Benjamin Earl King better known as
Ben E. King, is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soulSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singerSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
. He is perhaps best known as the singer and
co-composerA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
of "
Stand by Me"Stand by Me" is the title of a song originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, based on the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me,", plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2-3...
", a
U.S.The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Top 10
hitA hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in both 1961 and 1986 and a
#1 hitA record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1987, and as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group
The DriftersThe Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
.
Early life
King was born
Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, 1938 in
HendersonHenderson, with a population of 16,095 at the 2000 census, is the county seat of Vance County, North Carolina, United States.The city was named in honor of former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Leonard Henderson, who lived nearby and was a friend of early settler Lewis Reavis...
,
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and moved to
HarlemHarlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
,
New YorkNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, at age 9.
In 1958, he joined a doo wop group called The Five Crowns.
Career
Later in 1958,
The DriftersThe Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
'
managerManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
fired the members of the original Drifters, and replaced them with The Five Crowns. He had a string of R&B hits with the group on
Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Nelson co-wrote and sang lead on the first Atlantic
hitA hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
by the new version of the Drifters, "There Goes My Baby" (1959). He also sang lead, using his birth name, on a succession of hits by the team of
Doc PomusJerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus , was a twentieth-century American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category of non-performer in 1992. He was also inducted into...
and
Mort ShumanMort Shuman was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including "Viva Las Vegas"...
, including "
Save the Last Dance for Me"Save the Last Dance for Me" is the title of a popular song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, first recorded in 1960 by Ben E. King with The Drifters....
", "Dance With Me", "
This Magic Moment"This Magic Moment" is the title of a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman. It is one of their best known successes. It was recorded first by Ben E. King with The Drifters and scored #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 during 1960...
" and "I Count the Tears". King only
recordedSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
10
songIn music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s with The Drifters, including a non-single called "Temptation" (later redone by Drifters vocalist
Johnny MooreJohnny Moore was an American rhythm and blues singer with The Drifters.Born John Alfred Moore in Selma, Alabama, United States, he began as lead of the Cleveland based group, The Hornets, before being discovered by The Drifters. He joined the group as lead vocalist, in New York in 1955, at age 21...
).
Due to a dispute over his contract, including a salary increase and a fair share of royalties, King was never again given a chance by Drifters manager
George TreadwellGeorge McKinley Treadwell was an American jazz trumpeter....
to perform with the group on tour or on television. After the dispute settled, King was hired only to sing until a replacement for him was found. On television, fellow Drifters member Charlie Thomas usually lip synched the songs that King had recorded with the Drifters.This end gave rise to a new beginning.
In May 1960, King left the Drifters, assuming the more memorable
stage nameA stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Ben E. King in preparation for a successful solo career. Remaining on
Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
on its
AtcoATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
imprint, King scored his first solo hit with the
balladA ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
"
Spanish Harlem"Spanish Harlem" is a song released by Ben E. King in 1960 on Atco Records, written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller...
" (1961). His next single, "
Stand by Me"Stand by Me" is the title of a song originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, based on the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me,", plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2-3...
", written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, ultimately would be voted as one of the
Songs of the CenturyThe "Songs of the Century" list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America , the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. that aims to "promote a better understanding of America’s musical and cultural heritage" in American schools...
by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. "Stand by Me", "There Goes My Baby" and "Spanish Harlem" were named as three of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and were all given a
Grammy Hall of Fame AwardThe Grammy Hall of Fame Award is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance"...
, as well as "Save The Last Dance For Me". King's other well-known songs were "
Don't Play That Song (You Lied)"Don't Play That Song " is a song written by Ahmet Ertegün and Betty Nelson and first recorded by soul singer Ben E. King. The title track on King's third album Don't Play That Song, it reached #2 on the U.S...
" (
coveredIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by
Aretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
in 1970), "Amor", "Seven Letters", "How Can I Forget", "On the Horizon", "
Young Boy BluesYoung Boy Blues is the fourth studio album by Ben E. King, and the first of his albums released by Clarion Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records...
", "
I (Who Have Nothing)"I " is a song originally released in English by Ben E. King in 1963."I " is based on the Italian song "Uno Dei Tanti," with music by Carlo Donida and lyrics by Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti. "Uno Dei Tanti" was released by Joe Sentieri in 1961...
", "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 stationRadio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
,
WMCAWMCA, 570 AM, is a radio station in New York City, most known for its "Good Guys" Top 40 era in the 1960s. It is currently owned by Salem Communications and plays a Christian radio format...
. The song has been covered many times, notably by
Luther VandrossPower of Love is the seventh studio album by American R&B/soul singer Luther Vandross, released in April 1991...
and
Martha WashMartha Wash is an American R&B, Pop, Soul, House singer/songwriter known for her distinctive and powerful voice.-Early career:...
,
John LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
,
Shirley BasseyDame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
, Liquid Smoke,
Tom JonesSir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
,
Sylvester James-Studio albums:-Live albums:-Compilation albums:* Mighty Real UK #62* 12 By 12 * Immortal -Singles:-Additional recordings:*Lights Out San Francisco...
,
U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
,
Bruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
,
Jedi Mind TricksJedi Mind Tricks is a hip hop duo with Vinnie Paz from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Jus Allah from Camden, New Jersey. The group was founded by two high school friends, rapper Vinnie Paz and former producer/DJ Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind...
, and more recently by
American IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
contestant
Jordin SparksJordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...
. King's records continued to place well on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chartA record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
until 1965.
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
popPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
bandsIn music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
began to dominate the
pop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
scene, but King still continued to make R&B hits and minor pop hits, including "What is Soul?" (1967) and "
Supernatural ThingSupernatural marks Ben E. King's transition to the main Atlantic Records label after time on subsidiary labels. The album is King's ninth album and eighth studio album...
" (1975). A 1986 re-issue of "Stand by Me" followed the song's use as the theme song to the movie
Stand By MeStand by Me is a 1986 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner. Based on the novella The Body by Stephen King, the film takes its title from the Ben E. King song of the same name, which plays over the end credits.-Plot:...
.
In 1990, King and
Bo DiddleyEllas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, along with
Doug LazyDoug Lazy is an American hip hop and dance music producer and DJ from Washington, D.C. Lazy scored a number of hip house hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including three #1s: "Let It Roll", "Let the Rhythm Pump", and "H.O.U.S.E." In 1990, Ben E...
, recorded a revamped
rapHip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
version of
The MonotonesThe Monotones were a six-member African American doo-wop vocal group in the 1950s. They are considered a one-hit wonder, as their only hit single was "The Book of Love", which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1958....
' 1958 hit song "
Book of Love"The Book of Love" is a rock and roll song, originally by The Monotones. It was written by three members of the group, Warren Davis, George Malone and Charles Patrick, and it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.Lead singer Charles Patrick heard a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial with the line...
" for the
soundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
of the movie
Book of Love"The Book of Love" is a rock and roll song, originally by The Monotones. It was written by three members of the group, Warren Davis, George Malone and Charles Patrick, and it peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.Lead singer Charles Patrick heard a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial with the line...
. He also recorded a children's album,
I Have Songs In My PocketI Have Songs in My Pocket was released in 1998 and is the 19th album released by Ben E. King. This album contains young children's songs, written and produced by children's music man, Bobby Susser, known for his young children's series, "Bobby Susser Songs for Children". It was the first team...
, written and produced by children's music artist
Bobby SusserBobby Susser , and also known as Bob Susser, is a multi-award winning, American songwriter, record producer, and performer, best known for his young children's music...
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 LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
in 2007.
Ahmet ErtegunAhmet Ertegün was a Turkish American musician and businessman, best known as the founder and president of Atlantic Records. He also wrote classic blues and pop songs and served as Chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and museum...
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 No. 1 hits: "There Goes My Baby", "
Save The Last Dance For Me"Save the Last Dance for Me" is the title of a popular song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, first recorded in 1960 by Ben E. King with The Drifters....
", "Stand By Me", "
Supernatural ThingSupernatural marks Ben E. King's transition to the main Atlantic Records label after time on subsidiary labels. The album is King's ninth album and eighth studio album...
", and the 1986 re-issue of "Stand By Me". He also earned 12 Top 10 hits and 25 Top 40 hits, from 1959 to 1986. He was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
as a Drifter; he also had been nominated as a solo artist.
King's "I Who Have Nothing" was selected
The SopranosThe HBO television drama The Sopranos has received considerable critical attention for its effective use of an eclectic array of music. Series creator David Chase personally selects all of the show's music with the producer Martin Bruestle and music editor Kathryn Dayak, sometimes also consulting...
' Peppers and Eggs Soundtrack CD [2001].
Current activities
Currently, King is active in his charitable foundation, the Stand By Me Foundation and is also a founding
Champion of the Global Village Champions Foundation along with
Muhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, Gary US Bonds and
Yank BarryYank Barry was born Gerald Barry Falovitch on January 29, 1948 in Montreal, Quebec. The philanthropist along with his friend and partner Muhammad Ali have fed over 515,000,000 meals to the needy around the world over the last eighteen years....
. He has been a resident of
Teaneck, New JerseyTeaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
since the late 1960s.
King performed "Stand By Me" during a televised tribute to late comedian
George CarlinGeorge Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
, as he was one of Carlin's favorite artists.
On November 11, 2010, he performed "Stand By Me" on the Latin Grammys with
Prince RoyceGeoffrey Royce Rojas , known professionally as Prince Royce, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from New York City, New York. At an early age, Royce took an interest in music and into his teenage years, began experimenting with music and writing poetry. By age nineteen, Royce met...
.
More recently King has started a tour of the United Kingdom, with venues in England, Scotland and Wales. For a full list of the 2011 tour dates, visit
CanAm Entertainment.
King's latest recording "Heart & Soul" on the
CanAm Records label takes a page from The Great American Songbook and features contributions from various jazz greats. JazzTimes heralds King's new release for its emotional and musical impact. The album was released in late 2010.
Albums
- Spanish Harlem
Spanish Harlem is a classic debut album by Ben E. King. The album was released by Atlantic Records as an LP in 1961.-Track listing:#"Amor" - [3:02]#"Sway" - [2:18]...
(1961, Atco) US: #57 UKThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
: #30
- Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers
Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers is the second studio album by Ben E. King. The album was released by Atlantic Records in 1962.-Track listing:#"My Heart Cries for You" – 2:21...
(1962)
- Don't Play That Song! (1962)
- Young Boy Blues
Young Boy Blues is the fourth studio album by Ben E. King, and the first of his albums released by Clarion Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records...
(1964)
- Ben E. King's Greatest Hits
Ben E. King's Greatest Hits is the fifth album and first compilation album by Ben E. King. Many classic hits such as "Stand By Me", "Spanish Harlem", "I ", and others return on this compilation disc released in 1964....
(1964)
- Seven Letters
Seven Letters is the sixth album and fifth studio album by Ben E. King, and the fourth studio album on the Atco label. "In The Middle of the Night" makes its debut on this album, released in 1965 by Atco Records, and is still a classic today....
(1965)
- What Is Soul
What is Soul is the seventh album and sixth studio album by Ben E. King, and his fifth and last studio album on the Atco label. It was made up of mostly unsuccessful singles...
(1967) (not issued in the U.S.)
- Rough Edges
Rough Edges is the seventh album and sixth studio album by Ben E. King. After not making any new albums for a few years, King composed this album with Maxwell, another subsidiary of Atlantic Records....
(1970, Maxwell)
- The Beginning of It All
The Beginning of It All is the eighth album by Ben E. King. King transferred to Mandala in 1972, and released his seventh studio album in 1972.This was the final album to be released on a subsidiary label in the early years...
(1972, Mandala)
- Supernatural (1975, Atlantic) US: #39
- I Had a Love
I Had a Love marks Ben E. King's tenth album, his ninth studio album, and his second record with Atlantic Records. "I Had a Love" and "I Betcha Didn't Know That" are notable singles from the album.-Track listing:...
(1976)
- Rhapsody (1976)
- Let Me Live in Your Life
Let Me Live in Your Life was Ben E. King's 12th album and 11th studio album, and his fourth record with Atlantic Records. The album was released in 1978.Some tracks from Rhapsody appear on this album...
(1978)
- Music Trance
Music Trance was Ben E. King's 13th album and 12th studio album, and his fifth record with Atlantic Records. The album was released in 1980....
(1980)
- Street Tough
Street Tough was Ben E. King's 14th album and 13th studio album, and his final record released directly with Atlantic Records. The album was released in 1981....
(1980)
- Save the Last Dance for Me
Save the Last Dance for Me was Ben E. King's 15th album and 14th studio album. It was released under the EMI-Manhattan label. The album was released in 1987 and was King's first release in six years. It also features a re-recording of Save The Last Dance For MeThis was King's last new release on...
(1987, EMI-Manhattan)
- Stand by Me: The Ultimate Collection
Stand by Me: The Ultimate Collection was Ben E. King's 16th album, yet only his second compilation album. The album was released in 1987 and includes many classic hits such as the standard Stand By Me, plus the original Spanish Harlem and Young Boy Blues.However, the single In the Middle of the...
(1987, Atlantic) UK: #14
- What's Important to Me
What's Important to Me was released in 1991 and is the 17th album released by Ben E. King. King's first studio album in four years produced the singles "What's Important to Me" and "You've Got All of Me".-Track listing:All tracks composed by Ben E...
(1991, Ichiban)
- Anthology
Anthology was released in 1993 and remains the biggest single Ben E. King album to date. This two-disc collection spans 50 songs covering his entire career to this point....
(1993, Rhino)
- Shades of Blue (1993, Half Note)
- I Have Songs in My Pocket
I Have Songs in My Pocket was released in 1998 and is the 19th album released by Ben E. King. This album contains young children's songs, written and produced by children's music man, Bobby Susser, known for his young children's series, "Bobby Susser Songs for Children". It was the first team...
(1998, Bobby SusserBobby Susser , and also known as Bob Susser, is a multi-award winning, American songwriter, record producer, and performer, best known for his young children's music...
)
- The Very Best of Ben E. King
The Very Best Of Ben E. King is a Ben E. King compilation album covering his entire recording history dating to 1975. Longtime classics such as Spanish Harlem and Don't Play That Song as well as King's most influential hit Stand By Me are all on this album, among 13 additional hits.-Track...
(1998, Rhino) UK: #15
- Eleven Best
Eleven Best is a Ben E. King compilation album. This set was released by Cleopatra Records, which has not released any of King's albums to date....
(2001, Cleopatra)
- Person To Person: Live At The Blue Note
-Track listing:#"Short Stomp" [6:06]#"Harlem Nocturne" [4:39]#"Let the Good Times Roll" [4:47]#"Young Boy Blues" [5:18]#"Person to Person" [5:37]#"Little Mama" [4:04]#"Under the Boardwalk" [4:55]#"Spanish Harlem" [3:50]#"Stand by Me" [3:54]...
(2003, Half Note)
- Soul Masters
Soul Masters is an album released by Digital Music Group containing twelve songs by Ben E. King. This album is identical to the album Love Is Gonna Get You, but has a different track order.-Track listing:#"Take Me To the Pilot" [3:35]...
(2005, Digital Music Group)
- I've Been Around (2006, True Life)
- Love Is Gonna Get You
Love Is Gonna Get You is the 2007 release from Ben E. King. This album is identical to the album Soul Masters, but has a different track order.-Track listing:#"Travelin' Woman" [3:35]#"Love Is" [3:00]#"Poison In My Mind" [3:03]...
(2007, Synergy)
- Heart & Soul (2010–2011, CanAm Records)
Other albums
- Benny and Us (1977) US: #33 (Average White Band & Ben E. King)
- The Atlantic Family Live in Montreux (1977) (A recording involving the Average White Band and other artists)
- Soul Meeting (1968) (as a member of the Soul Clan)
Singles with The Drifters
- "There Goes My Baby" (1959) R&B: #1 US: #2 with The Drifters
- "Oh My Love (1959) with The Drifters
- "Dance With Me" (1959) R&B: #2 US: #15 UK: #17 with The Drifters
- "This Magic Moment
"This Magic Moment" is the title of a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman. It is one of their best known successes. It was recorded first by Ben E. King with The Drifters and scored #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 during 1960...
" (1960) R&B: #4 US: #16 with The Drifters
- "Lonely Winds" (1960) R&B: #9 US: #54 with The Drifters
- "Save The Last Dance For Me
"Save the Last Dance for Me" is the title of a popular song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, first recorded in 1960 by Ben E. King with The Drifters....
" (1960) R&B: #1 US: #1 UK: #2 with The Drifters
- "Nobody But Me" (1960) with The Drifters
- "I Count the Tears" (1960) US: #17 UK: #28 with The Drifters
- "Sometimes I Wonder" (1962) with The Drifters
Solo singles
- "Brace Yourself (1960, Atco)
- "Show Me the Way" (1960, Atco)
- "A Help Each Other (1960, Atlantic) with Lavern Baker
LaVern Baker was an American rhythm and blues singer, who had several hit records on the pop chart in the 1950s and early 1960s. Her most successful records were "Tweedlee Dee" , "Jim Dandy" , and "I Cried a Tear" .-Early life:She was born Delores LaVern Baker in Chicago, Illinois...
- "How Often" (1960, Atlantic) with Lavern Baker
- "Spanish Harlem
"Spanish Harlem" is a song released by Ben E. King in 1960 on Atco Records, written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller...
(1961, Atco) R&B: #15 US: #10
- "First Taste of Love" (1961) US: #53 UK: #27 (b-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of "Spanish Harlem")
- "Stand by Me
"Stand by Me" is the title of a song originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, based on the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me,", plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2-3...
" (1961) R&B: #1 US: #4 UK: #27
- "Amor" (1961) R&B: #10 US: #18 UK: #38
- "Young Boy Blues" (1961) US: #66
- "Here Comes the Night" (1961) US: #81 (b-side of "Young Boy Blues")
- "Ecstasy" (1962) US: #56
- "Don't Play That Song (You Lied)
"Don't Play That Song " is a song written by Ahmet Ertegün and Betty Nelson and first recorded by soul singer Ben E. King. The title track on King's third album Don't Play That Song, it reached #2 on the U.S...
" (1962) R&B: #2 US: #11
- "Auf Wiedersehen, My Dear (1962)
- "Too Bad" (1962) US: #88
- "I'm Standing By" (1962) US:#111
- "Tell Daddy" (1962) US:#122 R&B: #29
- "How Can I Forget" (1963) R&B: #23 US: #85
- "I (Who Have Nothing)
"I " is a song originally released in English by Ben E. King in 1963."I " is based on the Italian song "Uno Dei Tanti," with music by Carlo Donida and lyrics by Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti. "Uno Dei Tanti" was released by Joe Sentieri in 1961...
" (1963) R&B: #16 US: #29
- "I Could Have Danced All Night
"I Could Have Danced All Night" is a song from the musical My Fair Lady, with music written by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, published in 1956...
" (1963) US: #72
- "What Now My Love
"What Now, My Love?" is the English title of a popular song whose original French version, "Et Maintenant" was written in 1961 by composer Gilbert Bécaud and lyricist Pierre Delanoë...
" US:#102 (1964)
- "That's When It Hurts" (1964)
- "What Can A Man Do" (1964) US:#113
- "It's All Over" (1964) US: #72
- "Around The Corner" (1964) US:#125
- "Seven Letters" (1965) R&B: #11 US: #45
- "The Record (Baby I Love You)" (1965) Pop: #84 R&B: #24
- "She's Gone Again" (1965) US: #128
- "Cry No More" (1965)
- "Goodnight My Love" (1965) US: #91
- "So Much Love" (1966) US: #96
- "Get In a Hurry" (1966)
- "I Swear By Stars Above" (1966) R&B: #35 (b-side of "Get in a Hurry")
- "They Don't Give Medals to Yesterday's Heroes" (1966)
- "What Is Soul?" (1966) R&B: #38 (b-side of "They Don't Give...")
- "A Man Without a Dream (1967)
- "Tears, Tears, Tears" (1967) R&B: #34 US: #93 (b-side of "A Man Without...")
- "Katherine" (1967)
- "Don't Take Your Sweet Love Away" (1967) R&B: #44
- "We Got a Thing Goin' On" (1968) with Dee Dee Sharp
Dee Dee Sharp is an American R&B singer, who began her career recording as a backing vocalist in 1961.-Career:...
US: #127
- "Don't Take Your Love from Me
"Don't Take Your Love from Me" is a popular song written by Henry Nemo and published in 1941. It was introduced that year by singer Joan Brooks.-Recorded versions:*Eddy Arnold* Joan Brooks *Georgia Brown - Georgia Brown...
" (1968) US: #117
- "Where's the Girl" (1968)
- "It Ain't Fair" (1968)
- "Til' I Can't Take It Anymore" US: #134
- "Hey Little One" (1969)
- "I Can't Take It Like a Man" (1970, Maxwell)
- "Take Me to the Pilot" (1972, Mandala)
- "Into the Mystic
"Into the Mystic" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and featured on his 1970 album Moondance. It was also included on Morrison's 1974 live album, It's Too Late To Stop Now....
" (1972)
- "Spread Myself Around" (1973)
- "Supernatural Thing, Part 1" (1975, Atlantic) R&B: #1 US: #5
- "Do It in the Name of Love" (1975) R&B: #4 US: #60
- "We Got Love" (1975)
- "I Had a Love" (1975) R&B: #23 (b-side of "We Got Love")
- "I Betcha you Didn't Know" (1976)
- "Get It Up" (1977) with Average White Band
- "A Star in the Ghetto" (1977) R&B: #25 with Average White Band
- "Fool for You Anyway" (1977) with Average White Band
- "I See the Light" (1978)
- "Fly Away to My Wonderland" (1978)
- "Music Trance" (1979) R&B: #29
- "Street Tough" (1981)
- "You Made the Difference in My Life" (1981)
- "Stand By Me [re-issue]" (1986) US: #9 UK: #1
- "Spanish Harlem [re-issue]" (1987)
- "Save the Last Dance for Me" [re-recorded] (1987, EMI-Manhattan) UK: #69
- "What's Important to Me" (1991, Ichiban)
- "You've Got All of Me" (1992)
- "You Still Move Me" (1992)
- "4th of July" (1997, Right Stuff)
External links
- CanAm Records — Ben E. King's current own label
- Ben E. King discography on Discogs
Discogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Ben E. King profile on VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
- Ben E. King on vocalgrouphalloffame.com