Stand By Me

Lyrics meaning of Stand By Me by Ben E King

King penned "Stand by Me" while he was still the Drifters' main singer, but the band rejected it.

The Drifters' manager reportedly told King, "Not a bad song, but we don't need it."

But after going solo, King resurrected "Stand by Me" towards the conclusion of a recording session with Jerry Leiber.

King stated, "I showed him the tune. He played it on the piano for a little while before calling the musicians back into the recording studio to finish the track.

Since then, "Stand by Me" has become a pop-soul classic, being covered by artists including John Lennon and Green Day.

In 1960, Ben E. King was inspired to update the early 20th-century gospel hymn "Stand by Me" by Charles Albert Tindley, which was based on Psalm 46, "will not we fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."

Stand By Me lyrics by Ben E King

When the night has come

And the land is dark

And the moon is the only light we'll see

No, I won't be afraid

Oh, I won't be afraid

Just as long as you stand

Stand by me

So darlin', darlin'

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

Oh, stand, stand by me

Stand by me

If the sky that we look upon

Should tumble and fall

Or the mountain should crumble to the sea

I won't cry, I won't cry

No, I won't shed a tear

Just as long as you stand

Stand by me

And darlin', darlin'

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

Oh, stand now, stand by me

Stand by me

Darlin', darlin'

Stand by me, oh, stand by me

Oh, stand now, stand by me

Stand by me

Whenever you're in trouble

Won't you stand by me?

Oh, stand by me

Won't you stand now?

Oh, stand, stand by me