Who originally wrote Ben E King’s classic soul song ‘Stand by Me’?
‘Stand By Me’ by Ben E King has to be one of the most covered songs in history. The simple and sweet soul track has been redone by John Lennon, Otis Redding, Tracy Chapman, Florence and the Machine and many more as there are over 400 recorded cover versions. At karaoke nights and open mics worldwide, the track is a staple that seemingly every singer loves to lift their voice to. But who originally wrote the material?
It’s one of those songs that feels like it has existed forever. Along with the simple chords of ‘Stand By Me’, the simple chorus lyrics of “so darling, darling, stand by me” feel completely timeless. That sentiment of care and love could have been written by any hand from any era. Shakespeare could’ve said it, a 1960s rock band could have said it, a modern-day pop star could write that line, and it would still feel emotive and beautiful. It’s a perfect example of how sometimes less is more and that it’s possible to communicate a whole big emotion in only a few short words.
That is part of the reason why the song has been so enduringly popular. It’s still just as beloved today as it was in 1961 when it first came out. With its presence boosted by the 1986 film named after the track, the emotional coming-of-age flick starring River Phoenix only added more weight to the track. As a result of the lengthy love affair with the song, it was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library Of Congress in 2015 due to it being considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
But with so many cover versions and such a lengthy history, it’s easy to lose track of the origin of the song. Plenty of people might know some other artist’s take on ‘Stand By Me’ but not the original or may not know who first penned the track.
So, who wrote ‘Stand By Me’?
The writer of the track and its original singer are one and the same. Ben E King wrote the song back in 1960 alongside Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, a famed, multi-award-winning duo. At the time, it was pretty uncommon for soul singers, especially, to write their own songs. Across all genres, really, recording songs written by other artists rather than penning your own was standard practice as certain classic tracks were passed around by different artists.
But King proved his power as a songwriter and well as a singer. Not only did his incredible voice make the track so beloved, but he played a hand in writing the beautiful, timeless lyrics. He also had the help of a certified hit-making machine in the form of Leiber and Stoller.
Working behind the scenes in the music world, this recording, songwriting and producing duo were responsible for so many huge songs. In particular, they had a golden touch for writing what were known as ‘crossover songs’, which could be translated by different artists across different genres, and that have ended up with a long legacy of covers. On their resume, there are hits like ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Kansas City’, ‘There Goes My Baby’ and more. They wrote a long list of Elvis Presley’s biggest hits, including ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Love Me’, ‘King Creole’ and even ‘Santa Claus Is Back In Town’.
All in all, the duo are responsible for over 70 chart hits. When it comes to the sound of the 1960s, especially the worlds of doo-wop and the classic girl bang sound, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were the men behind it all.
But on ‘Stand By Me’, its beautiful soul sound comes from a merge of Ben E. King’s voice and influences, meeting the duo’s ear for hits. On his side, King brought in the influence of gospel music and figures like Sam Cooke, claiming that the central lyric was inspired by his spiritual song ‘Stand By Me Father’. But with the help of Leiber and Stoller, the track became a huge hit that spans decades and genres.
