"Save the Last Dance for Me" | ||||
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Single by The Drifters | ||||
from the album Save the Last Dance for Me | ||||
B-side | "Nobody But Me" | |||
Released | August 1960 | |||
Recorded | 1960 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:34 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman | |||
Producer(s) | Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller | |||
The Drifters singles chronology | ||||
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Official audio | ||||
"Save the Last Dance for Me" on YouTube |
"Save the Last Dance for Me" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, first recorded in 1960 by American musical group the Drifters with Ben E. King on lead vocals. It has since been covered by several artists, including Dalida, the DeFranco Family, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Michael Bublé.
In a 1990 interview, [1] songwriter Doc Pomus tells the story of the song being recorded by the Drifters and originally designated as the B-side of the record. He credits Dick Clark with turning the record over and realizing "Save the Last Dance" was the stronger song. The Drifters' version of the song, released a few months after Ben E. King left the group, would go on to spend three non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. pop chart, in addition to logging one week atop the U.S. R&B chart. [2] In the United Kingdom, the Drifters' recording reached No. 2 in December 1960. [3] This single was produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, two noted American music producers who at the time had an apprentice relationship with a then-unknown Phil Spector. Although he was working with Leiber and Stoller at the time, it is unknown whether Spector assisted with the production of this record; however, many Spector fans have noticed similarities between this record and other music he would eventually produce on his own. [4] Damita Jo had a hit with one of the answer songs of this era called "I'll Save The Last Dance For You".
In the song, the narrator tells his lover she is free to mingle and socialize throughout the evening, but to make sure to save him the dance at the end of the night. [5] During an interview on Elvis Costello's show Spectacle, Lou Reed, who worked with Pomus, said the song was written on the day of Pomus' wedding while the wheelchair-using groom watched his bride dancing with their guests. Pomus had polio and at times used crutches to get around. [6] His wife, Willi Burke, however, was a Broadway actress and dancer. The song gives his perspective of telling his wife to have fun dancing, but reminds her who will be taking her home and "in whose arms you're gonna be." [7]
Musicians on the Drifters' recording included Bucky Pizzarelli and Allen Hanlon (guitar), Lloyd Trotman (bass) and Gary Chester (drums).[ citation needed ]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [15] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Emmylou Harris covered the song in a country/bluegrass style in 1979, including it on her Blue Kentucky Girl album. Also released as a single, her version reached the top ten on the U.S. country singles chart in mid-1979.[ citation needed ]
"Save the Last Dance for Me" | ||||
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Single by Dolly Parton | ||||
from the album The Great Pretender | ||||
B-side | "Elusive Butterfly" | |||
Released | November 28, 1983 | |||
Recorded | November 1983 | |||
Genre | Country pop ,Synth-pop | |||
Length | 3:54 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman | |||
Producer(s) | Val Garay | |||
Dolly Parton singles chronology | ||||
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In 1983, Dolly Parton recorded "Save the Last Dance for Me," releasing it as a single in late November; the song subsequently appeared on Parton's album of 1950s and 60s covers The Great Pretender , released in January 1984. Reaching the top ten on the country singles chart in late February, the single also crossed over, reaching No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
Chart (1983–1984) | Peak position |
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Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 3 |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 45 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 12 |
"Save the Last Dance for Me" | ||||
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Single by the DeFranco Family | ||||
from the album Save the Last Dance for Me | ||||
B-side | "Because We Both Are Young" | |||
Released | April 1974 | |||
Length | 2:58 | |||
Label | 20th Century | |||
Songwriter(s) | Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman | |||
Producer(s) | Walt Meskell | |||
The DeFranco Family singles chronology | ||||
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The DeFranco Family (featuring Tony DeFranco) released "Save the Last Dance for Me" in 1974 as a single and the title track of their 2nd album (20th Century Records); the single peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on Canada's RPM 100 chart. The B-side of the single is "Because We Both Are Young," written by Tom Bahler and Harry Shannon.
"Save the Last Dance for Me" | ||||
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Single by Michael Bublé | ||||
from the album It's Time | ||||
Released | April 4, 2006 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:38 | |||
Label | 143, Reprise | |||
Songwriter(s) | Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman | |||
Michael Bublé singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Michael Bublé - Save The Last Dance For Me [Official Music Video]" on YouTube |
"Save The Last Dance For Me" was later covered by Canadian crooner Michael Bublé, and released as the third and final single from his second studio album, It's Time . The song was heavily remixed for its release as a single.
For its release as a single, the song was heavily remixed, with mixes from producers including Ralphi Rosario and Eddie Baez. All of the chart positions for the single are for each of the remixed versions of the song respectively. The single first peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart in September 2005. [16] After Bublé performed the album version of the song during the closing credits of the film The Wedding Date , [17] this version was released to radio, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart, as well as reaching No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100. [18] The music video for the track was once again directed by Noble Jones, who directed the videos for both of the album's previous singles – Home and Feeling Good. The music video was choreographed by Raymondo Chan, a Salsa Latin dance coach and performer. It was shot in Vancouver, Canada.
Chart (2006) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Hot 100 | 99 |
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 5 |
Chart (2006) | Rank |
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US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) [21] | 7 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA) [22] | Gold | 500,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Jerome Solon Felder, known professionally as Doc Pomus, was an American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the co-writer of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer in 1992, the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1992), and the Blues Hall of Fame (2012).
Benjamin Earl King was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He rose to prominence as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group the Drifters, notably singing the lead vocals on three of their biggest hit singles "There Goes My Baby", "This Magic Moment", and "Save the Last Dance for Me".
"Spanish Harlem" is a song recorded by Ben E. King in 1960 for Atco Records. It was written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector and produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. "Spanish Harlem" was King's first hit away from The Drifters, peaking at number 15 on Billboard's rhythm and blues and number 10 in pop music chart.
"White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. The song was written by Berlin for the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn. The composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards. Bing Crosby's record topped the Billboard chart for 11 weeks in 1942 and returned to the number one position again in December 1943 and 1944. His version would return to the top 40 a dozen times in subsequent years.
Ralphi Rosario is an American house musician and founding member of the influential Chicago DJ group Hot Mix 5.
The Great Pretender is the twenty-sixth solo studio album by American entertainer Dolly Parton. It was released on January 23, 1984, by RCA Records. It is composed of covers of hits from the 1950s and 1960s. The album was produced by Val Garay. It made heavy use of synthesizers and had a decidedly pop sound. The first single, a remake of The Drifters' 1960 hit "Save the Last Dance for Me" was a top 10 country single for Parton in early 1984 and came close to making the pop Top 40 as well (#45). Dolly Parton's cover of the 1965 Petula Clark hit "Downtown" was the album's second single. The title song was originally a hit for The Platters in 1956.
"Can't Get Used to Losing You" is a song written by Jerome "Doc" Pomus and Mort Shuman, first made popular by Andy Williams in a 1963 record release, which was a number-two hit in both the US and the UK. Twenty years later, British band the Beat took a reggae re-arrangement to number three in the UK.
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a pop song originally sung by Darlene Love and included on the 1963 seasonal compilation album, A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. The song was written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Phil Spector.
"Sweets for My Sweet" is a song written by the songwriting team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, originally recorded by American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group the Drifters.
"To Know Him Is to Love Him" is a song written by Phil Spector, inspired by words on his father's tombstone, "To Know Him Was to Love Him." It was first recorded by the only vocal group of which he was a member, the Teddy Bears. Their recording spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1958, while reaching No. 2 on the UK's New Musical Express chart. Peter & Gordon and Bobby Vinton later had hits with the song, with its title and lyrics changed to "To Know You Is to Love You". In 1987, the song was resurrected by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris, whose Trio recording topped the U.S. country singles chart.
"This Magic Moment" is a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman. It was first recorded by The Drifters, with Ben E. King singing lead.
"She's Not You" is a 1962 song recorded by Elvis Presley and released as a single on RCA Victor.
"(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" is a song recorded in a hit version by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1961. It was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and first recorded by Del Shannon on the album Runaway with Del Shannon, which was released in June 1961.
"Surrender" is a number 1 song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1961. It is an adaptation by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman of the music of a 1902 Neapolitan ballad by Giambattista and Ernesto de Curtis entitled "Torna a Surriento". It hit number one in the US and UK in 1961 and eventually became one of his best-selling singles. Presley held the record for most consecutive number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 before 1966, when The Beatles beat the record, with six consecutive number ones released between 1965 and 1966. That record eventually was broken in 1988 by Whitney Houston, who continues to hold the record today with seven. It would hold the record for most consecutive number ones by a solo artist until Houston broke that record with "So Emotional". This was one of 25 songs which Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman wrote for Presley. It has been recorded by many other artists, including Michael Bublé, The Residents and Il Volo.
"Suspicion" is a 1962 song originally recorded by Elvis Presley written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. It became a major hit in 1964 in a recording by Elvis Presley sound-alike Terry Stafford.
Tasty is the second solo album released by recording artist Patti LaBelle, her second solo album with Epic Records. Compared to the success of her debut album, released the previous year, the album performed only modestly well but featured the popular tunes "Eyes in the Back of My Head", which became a club hit, the Latin soul flavored "Teach Me Tonight ", the David Lasley composition "I See Home" and the ballad "Little Girls". "Eyes in the Back of My Head" became an international hit reaching the top five of the Italian singles chart. The album also featured covers of songs by Boz Scaggs, The Drifters and Roy Hamilton in addition to a couple songs co-written by LaBelle herself, including "Teach Me Tonight" and "Quiet Time".
Nobody but Me may refer to:
Wax Museum is the eighth studio album by Jay and the Americans released on February 28, 1970. The album went to #105 on the Billboard 200 chart, reached #68 on the Cashbox chart, and #71 in Canada. The album was the group's last charting album.
Billboard magazine only charted Christmas singles and albums along with the other popular non-holiday records until the 1958 holiday season when they published their first section that surveys only Christmas music.
"I Count the Tears" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and performed by The Drifters, with Ben E. King singing lead. In 1960, the track reached No. 6 on the U.S. R&B chart, No. 17 on the U.S. pop chart, and No. 28 on the UK Singles Chart.