If you’ve ever taken a stroll down memory lane into the golden age of doo-wop, you’ve likely encountered the Five Satins and their iconic ballad, “In the Still of the Night.”
This soulful tune – recorded in the basement of a church in 1956 – is synonymous with the genre, resonating through decades as a hallmark of love, nostalgia, and timeless music.
In 1956, a 19-year-old Fred Parris was working guard duty in Philadelphia with the U.S. Army, lovesick for his sweetheart, Marla, who was in Connecticut, living with her fiancé’s parents.
The young soldier – known now as the visionary leader of the Five Satins – had just spent a weekend with “the girl of [his] dreams” and couldn’t shake her from his mind.