There are not that many songs that make it into the ranks of the classics. However, “Stand By Me,” from 1961 by Ben E. King, is one of the few that has. Many singers have done covers of this song, and there are many takes on the song that have been lovely to hear. However, it has never been sung like this before.
Many may be surprised to know that when the song was first written, King’s band, The Drifters, did not think it was good enough to record and perform. However, he went solo with it, and it became an instant hit.
David Letterman is one of many baby boomers who hold sentimental value for the song. His final show will be airing on May 20 of this year, so he has been very picky about the guests and performers that he’s bringing on in the final days of the show. This just goes to show how much he wanted to hear this song sung by Tracy Chapman, a Grammy winner from the 1990s. When she performs her cover of this song on his show, it is so obvious just how much he is enjoying the performance and how grateful he is to be able to hear her sing this classic tune on one of the final episodes of his show.
The way that she sings the song is amazing, and anyone who holds the song close to their hearts will love this performance. It is definitely worth hearing.