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Under the Boardwalk

"Under the Boardwalk"
Undertheboardwalk.jpg
Single by The Drifters
B-side "I Don't Want to Go On Without You"
Released June 1964
Format 7" single
Recorded 1964
Genre Soul, pop standards
Length 2:45
Label Atlantic
8099
Writer(s) Kenny Young
Arthur Resnick
Producer(s) Bert Berns
The Drifters singles chronology
"One Way Love"
(1964)
"Under the Boardwalk"
(1964)
"I've Got Sand in My Shoes"
(1964)
"Under the Boardwalk"
Single by Bruce Willis
from the album The Return of Bruno
Released May 1987
Format 7" single
Recorded 1987
Genre Pop, R&B
Length 3:03
Label Motown
Writer(s) Kenny Young
Arthur Resnick
Bruce Willis singles chronology
"Respect Yourself"
(1987)
"Under the Boardwalk"
(1987)
"Secret Agent Man"
(1987)

"Under the Boardwalk" is a hit pop song written by Kenny Young and Arthur Resnick and recorded by The Drifters in 1964. It charted at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 charts on August 22, 1964. The song has since been covered by many other artists, with versions by the Tom Tom Club, The Rolling Stones, Billy Joe Royal, Bruce Willis, and Lynn Anderson all charting in the United States or overseas. The song ranked #489 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The lyric describes a tryst between a man and his beloved in a seaside town, who plan to privately meet "out of the sun" and out of sight from everyone else under a boardwalk. The instrumentation includes güiro, triangle and violins. The song's chorus is unusual in that it switches from a major to minor key. The opening line of the song references the Drifters' prior hit "Up on the Roof", showing the occasional thermal weakness of the rooftop getaway and setting the stage for an alternate meeting location, under the boardwalk.

The song was set to be recorded on May 21, 1964, but the band's lead singer, Rudy Lewis, died of a suspected heroin overdose the night before. Lewis had sung lead on most of their hits since the 1960 departure of Ben E. King, including "Up on the Roof". Rather than reschedule the studio session to find a new frontman, former Drifters lead vocalist Johnny Moore was brought back to perform lead vocals for the recording. The personnel on that recording included Ernie Hayes on piano, Everett Barksdale, Bill Suyker and Bob Bushnell on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, Gary Chester on drums and George Devens on percussion. The last-minute move was a success, as the single, released on Atlantic Records, went to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and number one for three non consecutive weeks on Cashbox Magazine's R&B chart.


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