Save the Last Dance for Me

This article is about the song. For other uses, see Save the Last Dance for Me (disambiguation).

"Save the Last Dance for Me" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, first recorded in 1960 by American musical group the Drifters with Ben E. King on lead vocals. It has since been covered by several artists, including the DeFranco Family, Dolly Parton, and Michael Bublé.

"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Single by The Drifters
from the album Save the Last Dance for Me
B-side	"Nobody But Me"
Released	August 1960
Recorded	1960
Genre	Pop soul
Length	2:34
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
The Drifters singles chronology
"Lonely Winds" (1960) "Save the Last Dance for Me" (1960) "I Count the Tears" (1960)
Official audio
"Save the Last Dance for Me" on YouTube

Drifters' version

In a 1990 interview,^[1] songwriter Doc Pomus tells the story of the song being recorded by the Drifters and originally designated as the B-side of the record. He credits Dick Clark with turning the record over and realizing "Save the Last Dance" was the stronger song. The Drifters' version of the song, released a few months after Ben E. King left the group, would go on to spend three non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. pop chart, in addition to logging one week atop the U.S. R&B chart.^[2] In the United Kingdom, the Drifters' recording reached No. 2 in December 1960.^[3] This single was produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, two noted American music producers who at the time had an apprentice relationship with a then-unknown Phil Spector. Although he was working with Leiber and Stoller at the time, it is unknown whether Spector assisted with the production of this record; however, many Spector fans have noticed similarities between this record and other music he would eventually produce on his own.^[4]

In the song, the narrator tells his lover she is free to mingle and socialize throughout the evening, but to make sure to save him the dance at the end of the night.^[5] During an interview on Elvis Costello's show Spectacle, Lou Reed, who worked with Pomus, said the song was written on the day of Pomus' wedding while the wheelchair-using groom watched his bride dancing with their guests. Pomus had polio and at times used crutches to get around.^[6] His wife, Willi Burke, however, was a Broadway actress and dancer. The song gives his perspective of telling his wife to have fun dancing, but reminds her who will be taking her home and "in whose arms you're gonna be."^[7]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1960–1961) Peak position Canada (CHUM Charts Top 20)[8] 1 New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[9] 1 Italy (FIMI) 31 South Africa (Springbok) 1 UK[3] 2 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[10] 1 U.S. Billboard R&B[2] 1 U.S. Cash Box Top 100[11] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1960) Rank South Africa[12] 9 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[13] 26 U.S. Cash Box[14] 3

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[15]	Silver	200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Dolly Parton version

"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Single by Dolly Parton
from the album The Great Pretender
B-side	"Elusive Butterfly"
Released	November 28, 1983
Recorded	November 1983
Genre	Country pop
Length	3:54
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Val Garay
Dolly Parton singles chronology
"Islands in the Stream" (1983) "Save the Last Dance for Me" (1983) "Downtown" (1984)

In 1983, Dolly Parton recorded "Save the Last Dance for Me," releasing it as a single in late November; the song subsequently appeared on Parton's album of 1950s and 60s covers The Great Pretender, released in January 1984. Reaching the top ten on the country singles chart in late February, the single also crossed over, reaching No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

Charts

Chart (1983–1984)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	2
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	45
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	12

The DeFranco Family version

"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Single by the DeFranco Family
from the album Save the Last Dance for Me
B-side	"Because We Both Are Young"
Released	April 1974
Length	2:58
Label	20th Century
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Walt Meskell
The DeFranco Family singles chronology
"Abra-ca-dabra" (1973) "Save the Last Dance for Me" (1974) "Write Me a Letter" (1974)

The DeFranco Family (featuring Tony DeFranco) released "Save the Last Dance for Me" in 1974 as a single and the title track of their 2nd album; the single peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100^[16] and No. 8 on Canada's RPM 100 chart.^[17] The B-side of the single is "Because We Both Are Young", written by Tom Bahler and Harry Shannon.^[18]

Michael Bublé version

"Save the Last Dance for Me"
Single by Michael Bublé
from the album It's Time
Released	April 4, 2006
Genre	Pop
Length	3:38
Label	143, Reprise
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman
Michael Bublé singles chronology
"Home" (2005) "Save the Last Dance for Me" (2006) "Just in Time" (2006)
Music video
"Michael Bublé - Save The Last Dance For Me [Official Music Video]" on YouTube

"Save The Last Dance For Me" was later covered by Canadian crooner Michael Bublé, and released as the third and final single from his second studio album, It's Time. The song was heavily remixed for its release as a single.

Background

For its release as a single, the song was heavily remixed, with mixes from producers including Ralphi Rosario and Eddie Baez. All of the chart positions for the single are for each of the remixed versions of the song respectively. The single first peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart in September 2005.^[19] After Bublé performed the album version of the song during the closing credits of the film The Wedding Date,^[20] this version was released to radio, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart, as well as reaching No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[21]

The music video for the track was once again directed by Noble Jones, who directed the videos for both of the album's previous singles – Home and Feeling Good. The music video was choreographed by Raymondo Chan, a Salsa Latin dance coach and performer. It was shot in Vancouver, Canada.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

• CD / DVD single^[22]

1. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (album version) – 3:38
2. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Starcity remix) – 3:20
3. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (live version – video) – 4:14
4. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (music video) – 3:42

• Digital download^[23]

1. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (album version) – 3:38
2. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Ralphi's Anthomic vocal) – 9:36
3. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Eddie's Anthem mix) – 9:53
4. "Save the Last Dance for Me" (Ralphi's Hydrolic dub) – 8:29

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2006)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100	99
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2006)	Rank
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[24]	7

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[25]	Gold	500,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Other versions

• Buck Owens released a cover version in 1962 that peaked at No. 11 on the US country charts and appeared on his album Together Again.^[26]
• In 1977, John Davidson reached No. 22 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart^[27] and No. 44 on the Canadian AC chart.^[28]

In popular culture

• In 1960, American female R&B singer Damita Jo recorded an "answer record" to "Save the Last Dance for Me". Her song, entitled "I'll Save the Last Dance for You", built around the original song's melody and thus credited to Shuman and Pomus, peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in December 1960.^[29]

See also

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1960 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1960 (U.S.)

References

1. "DOC POMUS "SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME" and how it almost wasn't..." YouTube. November 21, 2013. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
2. Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
3. "hello mary lou/travelin' man | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
4. Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of No. 1 Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications)
5. Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 20 – Forty Miles of Bad Road: Early '60s potpourri" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries. Track 2.
6. "Save the Last Dance for Me – By Kathryn Jean Lopez – The Corner – National Review Online". Nationalreview.com. July 6, 2007.
7. "Songwriters Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman | Elvis Articles". Elvis.com.au.
8. "CHUM Top 20 Singles - October 24, 1960".
9. "Flavour of New Zealand – search lever". Flavourofnz.co.nz.
10. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X
11. "Cash Box Top 100 11/19/60". Tropicalglen.com.
12. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1960". Retrieved December 26, 2018.
13. "Top 100 Hits of 1960/Top 100 Songs of 1960". Musicoutfitters.com.
14. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles – 1960". Tropicalglen.com.
15. "British single certifications – Drifters – Save the Last Dance for Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
16. tolsen (January 2, 2013). "Billboard Hot 100™". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
17. Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
18. The DeFranco Family Featuring Tony DeFranco - Save The Last Dance For Me / Because We Both Are Young, 1974, retrieved February 8, 2025
19. "Dance Songs: Top Dance Music Chart". Billboard.
20. "Top 100 Songs". Billboard.
21. "Adult Contemporary Music Chart". Billboard.
22. "Michael Buble Save The Last Dance For Me RARE promo CD DVD 05". eBay. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
23. "Save The Last Dance For Me EP: Michael Bublé: Amazon.de: MP3-Downloads". Amazon.de. January 1, 1970.
24. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
25. "American single certifications – Michael Buble – Save the Last Dance for Me". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
26. Buck Owens, "Save the Last Dance for Me" Chart Position Retrieved April 11, 2012.
27. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 65.
28. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. March 12, 1977. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
29. "Damita Jo Hot 100 chart data". Billboard.com.^{[dead link‍]}

External links

• "Save the Last Dance for Me" - lyrics at Dolly Parton On-Line