Save the Last Dance for Me

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"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Save the Last Dance for Me - The Drifters.jpg
Single by The Drifters
from the album Save the Last Dance for Me
B-side "Nobody But Me"
ReleasedAugust 1960
Recorded1960
Genre
Length2:34
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Producer(s) Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
The Drifters singles chronology
"Lonely Winds"
(1960)
"Save the Last Dance for Me"
(1960)
"I Count the Tears"
(1960)
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.

Contents

Drifters' version

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 ]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [15] Silver200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Emmylou Harris version

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 ]

Dolly Parton version

"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Single by Dolly Parton
from the album The Great Pretender
B-side "Elusive Butterfly"
ReleasedNovember 28, 1983
RecordedNovember 1983
Genre Country pop ,Synth-pop
Length3:54
Label RCA
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Producer(s) Val Garay
Dolly Parton singles chronology
"Islands in the Stream"
(1983)
"Save the Last Dance for Me"
(1983)
"Downtown"
(1984)

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.

Charts

Chart (1983–1984)Peak
position
Canadian RPM Country Tracks2
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles 3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 45
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 12

The DeFranco Family version

"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Single by the DeFranco Family
from the album Save the Last Dance for Me
B-side "Because We Both Are Young"
ReleasedApril 1974
Length2:58
Label 20th Century
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Producer(s) Walt Meskell
The DeFranco Family singles chronology
"Abra-ca-dabra"
(1973)
"Save the Last Dance for Me"
(1974)
"Write Me a Letter"
(1974)

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.

Michael Bublé version

"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Buble Save The Last.jpg
Single by Michael Bublé
from the album It's Time
ReleasedApril 4, 2006
Genre Pop
Length3:38
Label 143, Reprise
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Michael Bublé singles chronology
"Home"
(2005)
"Save the Last Dance for Me"
(2006)
"Just in Time"
(2006)
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.

Background

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.

Track listing

  1. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (album version) – 3:38
  2. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Starcity remix) – 3:20
  3. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (live version – video) – 4:14
  4. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (music video) – 3:42
  1. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (album version) – 3:38
  2. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Ralphi's Anthomic vocal) – 9:36
  3. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Eddie's Anthem mix) – 9:53
  4. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Ralphi's Hydrolic dub) – 8:29

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2006)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 99
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 5

Year-end charts

Chart (2006)Rank
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) [21] 7

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [22] Gold500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doc Pomus</span> American musician (1925–1991)

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Harlem (song)</span> 1960 song by Ben E. King

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Christmas (song)</span> Original song written and composed by Irving Berlin

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralphi Rosario</span> Musical artist

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<i>The Great Pretender</i> (Dolly Parton album) 1984 studio album by Dolly Parton

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Get Used to Losing You</span> 1963 song by Andy Williams

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)</span> 1963 song by Darlene Love

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Magic Moment</span> 1960 song by The Drifters

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References

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  16. "Dance Songs: Top Dance Music Chart". Billboard.
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  18. "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard.
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  23. Buck Owens, "Save the Last Dance for Me" Chart Position Retrieved April 11, 2012.
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