence drowns the screams

Confusion will be my epitaph
As I crawl a cracked and broken path
If we make it we can all sit back
And laugh
But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying

Between the iron gates of fate
The seeds of time were sown
And watered by the deeds of those
Who know and who are known
Knowledge is a deadly friend
If no one sets the rules
The fate of all mankind I see
Is in the hands of fools

The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams
When every man is torn apart
With nightmares and with dreams
Will no one lay the laurel wreath
When silence drowns the screams

Confusion will be my epitaph
As I crawl a cracked and broken path
If we make it we can all sit back
And laugh
But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Crying
Crying
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying

Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying

Line by Line Meaning

The wall on which the prophets wrote
The foundation of our society and values, established by wise individuals who spoke truth, is deteriorating

Is cracking at the seams
It is breaking apart and showing signs of weakness

Upon the instruments of death
Even in the face of destruction and violence

The sunlight brightly gleams
There is still hope and positivity shining through

When every man is torn apart
When every person is emotionally and mentally divided

With nightmares and with dreams
Experiencing both fears and aspirations

Will no one lay the laurel wreath
Will no one honor and recognize the achievements and sacrifices

When silence drowns the screams
When indifference and apathy overpower the cries for help

Confusion will be my epitaph
Uncertainty and lack of clarity will mark my legacy

As I crawl a cracked and broken path
Navigating a difficult and damaged journey

If we make it we can all sit back
If we succeed, we can relax and unwind

And laugh
Finding joy and amusement in our achievements

But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
However, I worry that tomorrow will bring sadness and despair

Between the iron gates of fate
Trapped within the inescapable boundaries of destiny

The seeds of time were sown
The course of events in the future was set in motion

And watered by the deeds of those
And influenced by the actions of individuals

Who know and who are known
Who possess knowledge and are recognized for it

Knowledge is a deadly friend
Knowledge can have dangerous consequences

If no one sets the rules
If there are no guidelines and regulations

The fate of all mankind I see
I perceive that the destiny of humanity

Is in the hands of fools
Is controlled by foolish individuals

Crying
Expressing deep emotional pain and sorrow

Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying
Indeed, I am afraid that tomorrow I will be filled with tears of sadness

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Greg Lake, Ian Mcdonald, Michael Rex Giles, Peter John Sinfield, Robert Fripp

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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