Classic Pop Icons

The Five Satins’ doo-wop classic “In the Still of the Night” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “In the Still of the Night” was originally released on Standard Records as the B-side to “The Jones Girl” in March 1956, but became a hit when reissued three months later on the Ember label.

The Five Satins were formed in 1955 in New Haven, Connecticut by Fred Parris who had previously led the moderately successful group The Scarlets. The Scarlets had been formed in 1953 with Parris’ fellow Hillhouse High School students Sylvester Hopkins, Nathaniel Mosely, Jr., Albert Denby, and William L. Powers. After some minor hits, including Parris’ self-penned “Dear One,” the members were called up for national service and disbanded after cutting the farewell single “Kiss Me”. Parris was stationed in Philadelphia but would return to New Haven on weekends and was keen to continue making music. He formed the new group, The Five Satins, with members Lou Peebles, Stanley Dortch, Ed Martin and Jim Freeman. This line-up was shortlived, with Peebles and Dortch leaving and Al Denby of The Scarlets joining. The Five Satins were therefore temporarily only four and it was this line-up that recorded Parris’ romantic ballad “In the Still of the Night”.

One of the key features of “doo-wop” music is the use of nonsensical backing vocals, close vocal harmonies, and often the I – VI – IV – V chord progression. “In the Still of the Night” is a perfect example and it has in fact been speculated that the “Doo-wop doo-wah” backing vocals during the bridge of the song were responsible for this music genre later being called “doo-wop”. While it is probably the most high profile song to include the “doo-wop” vocalisation, it certainly wasn’t the first. “Doo-wop” appears in tracks such as The Clovers’ “Good Lovin'” (1953), Carlyle Dundee & The Dundees’ “Never” (1954), and The Turbans’ “When You Dance” (1955).

As influential as the “Doo-wop doo-wah” vocals might have been, the similarly nonsensical “Sha-doo shooby-doo” backing vocals that introduce the song and are repeated throughout the verses are a more dominant feature of the song and key to its success. To understand why that is the case, you need to hear the song. It just wouldn’t be the same without it.

“In the Still of the Night” is ranked at number 90 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. Rolling Stone correctly noted that this is far from a perfect recording from a technical standpoint, which is hardly surprising given the makeshift recording conditions. There’s the crack of the sax during the instrumental, occasional pitch issues, and muffled piano and drums. None of that matters a jot of course because, as noted by Rolling Stone, despite these imperfections the song is “a sublime piece of doo-wop”.

“In the Still of the Night” found a new audience in 1987 when it featured on the soundtrack of the hugely successful “Dirty Dancing” movie (and in one of the most important romantic scenes).

“In the Still of the Night” – The Five Satins

Authorship

Fred Parris wrote “In the Still of the Night” in the middle of the night while on guard duty at an army base in Philadelphia.

Recording date/location

“In the Still of the Night” was recorded in the basement of Saint Bernadette Catholic School in New Haven, Connecticut, in December, 1955.

Musicians

The Five Satins were:

• Fred Parris – tenor
• Ed Martin – baritone
• Jim Freeman – bass
• Al Denby – baritone.

The musical accompaniment was provided by:

• Curlee Glover – piano
• Doug Murray – bass
• Bobby Mapp – drums
• Vinny Mazzetta – saxophone.

Chart performance

The single reached number 24 on the pop charts and number 3 on the R&B “race” charts in 1956. Reissues of the song in 1960 and 1961 would peak at number 81 and number 99, respectively, on the Hot 100.

“In the Still of the Night” is available on numerous compilations, including the 2-CD “In The Still Of The Night – The Best Of The Five Satins”. That collection also features the recordings of The Scarlets.

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