Stand By Me - Ben E King / John Lennon - Ukulele Cover - Jez Quayle

You have to be a really good singer to pull this one off ...but I thought I'd have a go anyway.
If you'd like to learn this song or strum along with me, a song sheet containing the lyrics and chords I play can be viewed or downloaded from my songbook blog here: https://jezquaylesongbookhome.files.w...
I first heard Stand By Me when it was recorded by John Lennon back in the mid 1970s. His version is great, but Ben E King's original recording is an absolute masterpiece. The same four-chord progression (i - vi - iv - v) is played over and over throughout the song, but listen to that changing arrangement, the gradual build up, and that beautiful, soulful voice! And of course, those moving lyrics!
King wrote 'Stand By Me' together with the prolific and extremely successful songwriting duo, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. When he first released his recording in 1961 it reached #1 on the US Billboard R&B chart and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. When it was re-released in 1986 (on the back of the success of the film of the same name -- which was based on a Stephen King story) it reached #1 on the UK singles chart and #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ben E King and John Lennon sang it in A, which is too high for my singing range, so I've transposed the song down to C ...which is great ukulele key!