Ben E. King had been a member of the fabulous R&B group The Drifters (a group notorious for frequent changes in personnel, usually due to disputes over money), but he left in 1960 to embark on a solo career. “Stand by Me” was his second major solo hit following the lovely “Spanish Harlem”; it made it to number four on the Billboard chart in 1961. Then, like many other notable songs from the ’60s, it found a second life in the 1980s after appearing in a popular movie. It peaked at number nine in 1986.

Interestingly, I don’t remember ever seeing this clip back in the day. I first encountered it on the Stand by Me Special Edition DVD released in 2000 and it utterly charmed me with its nostalgic transition from 1961 Ben E. King to 1986 Ben E. King — he didn’t change much in 25 years! — and of course with the presence of Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix. I like that they weren’t playing Gordie and Chris, but were (apparently) themselves, and they seemed to genuinely understand the coolness of hanging out with a musical legend. Or at least they acted as if they did. I can’t help but smile when I watch this… even if it is a little eerie knowing that River would die on a grimy sidewalk outside a sleazy LA nightclub a mere seven years later. Watching him in this video, seeing his effortless charisma and confidence, even at such a tender age, only underscores the tragedy of his too-soon death. He could’ve made so much of his life, and it’s so evident in this clip…