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In New York, I was excited about the music in New York because the only music that I was more or less involved with in the South was either country and western or hillbilly music as we used to call it when I was a kid and, ah, gospel.

Ben E. King

You’re writing it is how you feel. And when you’re finished you put your signature on it and you mail it off and that’s it. And that’s how “Stand By Me” was really.
BEN E. KING

Feel Stand Writing Yo
It doesn’t take me long to write songs.
BEN E. KING

Long Song Writing
And, because there was an honesty about all that was going on. It connected with the people in the street.
BEN E. KING

Honesty People Streets
One of the hardest things in the world is to perform on record and get someone to enjoy and feel what you’re doing. It’s unlike, like TV you can, you can fake it with the face and the crying and the bits. Recording is completely different.
BEN E. KING

Different Fake Record
If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall. Or the mountain should crumble to the sea. I won’t cry, no I won’t shed a tear, just as long as you stand by me.
BEN E. KING

Fall Friendship Sea
One minute we can be in a small club, the next minute we can be in a coliseum, and the next minute we can be in a small auditorium. It varies, depending on the promoter, the budget, and the travelling distance.
BEN E. KING

Distance Journey Next
I do like what Alicia Keys and John Legend are doing. With their music, you keep your clothes on.
BEN E. KING

Clothes Keys Legends
Yeah. I’m amateurish. I can play enough to write a song, or strum on a little guitar to write out a song. But, I don’t play well at all. I wouldn’t even attempt for a second to play in public.
BEN E. KING

Guitar Song Writing
I still perform it in all my shows. I’ll do it as long as I’m breathing. I’m so proud it has stood the test of time.
BEN E. KING

Breathing Long Proud
I never even visualized for a second doing what I’m doing.
BEN E. KING

Doing Second Visualized
I always felt I never chose music, it chose me.
BEN E. KING

Chose Felt Music
I enjoyed singing, I loved song writing, I loved recording. All those things that involves with creating music was great.
BEN E. KING

Creating Song Writing
Most black singers like to slow the word down and, and go directly to your heart. They’re not interested in your ears, we just want to go directly to your heart.
BEN E. KING

Black Ears Heart
It’s something that, songwriters just write songs. It’s like an artist that paints. They paint what they feel. It’s not, it’s not about how many of these painting I’ll sell it’s just how they feel at the moment. And that’s how I wrote “Stand By Me”.
BEN E. KING

Artist Paint Painting Sell Songwriter
It’s a different thing when you go into a studio and you record with the intent of going somewhere and you’re marketing yourself for that direction.
BEN E. KING

Different Marketing Records
The industry now wants to be in charge of everything.
BEN E. KING

Change Everything Industry Want

In New York, I was excited about the music in New York because the only music that I was more or less involved with in the South was either country and western or hillbilly music as we used to call it when I was a kid and, ah, gospel.

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In New York, I was excited about the music in New York because the only music that I was more or less involved with in the South was either country and western or hillbilly music as we used to call it when I was a kid and, ah, gospel.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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