About The Song
“Stand by Me” is a song written by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by American singer Ben E. King on October 27, 1960. The single was released in 1961 on Atco Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, with “On the Horizon” as the B-side. The track later appeared on King’s album Don’t Play That Song!, released in 1962. The song runs approximately 2 minutes and 57 seconds.
King developed the initial idea for the song after leaving the Drifters in 1960. He had intended it for the group, but their manager declined to record it. The composition drew from the structure and title of earlier gospel material, including the 1905 hymn “Stand by Me” by Charles Albert Tindley and related spirituals such as “Stand by Me Father,” associated with Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers. King presented an early version during leftover studio time following the recording of his single “Spanish Harlem.” Producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller completed the lyrics with King and developed the arrangement, including the signature bass line created by Stoller.
The recording session featured session musicians including Romeo Penque on saxophone, Ernie Hayes on piano, Al Caiola and Charles McCracken on guitars, Lloyd Trotman on double bass, Phil Kraus on percussion, and Gary Chester on drums. A wordless mixed chorus and strings were also included, with the string arrangement by Stan Applebaum. Songwriting credits on the original single listed King and Elmo Glick, a pseudonym used by Leiber and Stoller. Producers were Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
The single entered the Billboard Hot 100 on May 13, 1961, at position 75. It climbed steadily and peaked at number 4 on the chart dated June 17, 1961, holding that position for a second week on June 24, 1961. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B Sides chart and number 3 on the Cash Box Top 100. In the United Kingdom, the original 1961 release peaked at number 27 on the Official Singles Chart. For the year-end Billboard charts, it ranked as the number 63 song of 1961.
The song was reissued in 1986 in connection with its use in the film Stand by Me, directed by Rob Reiner. A corresponding music video featured King alongside actors from the film. The reissue peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late December 1986 and early January 1987. It reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1987, remaining at the top for three weeks, and also topped charts in Canada and Ireland. Additional 1986–1987 peaks included number 2 in West Germany, number 7 in Austria and the Netherlands, and number 3 in Switzerland. The combined chart runs across both eras totaled 35 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. For the year-end charts, the reissue ranked number 67 in 1987.
King’s original version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2015, it was selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. BMI ranked it as the fourth most-performed song of the 20th century based on reported performances through 1999. Rolling Stone placed it at number 122 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in the 2004 edition (later adjusted in subsequent revisions). The song has been covered by more than 500 artists, including versions by John Lennon (1975, peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100), Mickey Gilley, Otis Redding, and others.
These details are drawn from Billboard chart archives, Atlantic/Atco release records, session documentation, and accounts from the songwriters and producers regarding the October 27, 1960, recording and subsequent commercial performance.
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Lyric
When the night has come And the land is dark And the moon is the only light we'll see No, I won't be afraid Oh, I won't be afraid Just as long as you stand, stand by me So darlin', darlin', stand by me Oh, stand by me Oh, stand Stand by me, stand by me If the sky that we look upon Should tumble and fall Or the mountain should crumble to the sea I won't cry, I won't cry No, I won't shed a tear Just as long as you stand, stand by me And darlin', darlin', stand by me Oh, stand by me Woah, stand now Stand by me, stand by me Darlin', darlin', stand by me Oh, stand by me Oh, stand now Stand by me, stand by me Whenever you're in trouble, won't you stand by me? Oh, stand by me Woah, just stand now Oh, stand, stand by me