Arguably the greatest song in the history of doo-wop, “In The Still Of The Night” emerged from humble beginnings and has since become a towering landmark in music history. Composed during a brief military leave and recorded in the basement of a church in New Haven, Connecticut, this timeless classic owes part of its magic to the saxophone solo played by a parishioner of that very church.
Despite its unassuming origins, there is no doubt that “In The Still Of The Night” cast a long shadow over the doo-wop genre during the dawn of rock and roll. Credited to the Five Satins — a group known for frequent line-up changes over the years — this two-verse-and-a-bridge masterpiece was released in 1956. It flawlessly captures the wonder and awe of romance, resonating powerfully with listeners then and now.
Fred Parris, the man responsible for penning the song, shared a revealing moment with NJ.com in 2010 about how he first learned of its success while stationed thousands of miles away in Japan. Reflecting on the skepticism he initially faced among his military buddies, Parris recalled:
“I had told a couple of the guys I was stationed with about ‘In the Still of the Night’ — that I was a recording artist and so forth. But no one really believed me. And one Saturday morning on the radio, the disc jockey said, ‘We’ve had so many requests for this song. It’s called ‘In the Still of the Night.’ It’s by the Five Satins. But we don’t have a copy of that, so we’re going to play one by Ella Fitzgerald.’ Which, of course, was different from our song, ‘In the Still of the Night.’”
Initially a moderate hit peaking at No. 24 on the national pop charts, “In The Still Of The Night” has since enjoyed considerable airplay over the decades, cementing its place as one of the best known doo-wop songs ever recorded.
The Five Satins’ original recording earned its spot in the musical canon by being included in Robert Christgau’s “Basic Record Library” of 1950s and 1960s recordings, famously published in Christgau’s Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981). Furthermore, Rolling Stone magazine honored the track by ranking it No. 90 on their iconic list of “the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.”
This evocative song remains a beacon of doo-wop’s golden era, echoing the heartfelt emotions of love and nostalgia from the shadows of a church basement to the ears of millions worldwide.
