Drifters – Save the Last Dance for Me

The Drifters are a perfect group to take on a date with you. My father had the greatest hits of them and The Platters but I never dived into them as much as I should have. I’ve always liked them and lately have been listening to them more. To my great surprise, this song was a B-Side to the A-side Nobody But Me. On American Bandstand…Dick Clark flipped the single and the song hit.

Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman wrote this song. They wrote songs such as A Teenager In Love, Surrender (Elvis), Little Sister, Young Blood, and more. This song was inspired by Pomus’ own life experiences. Pomus, who had polio and used crutches and a wheelchair, wrote the song for his wife, Willi Burke, a Broadway actress and dancer. At their wedding, Pomus watched his bride dance with other guests and was inspired by the moment to pen the heartfelt message that she should save the final dance of the evening for him.

This one is a classic fantastic song. The lead singer for the Drifters on this one was no other than Ben E. King. After the Atlantic Records leader, Ahmet Ertegun told King how Pomus and Shuman wrote this song he tried to reflect that in his vocals.

The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard 100, #1 on the Billboard R&B Charts, #1 in Canada, #1 in New Zealand, and #2 in the UK in 1960.

Save The Last Dance For Me

You can dance
Every dance with the guy
Who gives you the eye
Let him hold you tight

You can smile
Every smile for the man
Who held your hand
‘Neath the pale moonlight

But don’t forget who’s taking you home
And in whose arms you’re gonna be
So darlin’
Save the last dance for me, hmm

Oh, I know (oh, I know)
That the music’s fine (yes, I know)
Like sparkling wine (oh, I know)
Go and have your fun (yes, I know, oh, I know)

Laugh and sing (yes, I know)
But while we’re apart (oh, I know)
Don’t give your heart (yes, I know)
To anyone (oh, I know, yes, I know)

But don’t forget who’s taking you home
And in whose arms you’re gonna be
So darlin’
Save the last dance for me, hmm

Baby, don’t you know I love you so?
Can’t you feel it when we touch?
I will never, never let you go
I love you, oh, so much

You can dance (you can dance)
Go and carry on (you can dance)
‘Till the night is gone (you can dance)
And it’s time to go (you can dance, you can dance)

If he asks (you can dance)
If you’re all alone (you can dance)
Can he take you home (you can dance)
You must tell him, no (you can dance)

‘Cause don’t forget who’s taking you home
And in whose arm’s you’re gonna be
So darlin’
Save the last dance for me

‘Cause don’t forget who’s taking you home
And in whose arm’s you’re gonna be
So darlin’
Save the last dance for me, hmm

Save the last dance for me, hmm-hmm
Save the last dance for me, hmmm
Save

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

37 thoughts on “Drifters – Save the Last Dance for Me”

  2. A fabulous song and recording. The Drifters somehow hung on and thrived despite many personnel changes. Clyde McPhatter was lead singer for “Money Honey”. Ben E. King was lead for “Save the Last Dance for Me”. Their great hit “Under the Boardwalk” was recorded with Johnny Moore as lead.

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  4. I guess The Drifters is a better selection to take on a date with you. So I guess Poison with Talk Dirty To Me would be a bad choice for a first date. lol

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    2. Oh yeah. During my High shy schooldays it was spend half an hour mustering up the courage to ask a hot chick to dance just to get shot down icily without a word.

      I was told ‘rejection builds character.’ Builds a fragile ego, I found.

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  7. That’s a pretty good b-side! Fine song that has become a real classic. I’d never heard the story behind it, that’s quite touching. Let’s hope the wifey did save that dance for him!

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  9. Heart-rending to read the origin story of the lyrics 😦 It’s a beautiful song in spirit and sounds wonderful also. The Platters is going way back in my membanks, but they are there.

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      1. I love “Under the Boardwalk”, which I first knew by the Stones and in my child innocence thought it was their song! As a Carole King fan, I also dig their version of “Up On the Roof.” I believe The Drifters were the first act who recorded it.

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      2. Me also! I knew it by the Stones before the Drifters. Yea…I like Up On The Roof also…they had some great songs..yea I think they were the first as well.

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  14. Pingback: Drifters – Save the Last Dance for Me – MobsterTiger

  16. Great song, though my favourite Drifters song is Under the Boardwalk.

    Hi Max. I’ve been reading and enjoying your blog loads this last week or so. I keep thinking of music you might enjoy (putting into the blog or not) and then it cleans goes out of my head again! I should start a list…!

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    1. Well I finally got off of my can and finished the email! I had it in drafts and when you commented…after I cursed myself out…I finally sent it.
      Thank you!

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      1. The speed at which I reply to emails, Max, is comparable to a snail on a long-distance walk.. er… slither. So don’t worry!

        You’d never know I used to write letters nearly every day, before the ‘net arrived. Now I can hardly put pen to paper.

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      2. You know I do the same thing. I get lost reading email and something or someone calls me and gets my attention away. I would go to sleep at night thinking….oh I have to reply to Val’s email…until the days ran out. I’m so happy you commented yesterday.
        Oh….writing real letters…no one could read my handwriting anymore…the computer has made me useless.

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  17. I second the ‘computer has made me useless’ sentiment!

    Oh and I may have found a solution to your inability to use ctrl+V. I think it somehow clears the original block paragraph. So try this little trick. Instead of just hitting the ‘enter’ key (or a new block), hold down the shift key and press enter (twice for a new paragraph) instead.

    Also, if you use ctrl+C to copy, press the keys while your cursor is still on the highlighted text.

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    1. I’ll try that…but I mostly still do the classic style…. I never have liked those blocks but I do need to use them. I don’t know if it is laziness or I’m just accustomed to a certain way.

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