Doo Wop Classics

The Five Satins formed in the mid-1950s. “In the Still of the Night” aka “In the Still of the Nite” was written by group member and leader Fred Parris.  There had been the popular song  from 1932 by Hoagy Carmichael titled “In the Still of the Night” as well as the  1937 one by Cole Porter.  But those are different. Anyway, The Five Satins recorded their song with that title in the Saint Bernadette Church Hall in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1956, while Parris was on leave from the U.S. Army.  Other members on the recording were Al Denby, Jim Freeman, and Ed Martin. It was first released on Standord and then Ember Records. It is a doo wop classic, and the words “doo wop” appear as part of the refrain in the bridge.

The song has been a perennial oldies favorite, with the distinction of being successful on the charts three times by the same artist with the same version. The first time around, in 1956, it peaked at #24 on the Pop Singles Charts and #3 on the R&B Chart. Parris was stationed in Japan when it became a hit, and the group reformed with Bill Baker on lead to support the song. It was then re-released in at the end 1959 and end of 1960, and both times charted within the top 100. The song has sold more than one million copies and received an RIAA gold record. The 1987  film Dirty Dancing featured the song.

There have been numerous covers of the song, including versions by The Fleetwoods, the Tokens, a Santo & Johnny instrumental, Jan & Dean, Sha Na Na, The Beach Boys, and Boyz II Men.

Here are the lyrics to “In the Still of the Nite” by The Five Satins:

“In the still of the night
I held you, held you tight
‘Cause I love, love you so
Promise I’ll never let you go
In the still of the night
(In the still of the night)

I remember that night in May
The stars were bright above
I’ll hope and I’ll pray
To keep your precious love

Well before the light
Hold me again with all of your might
In the still of the night
(In the still of the night)

So before the light
Hold me again with all of your might
In the still of the night
(In the still of the night)
In the still of the night”

If you are interested in an album of songs from The Five Satins, please click on the photo below:

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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