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Stand By Me (song)

"Stand by Me"
Stand-by-me-ben-e-king.jpg
Single by Ben E. King
from the album Don't Play That Song!
B-side "On the Horizon"
Released 1961
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded October 27, 1960
Genre Soul, rhythm and blues
Length 2:57
Label Atco
Writer(s) Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Producer(s) Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Ben E. King singles chronology
"First Taste of Love"
(1961)
"Stand by Me"
(1961)
"Amor"
(1961)
"Stand by Me"
Jlsbm.jpg
Single by John Lennon
from the album Rock 'n' Roll
B-side "Move Over Ms. L"
Released March 10, 1975
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1974
Genre Rock
Length 3:26
Label Apple
Writer(s) Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Producer(s) John Lennon
John Lennon singles chronology
"#9 Dream"
(1974)
"Stand by Me"
(1975)
"(Just Like) Starting Over" (1980)
"Stand by Me"
Stand by Me Mickey Gilley.jpg
Single by Mickey Gilley
from the album Urban Cowboy
B-side "Here Comes the Hurt Again"
Released May 31, 1980
Format 7"
Recorded 1980
Genre Country
Length 3:35
Label Epic
Writer(s) Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Producer(s) Jim Ed Norman
Mickey Gilley singles chronology
"True Love Ways"
(1980)
"Stand by Me"
(1980)
"That's All That Matters"
(1980)
"Stand by Me"
MW stand by me.jpg
Single by Maurice White
from the album Maurice White
Released 1985
Format 7", 12"
Genre Rhythm and blues, soul
Length 4:07
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Producer(s) Maurice White
"Stand by Me"
Single by 4 the Cause
from the album Stand by Me
Released September 18, 1998
Format CD
Recorded 1997
Genre Soul, Hip hop music
Length 3:44
Label RCA
Writer(s) Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Producer(s) Michael Vitoria, Funky Be
4 the Cause singles chronology
"Stand by Me"
(1998)
"Let Me Be"
(1998)
"Stand by Me"
Prince Royce-Stand By Me 3.jpg
Single by Prince Royce
from the album Prince Royce
Released 2010
Recorded 2009
Genre Bachata
Length 3:25
Label Top Stop Music
Writer(s) Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Producer(s) Sergio George
Prince Royce singles chronology
"Stand by Me"
(2010)
"Corazón Sin Cara"
(2010)

"Stand by Me" is a song originally performed by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King, written by King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. According to King, the song title is derived and was inspired by a spiritual composition by Sam Cooke called "Stand by Me Father" (although Mike Stoller has stated differently). This spiritual was sung by the Soul Stirrers with Johnnie Taylor singing lead. The third line of the second verse of "Stand by Me" derives from Psalms 46:2c. There have been over 400 recorded versions of "Stand by Me" performed by many artists. The song has been featured on the soundtrack of the 1986 film Stand by Me. A music video was also released to promote the film.

In 2012 it was estimated that the song's royalties had topped £17 million, making it the sixth highest earning song as of that time. 50% of the royalties were paid to King.

In 2015, King's original version was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", just under five weeks before King's death. Later in the year the 2015 line up of the Drifters covered the song in tribute to King.

According to the documentary History of Rock 'n' Roll, Ben E. King had no intention of recording the song himself. King had written it for the Drifters, who passed on recording it. After the "Spanish Harlem" recording session, he had some studio time left over. The session's producers, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, asked if he had any more songs. King played "Stand by Me" on the piano for them. They liked it and called the studio musicians back in to record it.

Stoller recalls it differently:

I remember arriving at our office as Jerry and Ben were working on lyrics for a new song. King had the beginnings of a melody that he was singing a cappella. I went to the piano and worked up the harmonies, developing a bass pattern that became the signature of the song. Ben and Jerry quickly finished the lyrics ... .


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Wikipedia

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