The Song "In the Still of the Night" by the Five Satins

Baby Houseman and Johnny Houseman are lying in bed during the night before the talent show. He decides to tell her about the dream he had about her father during the previous night. He puts the Five Satins' song "In the Still of the Night" onto his record player.

The song's lyrics:

In the still of the night
I held you,
Held you tight,
Because I love,
Love you so.

I promise I'll never let you go --
In the still of the night.

I remember that night in May.
The stars were bright above
I'll hope and I'll pray
To keep your precious love.

Well before the light
Hold me again with all of your might
In the still of the night.

The song -- combined with his dream story about Jake embracing him -- indicates that Johnny is thinking about making his romantic relationship with Baby permanent.

The rhymes are simple -- night-tight-light-might and love-above. The song beautifully sketches feelings of relaxation and love after sex during a quiet night.

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The Wikipedia article about the song includes the following passages.

"In the Still of the Night" ... is a song written by Fred Parris and recorded by his Five Satins. While only a moderate hit when first released (peaking at #24 on the national pop charts), it has received considerable airplay over the years and is notable as one of the best known doo-wop songs, recorded by artists such as Boyz II Men and Debbie Gibson. It is heard in several films, such as The Buddy Holly Story and Dirty Dancing.

The song was recorded in the Saint Bernadette Catholic School basement in New Haven, Connecticut, in February, 1956. Marty Kugell produced the song. The saxophone solo was played by Vinny Mazzetta, of New Haven.The rhythm section was Doug Murray, bass, Bobby Mapp, drums and Curlee Glover, piano.

It was originally released as a B-side (to "The Jones Girl", a play on the Mills Brothers' 1954 hit, "The Jones Boy") on Kugell's Standard Records label. Although the single was only a moderate hit ... its reputation came to surpass its original chart placement. For three decades, the single almost always topped the influential Top 500 Songs countdown on oldies radio station WCBS-FM. ....

In April 2010, the song ranked #90 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". (The song was included on the highly influential 1959 LP Oldies But Goodies on Original Sound.)

"In the Still of the Night" is the only song to have charted on the Billboard Hot 100 three separate times, by the same artist with the same version each time. After initially reaching #24 in 1956, it was released again in 1960 and reached #81. Then more than a year later in 1961 it reached #99.

"In the Still of the Night" is one of two songs that may lay claim to being the origin of the term doo-wop. The plaintive doo wop, doo wah refrain in the bridge has often been suggested as the origin of the term to describe that musical genre. (The other contender for the honor is "When You Dance" by the Turbans, in which the chant "doo-wop" can be heard.)

The Wikipedia article about the Five Satins includes the following passages.

The group, formed in New Haven, Connecticut, ... in 1954. ...

The group recorded "In the Still of the Night", a very big hit in the United States ... "In The Still Of The Night" ended up charting at number three on the Rhythm-and-Blues chart and number 25 on the pop charts. ...

"In The Still of the Night" became an even bigger hit when it appeared as the lead track on Original Sound Records' OLDIES BUT GOODIES Vol.1 ... released in 1959. In total, their signature track sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.

A case of painfully bad timing affected the group's lead singer. Uncle Sam had come calling, and [lead singer Fred] Parris entered the Army very soon after the huge success of "In The Still Of The Night", forcing the group to reorganize ....

Upon Parris' return from the Army, a new lineup was assembled, consisting of Parris, Lou Peebles (who was in a previous incarnation of the Five Satins), Sylvester Hopkins, Richie Freeman and Wes Forbes. ...

They continued recording into the 1980s ... In 1981, a "Medley Craze" had suddenly engulfed Top 40 radio ... Noticing this new trend, longtime Connecticut music producer Marty Markiewicz (who'd known Parris personally for many years), [and was] working for Elektra Records ... He got an idea. He both asked for and was given permission by his employer to bring Parris and company in, on each's own time, to record/produce a medley of classic '50s hits. Just to see what would come out of it. .... In response to their successful medley, Elektra requested a full LP. ... The result was "Memories Of Days Gone By" (Elektra 47411), which became the group's first new entry on the Billboard Hot 100 since 1960.

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The following video shows the Five Satins singing the song in the 1959 movie Sweet Beat.

Below is Paul Anka's recording of the song in 1969.

Below is the Beach Boys' recording of the song in 1976.