# Stand By Me **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 2, 2010, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013 "2010-05-02T09:46:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/1 "2010-05-02T09:46:40Z")
John Lennon’s version of this it so f\*\*king good. It blows the rest of them out of the water. Great backing band, no doubt. “When the night…” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/2 "2010-05-02T11:53:12Z")
I think this is the best song ever written. Cool, funky rhythm and simple but meaningful lyrics and, while I love Lennon’s version [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM) is far, far better. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/3 "2010-05-02T17:10:45Z")
That’s _wonderful_! Thanks for that, **don’t ask**! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/4 "2010-05-02T17:11:12Z")
I like Lennon’s version, but [Ben E. King’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbg7YoXiKn0&feature=related) version is my favorite. I’m not really fond of multiple artists singing the song, changing styles within the song. Too many cooks spoil the broth. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/5 "2010-05-02T21:06:03Z")
Put me down for the Ben E. King version too. It was used wonderfully in _The Wanderers_. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/6 "2010-05-02T21:12:02Z")
The original Ben. E. King version was our wedding song. I think it’s one of the single most romantic songs ever written. From time to time, we’ll play it and dance. I’m happy to report your link just spawned an impromptu waltz across the living room floor. > [@](#): > > If the sky that we look upon > Should tumble and fall > And the mountains > Should crumble to the sea > I won’t cry, I won’t cry… At which point I whispered into his ear: ‘‘I probably _would_ cry. I just want to put that out there.’’ ---
**Author:** ![Troubles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Troubles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troubles)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/7 "2010-05-02T21:56:22Z")
While Lennon’s cover and the version featuring multiple artists are wonderful, the original (as sung by Ben E. King) is my favorite. In fact, it’s probably one of my favorite songs of all time. I can always count on that song to pick me up when I’m feeling down. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/8 "2010-05-03T02:11:30Z")
This song just makes me weep buckets of tears. But in a good way. It is a wonderful song (I like the Ben E. King version) and appropriate theme music for many different occasions. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/9 "2010-05-05T13:51:02Z")
For those of you in the know, did Lennon remember recording this? Or was it part of his “lost weekend” in NYC? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/10 "2010-05-05T14:00:23Z")
This song (the original version) and “I Only Have Eyes For You” (by The Flamingos) are my two favorite slow dance tunes, with “Eyes” edging out “Stand” by a nose. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stand-by-me/538013/11 "2010-05-05T14:22:28Z")
> [@digs](#): > > For those of you in the know, did Lennon remember recording this? Or was it part of his “lost weekend” in NYC? This actually came out of the Morris Levy “Roots” project, and yes, in part it coincided with the “Lost Weekend” period of Lennon’s life. Full details at Wikipedia: [Rock 'n' Roll (John Lennon album) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_'n'_Roll_(John_Lennon_album))