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Pop music is inherently fickle. What's popular today may be ignored tomorrow. But once in a while, there's a song that is simply unforgettable. What is it about these songs that grab us, and make us want to hear them again and again, year after year -- and generation after generation? Long-time BBC radio presence Paul Gambaccini explores the story behind two such songs.

 
FIRST HALF


'Stand By Me' has been recorded by hundreds of artists since its original recording in 1961. Paul Gambaccini speaks with Ben E. King, its composer, and takes us through the story of the song’s many versions .

Ben E. King

 

SECOND HALF


You may know it as The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Wimoweh, or Mbube. Paul Gambaccini reports on a tune that proves why imitation is the highest form of flattery.
     
   
   
     



THE CHANGING WORLD is the sister documentary series of PRI's The World. Each week, we offer American radio listeners two in-depth documentaries from the BBC World Service that probe issues critical to our understanding of our evolving world.
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