Spanish Harlem

"Spanish Harlem" is a song released by Ben E. King in 1960 on Atco Records, written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector, and produced by Leiber and Mike Stoller. During a 1968 interview, Leiber credited Stoller with the arrangement; similarly, in a 2009 radio interview with Leiber and Stoller on the Bob Edwards "Weekend Edition" talk show, Jerry Leiber said that Stoller, while uncredited, had written the key instrumental introduction to the record.[citation needed] In the team's autobiography from the same year, "Hound Dog", Stoller himself remarks that he had created this "fill" while doing a piano accompaniment when the song was presented to Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records, with Spector playing guitar and Jerry Leiber doing the vocal. "Since then, I've never heard the song played without that musical figure. I presumed my contribution was seminal to the composition, but I also knew that Phil didn't want to share credit with anyone but Jerry, so I kept quiet."

[Verse 1] There is a rose in Spanish Harlem A red rose up in Spanish Harlem It is the special one, it's never seen the sun It only comes out when the moon is on the run And all the stars are gleaming It's growing in the street Right up through the concrete But soft and sweet and dreaming [Verse 2] There is a rose in Spanish Harlem A red rose up in Spanish Harlem With eyes as black as coal That looks down in my soul And starts a fire there and then I lose control I have to beg your pardon I'm going to pick that rose And watch her as she grows in my garden I'm going to pick that rose And watch her as she grows in my garden [Outro] (There is a rose in Spanish Harlem) La la la, la la la, la la la la (There is a rose in Spanish Harlem) La la la, la la la, la la la la (There is a rose in Spanish Harlem)