Freddie Parris, the songwriter and lead vocalist of the Five Satins whose “In The Still of the Night,” became one of the most memorable and hummable songs of the group harmony/doo-wop era of rock ‘n’ roll, died at age 85, after what was termed a brief illness. The song originally did not sell all that well, but as time went on, it became more and more popular and often topped many radio stations’ count downs of the “all-time greatest hits.” It is also one of the only songs to have charted on the Billboard Hot 100 three separate times by the same artist with the same version each time. The Five Satins also charted with the romantic heart-beating “To the Aisle,” that was featured in the movie American Graffiti.
“In the Still of the Night” has been recorded by artists such as Boyz II Men and Debbie Gibson, and has been featured in such films as The Buddy Holly Story, Dirty Dancing, and The Irishman. Freddie and the Satins often played at rock n roll revival and oldies shows over the years, and the many times I saw them, always sounded as fresh and harmonious (and as smooth as silk) as they in the 50s, never taking their near-iconic status too seriously.
Freddie wrote “In the Still of the Night” while on a brief leave from military duty travelling by train from Philadelphia to his hometown, New Haven, and he recorded it with the Satins in a small church basement in New Haven shortly thereafter. A fellow church parishioner, Vinnie Mazzetta played a bluesy sax solo in the song that helped set the template for rock sax solos in many songs ever after. The modest beginnings of “Night” exemplified how art can be created from an everyday, typical moment and setting, and yet affect the lives of millions in a very special way for years to come.
