Save The Last Dance For Me

The story behind Save the Last Dance for Me is fascinating. It is said that the lyrics were born on the same day as the wedding of one of its composers, Doc Pomus. He, who used crutches due to polio, watched his wife, a Broadway dancer, enjoy the party and dance with other guests. The song captures that unique perspective: allowing her to have fun and socialize, but reminding her who will take her home at the end of the night. It was recorded in 1960 by The Drifters, with Ben E. King on lead vocals, and released in August of that year by Atlantic Records. Curiously, it was initially thought of as the B-side of the record, but Dick Clark, upon hearing it, recognized its potential and suggested flipping the vinyl.

The production of this piece was handled by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Although Phil Spector was working with them at the time, it is unclear if he participated directly in this recording, but some listeners notice a familiar air with his later style. After its release, The Drifters' version climbed to the number one spot on the US pop charts for three non-consecutive weeks, and also topped the R&B chart for one week. In the UK, it reached second place in December 1960. The song has been reinterpreted by various artists over time, including Dolly Parton in 1983, whose track reached the top ten of the country charts and number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1974, The DeFranco Family also released their version, which reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 in Canada. More recently, Michael Bublé included a remixed version on his album It's Time, achieving notable success on dance and contemporary music charts.