The Platters performing "The Great Pretender", released originally in 1959.
It reached #1 in the Netherlands, #1 on the US Billboard Top 100, #1 on the US R&B Records, and #5 on the UK Singles Charts.
This style of music, characterized by its harmonies and catchy melodies, was not called "doo-wop" at the time; it was categorized as rock or R&B. The term "doo-wop" gained popularity around 1970 when oldies DJ Gus Gossert started using it on his WCBS radio show in New York City.
The song tells the story of a man who conceals his heartbreak by pretending to be happy, having mastered the art of smiling through his pain. It was written by The Platters' producer, Buck Ram, who needed a follow-up to the group's first hit, "Only You." Ram quickly composed the lyrics in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, where the group was performing.
"The Great Pretender" was featured in the movie "Rock Around the Clock" and on the "American Graffiti" soundtrack, alongside two other Platters' songs, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "Only You." The harmonizing female voice on the track belongs to Zola Taylor, the only female member of The Platters. Taylor was also the second wife of Frankie Lymon and was portrayed by Halle Berry in the movie "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." She passed away in 2007 at the age of 69. In 1987, Freddie Mercury revived "The Great Pretender" with his version of the song, which reached #4 in the UK.
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