Ben E. King

Benjamin Earl Nelson, conosciuto come Ben E. King (Henderson, 28 settembre 1938 – Teaneck, 30 aprile 2015), è stato un cantautore statunitense, di musica pop e soul, conosciuto per il brano Stand By Me, portato al successo internazionale nel 1961.

Biografia

Nato a Henderson nella Carolina del Nord, Nelson si trasferisce ad Harlem, New York, all'età di nove anni.
Nel 1958, si unisce ad un gruppo di musica doo wop chiamato The Five Crowns. Più tardi nello stesso anno, il manager del gruppo The Drifters licenziò i vecchi membri del gruppo, e assunse i Five Crowns al loro posto. Nelson co-scrisse il primo successo della nuova formazione dei Drifters There Goes My Baby del 1959 che arriva in seconda posizione nella Billboard Hot 100. Cantò anche, usando il suo nome di battesimo, le principali parti vocale di Save the Last Dance for Me, un brano scritto da Doc Pomus e Mort Shuman, Dance With Me che arriva prima per tre settimane nella Hot 100 e seconda nel Regno Unito, This Magic Moment, I Count the Tears e Lonely Winds. King registrò soltanto dieci canzoni con i The Drifters, inclusa Temptation, mai pubblicata come singolo.
Nel 1960, Nelson lasciò i Drifters dopo non essere riuscito ad avere un aumento di stipendio ed una parte delle royalties del gruppo. Fu a questo punto della carriera che Nelson assunse il nome d'arte Ben E. King, in vista di una carriera da solista. Sotto contratto con la Atlantic Records, King ottenne il primo successo discografico con la ballata Spanish Harlem del 1961. Stand by Me fu il suo secondo singolo. Scritta dallo stesso King, insieme a Jerry Leiber e Mike Stoller, Stand by Me venne scelta come una delle "canzoni del secolo" dalla RIIA. Stand by Me, There Goes My Baby e Spanish Harlem inoltre furono premiate nella prestigiosa Grammy Hall of Fame Award, insieme a Save the Last Dance For Me. Fra gli altri suoi brani più celebri si ricordano anche "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" (registrata anche da Aretha Franklin negli anni settanta), Amor, Seven Letters, How Can I Forget, On the Horizon, Young Boy Blues, I (Who Have Nothing), e molte altre.
I dischi di King continuarono ad ottenere buoni piazzamenti nella classifica Billboard Hot 100 fino al 1964, quando sulla scena discografica inglese si iniziarono ad imporre numerose band pop. Tuttavia King mantenne ottimi risultati nel campo della musica R&B.
Nel 1990, King e Bo Diddley featuring Doug Lazy hanno registrato una versione Hip hop del brano dei The Monotones del 1958 Book of Love per la colonna sonora del film The Book of Love. King ha inoltre registrato un album per bambini intitolato I Have Songs In My Pocket, scritto e prodotto da Bobby Susser nel 1998, che ha vinto i premi "Early Childhood News' Directors' Choice Award" e "Dr. Toy's/The Institute For Childhood Resources Award".
Nel corso della sua carriera Ben E. King ha raggiunto la posizione numero uno in classifica con cinque singoli diversi, ossia There Goes My Baby, Save the Last Dance For Me, Stand By Me, Supernatural Thing e la ristampa del 1986 di Stand By Me, pubblicata in occasione dell'uscita nei cinema del film Stand by Me - Ricordo di un'estate, tratto da un romanzo di Stephen King. Dal 1956 al 1986 il cantante è stato 12 volte nella top ten.
King, che era attivo con la sua fondazione umanitaria Stand By Me Foundation, è morto il 30 aprile 2015 nella sua casa di Teaneck per cause naturali.

From Left to Right: Tony Dallara, Elio Leoni, Ben E. King at the Sanremo Festival in 1963

Benjamin Earl King (born Benjamin Earl Nelson, September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015), known as Ben E. King, was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He was perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later in 1986 (when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name), a number one hit in the UK in 1987, and no. 25 on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century—and as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group the Drifters notably singing the lead vocals of one of their biggest global hit singles (and only U.S. #1 hit) "Save the Last Dance for Me"

Early life

King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, 1938, in Henderson, North Carolina and moved to Harlem, New York, at the age of nine in 1947. King began singing in church choirs, and in high school formed the Four B’s, a doo-wop group that occasionally performed at the Apollo.

Career

The Drifters

In 1958, King (still using his birth name) joined a doo-wop group called the Five Crowns. Later that year, the Drifters' manager George Treadwell fired the members of the original Drifters, and replaced them with the members of the Five Crowns.
King had a string of R&B hits with the group on Atlantic Records. He co-wrote and sang lead on the first Atlantic hit by the new version of the Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959). He sang lead on a succession of hits by the team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, including "Save the Last Dance for Me", "This Magic Moment", and "I Count the Tears". King recorded only thirteen songs with the Drifters—two backing other lead singers and eleven lead vocal performances—including a non-single called "Temptation" (later redone by Drifters vocalist Johnny Moore). The last of the King-led Drifters singles to be released was "Sometimes I Wonder", which was recorded May 19, 1960, but not issued until June 1962.
Due to contract disputes with Treadwell in which King and his manager, Lover Patterson, demanded greater compensation, King rarely performed with the Drifters on tour or on television. On television, fellow Drifters member Charlie Thomas usually lip-synched the songs that King had recorded with the Drifters.

Solo career

In May 1960, King left the Drifters, assuming the stage name Ben E. King in preparation for a solo career. Remaining with Atlantic Records on its Atco imprint, King scored his first solo hit with the ballad "Spanish Harlem" (1961).
His next single, "Stand by Me", written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, ultimately would be voted as one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America. King cited singers Brook Benton, Roy Hamilton and Sam Cooke as influences for his vocals of the song. "Stand by Me", "There Goes My Baby", "Spanish Harlem", and "Save the Last Dance for Me" were all named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll; and each of those records has earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. King's other well-known songs include "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)", "Amor", "Seven Letters", "How Can I Forget", "On the Horizon", "Young Boy Blues", "First Taste of Love", "Here Comes the Night", "Ecstasy", and "That's When It Hurts". In the summer of 1963, King had a Top 30 hit with "I (Who Have Nothing)", which reached the Top 10 on New York's radio station, WMCA.
King's records continued to place well on the Billboard Hot 100 chart until 1965. British pop bands began to dominate the pop music scene, but King still continued to make R&B hits, including "What is Soul?" (1966), "Tears, Tears, Tears" (1967), and "Supernatural Thing" (1975).
King returned to the ^{[better source needed]}Drifters in late 1982 in England, and sang with them until the group's break-up and reorganization in 1986. From 1983 until the band's break-up, the other members of this incarnation of the Drifters were Johnny Moore, Joe Blunt, and Clyde Brown.^{[citation needed]}
A 1986 re-issue of "Stand by Me" followed the song's use as the theme song to the movie Stand By Me and re-entered the Billboard Top Ten after a 25-year absence. This reissue also reached Number 1 in the United Kingdom and Ireland for three weeks in February 1987.
In 1990, King and Bo Diddley, along with Doug Lazy, recorded a revamped hip hop version of the Monotones' 1958 hit song "Book of Love" for the soundtrack of the movie Book of Love. He also recorded a children's album, I Have Songs In My Pocket, written and produced by children's music artist Bobby Susser in 1998, which won the Early Childhood News Directors' Choice Award and Dr. Toy's/the Institute for Childhood Resources Award. King performed "Stand by Me" on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2007. Ahmet Ertegun said, "King is one of the greatest singers in the history of rock and roll and rhythm and blues."
As a Drifter and as a solo artist, King had achieved five number one hits: "There Goes My Baby", "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Stand By Me", "Supernatural Thing", and the 1986 re-issue of "Stand By Me". He also earned 12 Top 10 hits and 26 Top 40 hits from 1959 to 1986. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Drifter; he was also nominated as a solo artist.
King's "I (Who Have Nothing)" was selected for the Sopranos Peppers and Eggs Soundtrack CD (2001).
King was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
On March 27, 2012, the Songwriters Hall of Fame announced that "Stand By Me" would receive its 2012 Towering Song Award and that King would be honored with the 2012 Towering Performance Award for his recording of the song.

Later life

King was active in his charitable foundation, the Stand By Me Foundation, which helps to provide education to deserving youths. He was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, from the late 1960s.
King performed "Stand By Me" during a televised tribute to late comedian George Carlin, as he was one of Carlin's favorite artists.
On November 11, 2010, he performed "Stand By Me" on the Latin Grammys with Prince Royce.
King toured the United Kingdom in 2013 and played concerts in the United States as late as 2014, despite reported health problems.

Death

It was announced on May 1, 2015 that King had died at the Hackensack University Medical Center on April 30, 2015 at the age of 76. His agent said he had suffered from "coronary problems" at the time of his death. King was survived by his wife of 51 years, Betty, three children and six grandchildren. On May 17, two weeks after his death, Imagine Dragons performed "Stand By Me" at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards as a tribute to his memory.

Legacy

King has been covered by acts from several genres. "So Much Love" was recorded by Dusty Springfield and many others. "I (Who Have Nothing)" was performed by Shirley Bassey in 1963 and also by Tom Jones in 1970, as well as a 1979 recording by Sylvester. "Till I Can't Take It Anymore" was revisited by peer Ray Charles in 1970 and "Spanish Harlem" was sung by Aretha Franklin in 1971. "Stand by Me" was covered by Otis Redding, John Lennon, Mickey Gilley, Florence + The Machine, Tracy Chapman, and Prince Royce. King also inspired a number of rock bands: Siouxsie and the Banshees recorded "Supernatural Thing" in 1981 and Led Zeppelin did a cover version of "Groovin'", more known under the title of "We're Gonna Groove".

Discography

Albums

Spanish Harlem (1961, Atco) US: #57 UK: #30
Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers (1962)
Don't Play That Song! (1962)
Young Boy Blues (1964)
Ben E. King's Greatest Hits (1964)
Seven Letters (1965)
What Is Soul (1967)
Rough Edges (1970, Maxwell)
The Beginning of It All (1972, Mandala)
Supernatural (1975, Atlantic) US: #39
I Had a Love (1976)
Rhapsody (1976)
Let Me Live in Your Life (1978)
Music Trance (1980)
Street Tough (1981)
Save the Last Dance for Me (1987, EMI-Manhattan)
Stand by Me: The Ultimate Collection (1987, Atlantic) UK: #14
What's Important to Me (1991, Ichiban)
Anthology (1993, Rhino)
Shades of Blue (1993, Half Note)
I Have Songs in My Pocket (1998, Bobby Susser)
The Very Best of Ben E. King (1998, Rhino) UK: #15
Eleven Best (2001, Cleopatra)
Person To Person: Live At The Blue Note (2003, Half Note)
Soul Masters (2005, Digital Music Group)
I've Been Around (2006, True Life)
Love Is Gonna Get You (2007, Synergy)
Heart & Soul (2010–2011, CanAm Records)
Dear Japan (2011, United Artists)

Other albums

Benny and Us (1977) US: #33 (Average White Band & Ben E. King)
The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux (1977) (with the Average White Band and other artists)
Soul Clan (1968) (as a member of the Soul Clan)

Singles with the Drifters (singing lead)

"There Goes My Baby" (1959) R&B: #1 US: #2
"Oh My Love (1959)
"Dance With Me" (1959) R&B: #2 US: #15 UK: #17
"This Magic Moment" (1960) R&B: #4 US: #16
"Lonely Winds" (1960) R&B: #9 US: #54
"Hey Señorita" (1960)
"Save the Last Dance for Me" (1960) R&B: #1 US: #1 UK: #2
"Nobody But Me" (1960)
"I Count the Tears" (1960) US: #17 UK: #28
"Sometimes I Wonder" (1962)

Solo singles

Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated	Year	Label and catalogue number	Chart positions				Album
	Year	Label and catalogue number	US Hot 100	CB	US R&B	UK	Album
"Show Me The Way" b/w "Brace Yourself"	May 1960	Atco 6166					Don't Play That Song!
"A Help-Each-Other Romance" b/w "How Often" Both sides with LaVern Baker	Jun 1960	Atlantic 2067		105			Non-album tracks
"First Taste Of Love" /	Nov 1960	Atco 6185	53	91		27	Don't Play That Song!
"Spanish Harlem"	Nov 1960	Atco 6185	10	9	15		Spanish Harlem
"Stand by Me" b/w "On The Horizon"	Apr 1961	Atco 6194	4	3	1	27	Don't Play That Song!
"Amor" b/w "Souvenir Of Mexico"	Jul 1961	Atco 6203	18	19	10	38	Spanish Harlem
"Here Comes The Night" /	Sep 1961	Atco 6207	81				Don't Play That Song!
"Young Boy Blues" /	Sep 1961	Atco 6207	66	86
"Ecstasy" b/w "Yes"	Jan 1962	Atco 6215	56	50
"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" b/w "The Hermit Of Misty Mountain"	Apr 1962	Atco 6222	11	11	2
"Too Bad" b/w "My Heart Cries For You" (from Ben E. King Sings For Soulful Lovers)	Jul 1962	Atco 6231	88	88			Non-album track
"I'm Standing By" b/w "Walking In The Footsteps Of A Fool" (Non-album track)	Oct 1962	Atco 6237	111	123			Seven Letters
"Tell Daddy" b/w "Auf Weidersehn, My Dear" (from Ben E. King's Greatest Hits)	Dec 1962	Atco 6246	122	138	29		Non-album track
"How Can I Forget" b/w "Gloria Gloria" (from Young Boy Blues)	Feb 1963	Atco 6256	85	82	23		Ben E. King's Greatest Hits
"I (Who Have Nothing)" b/w "The Beginning Of Time" (Non-album track)	Jun 1963	Atco 6237	29	25	16
"I Could Have Danced All Night" b/w "Gypsy" (Non-album track)	Oct 1963	Atco 6275	72	112
"What Now My Love" b/w "Groovin'" (Non-album track)	Jan 1964	Atco 6284	102	132
"That's When It Hurts" /	Mar 1964	Atco 6288	63	57	17
"Around The Corner"	Mar 1964	Atco 6288	125
"AMORE QUANDO " b/w "QUEL TUO BACIO" (only release in Italy)	Jan 1964	Atco 6246					Non-album track
"What Can A Man Do" b/w "Si Senor" (from Seven Letters)	Jan 1964	Atco 6303	113	106	39		Non-album track
"It's All Over" /	Sep 1964	Atco 6315	72	93	40		Seven Letters
"Let The Water Run Down"	Sep 1964	Atco 6315		144
"Seven Letters" b/w "River Of Tears"	Dec 1964	Atco 6328	45	58	11
"The Record (Baby I Love You)" b/w "The Way You Shake It"	Mar 1965	Atco 6343	84	105	24		Non-album tracks
"She's Gone Again" b/w "Not Now (I'll Tell You When)"	May 1965	Atco 6357	128
"Cry No More" b/w "(There's) No Place To Hide"	Aug 1965	Atco 6371
"Goodnight My Love" b/w "I Can't Break The News To Myself"	Dec 1965	Atco 6390	91	87
"So Much Love" b/w "Don't Drive Me Away" (from Seven Letters)	Apr 1966	Atco 6413	96	54
"I Swear By Stars Above" b/w "Get In A Hurry"	Aug 1966	Atco 6431			35
"What Is Soul?" b/w "They Don't Give Medals To Yesterday's Heroes"	Nov 1966	Atco 6454		113	38
"Tears, Tears, Tears" b/w "A Man Without A Dream"	Mar 1967	Atco 6472	93	105	34
"Katherine" b/w "Teeny Weeny Little Bit"	Jun 1967	Atco 6493		113
"Don't Take Your Sweet Love Away" b/w "She Knows What To Do For Me"	Sep 1967	Atco 6527			44
"We Got A Thing Goin' On" b/w "What 'Cha Gonna Do About It" Both sides with Dee Dee Sharp	Feb 1968	Atco 6557	127	122
"Don't Take Your Love From Me" b/w "Forgive This Fool"	Apr 1968	Atco 6571	117
"Soul Meeting" b/w "That's How It Feels" Both sides as part of The Soul Clan	Jun 1968	Atlantic 2530			34
"It's Amazing" b/w "Where's The Girl"	Jul 1968	Atco 6596
"Til I Can't Take It Anymore" b/w "It Ain't Fair"	Dec 1968	Atco 6637	134	135	45
"Hey Little One" b/w "When You Love Someone"	Apr 1969	Atco 6666
"I Can't Take It Like A Man" b/w "Goodbye My Old Gal"	Nov 1969	Maxwell 800			45
"In The Midnight Hour/Lay Lady Lay" b/w "When You Love Someone" (Non-album track)	Jul 1970	Maxwell 88001					Rough Edges
"Take Me To The Pilot" b/w "I Guess It's Goodbye"	1972	Mandala 2512					The Beginning Of It All
"Into The Mystic" b/w "White Moon"	1972	Mandala 2513					The Beginning Of It All
"Spread Myself Around" b/w "I Guess It's Goodbye" (from The Beginning Of It All)	1973	Mandala 2518					Non-album track
"Supernatural Thing"—Part 1 b/w Part 2	Jan 1975	Atlantic 3241	5	9	1		Supernatural
"Do It In The Name Of Love" b/w "Imagination"	May 1975	Atlantic 3274	60	64	4		Supernatural
"I Had A Love" b/w "We Got Love"	Dec 1975	Atlantic 3308		104	23		I Had A Love
"I Betcha Didn't Know That" b/w "Smooth Sailing"	Jun 1976	Atlantic 3337					I Had A Love
"Somebody's Knocking" b/w "One More Time"	Sep 1976	Atlantic 3359					Non-album tracks
"Get It Up" b/w "Keepin' It To Myself" Both tracks with Average White Band	May 1977	Atlantic 3402			21		Benny and Us (with Average White Band)
"A Star In The Ghetto" b/w "What Is Soul" Both tracks with Average White Band	Sep 1977	Atlantic 3427			25
"Fool For You Anyway" b/w "The Message" Both tracks with Average White Band	Nov 1977	Atlantic 3444
"Tippin" b/w "I See The Light"	Aug 1978	Atlantic 3494					Let Me Live In Your Life
"Spoiled" b/w "Fly Away To My Wonderland"	Nov 1978	Atlantic 3535					Let Me Live In Your Life
"Music Trance" b/w "And This Is Love"	Jan 1980	Atlantic 3635			29		Music Trance
"Street Tough" b/w "Why Is The Question"	Apr 1981	Atlantic 3808					Street Tough
"Souvenirs Of Love" b/w "You Made The Difference To My Life"	Jul 1981	Atlantic 3839					Street Tough
"Stand by Me" Reissue of King's 1961 hit B-side by The Coasters: "Yakety Yak"	Sep 1986	Atlantic 89361	9	10		1	Stand By Me: The Best Of Ben E. King and Ben E. King With The Drifters
"Spanish Harlem" Reissue of King's 1960 hit b/w "First Taste Of Love"	Mar 1987	Atlantic 89234				92
"Save the Last Dance for Me" Re-recording of King's 1960 hit as lead singer of The Drifters b/w "Wheel Of Love" (Non-album track)	Jun 1987	Manhattan 50078				69	Save The Last Dance For Me
"What's Important To Me" b/w "It's Your Love (That Makes Me Happy)"	1991	Ichiban 711					What's Important To Me
"You've Got All Of Me" b/w "It's All Right"	1992	Ichiban 254
"You Still Move Me" b/w "I'm Gonna Be Somebody"	1992	Ichiban 257
"4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" B-side by Mrs. Fun/Tina & The B-side Movement: "Janey Don't You Lose Your Heart"	1992	The Right Stuff 72878					Non-album tracks

Stand By Me, Ben E King, 1961 - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwZNL7QVJjE

Ben E King - Spanish Harlem - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGd6CdtOqEE

Testo

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
It is a special one, it's never seen the sun
It only comes out when the moon is on the run
And all the stars are gleaming
It's growing in the street right up through the concrete
But soft and sweet and dreaming

There is a rose in Spanish Harlem
A red rose up in Spanish Harlem
With eyes as black as coal that look down in my soul
And starts a fire there and then I lose control
I have to beg your pardon

I'm going to pick that rose
And watch her as she grows in my garden

La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)
La la la, la la la, la la la la
(There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)

Compositori: Jerry Leiber / Phil Spector

Testo di Spanish Harlem © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Ben E. King - Amor - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VW4O9-0SmI

Ben E. King - This Magic Moment - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtFHlNmIep

Testo

This magic moment, so different and so new
Was like any other until I kissed you
And then it happened, it took me by surprise
I knew that you felt it too, by the look in your eyes

Sweeter than wine
Softer than the summer night
Everything I want, I have
Whenever I hold you tight

This magic moment while your lips are close to mine
Will last forever, forever 'till the end of time

oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
(Magic, magic) oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
(Magic, magic) uh-uh-uh-uh-uh

Sweeter than wine
Softer than the summer night
Everything I want, I have
Whenever I hold you tight

This magic moment while your lips are close to mine
Will last forever, forever 'till the end of time

whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh
Magic moment (magic, magic)
Magic moment (magic, magic)
Magic moment (magic, magic)

Compositori: Doc Pomus / Mort Shuman

Testo di This Magic Moment © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Ben E. King - Don't Play That Song (You Lied) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkAL8VcKyks

Testo

Don't play it no more
Don't play it no more
Don't play it no more
No no no no no no no

Don't play that song for me
It brings back memories
The days that I once knew
The days that I spent with you

Oh no! Don't let it play
It fills my heart with pain!
Please stop it right away!
I remember just what it said
It said (darling I love you) you Know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied, you lied, you lied lied lied lied

Remember on our first date?
You kissed me and you walked away
You were only seventeen
I never thought you'd act so mean
But baby you told me you loved me
You told me you cared
You said "I'll go with you darlin' almost anywhere"
But baby you know that

you Know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied, you lied, you lied lied lied lied

Don't play it no more
Don't play it no more
Stop it baby! No no no no no no no

Don't play it no more! Baby Please! Don't play it baby!
Don't play it no more! No no no no no no, stop it baby!

you Know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) you know that you lied!
(Darling I love you) yes baby you lied

Compositori: Ahmet Ertegun / Betty Nelson