#1 for weeks of October 17, and 31st and November 7th, 1960.
This song is the antitheses of the previous one. It's very listenable, sung wonderfully, and still sounds fresh to this day. Being very familiar with this song and much of The Drifters catalog, I'm pleased to see that it was a #1 hit.
The Drifters live up to their name due to the fact that the singing group has had a near constant revolving door lineup of singers. The lineup that recorded "Save The Last Dance For Me" was an entirely different lineup than the one which existed in the first half of the 1950's. This first lineup of Drifters was fronted by R&B singer Clyde McPhatter. Today, there are no Drifters from even "Save The Last Dance..." that are still a part of their lineup. The group exists in name and sound only.
"Save The Last Dance...", acts as then lead singer Ben E. King's swan song for The Drifters. In fact, by the time this song was a #1 hit, he had already left the group to start a critically acclaimed solo career. In my opinion, Ben E. King had the best singing voice of all of The Drifters' lead singers so it is no surprise that I think quite highly of this song.
What makes the song is its subtle yet effective vocal hooks, such as how, "And In Whose Arms You're Gonna Be" is sung, it flows together in a really neat way. The song has a musically Latin flavor with a Cha-Cha rhythm, but with triangle and acoustic guitar being primary instruments There is a string section although it actually adds some extra flavor to the tune rather than making it sound dated. The backing vocalists range from holding out harmonies to being rhythmic, especially when they sing "You Can Dance" near the end.
Final Verdict - Nicely sung, wonderful melodic hooks, relateable lyrics, and a timeless quality. "Save The Last Dance For Me" is a well deserved #1 hit that deserves much more than one play.
Coming Up Next - "I Want To Be Wanted" by Brenda Lee.
Until Next Time - Save The Last Dance For Dr. Rock -
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