Up On The Roof, The Drifters 1962

Written by New Yorkers, produced and arranged at the legendary Atlantic Studios, and sung for the most part by New Yorkers.
I firmly believe that you had to have grown up in a big city such as New York to truly get the real meaning of this song, however the enjoyment of this recording can be felt by anyone who needs that relief at the end of the day.
It was an awesome record and one of The Drifters Biggest Hits!

• Category

  Music

[Douglas Schrader]

Was Carol King from NYC? I dig the drifters in St. Louis on my roof every night.

[jaemel1]

Yes, Brooklyn to be exact.

[tuta453]

o principal vocalista é o smokey robinson? Era ele que fazia parte deste grupo?

[jaemel1]

If you are asking if the Smokey Robinson sang lead on this, the answer is no.

[SuperGreyhulk]

I wrote nightly on my doctoral dissertation listening to this song. My husband put it on an endlessly loop to help me be inspired as I wrote late into the morning hours. Because of my husband and this song I received the inspiration I needed to finally get my doctorate. Thank you!

[gmn203]

"At night the stars put on a show for free, and darling you can share it all with me." Gets me every time

[ekts1957]

Carole King, legendary songwriter.

[canidae98]

I think many of the early Drifters were from Baltimore, but nevertheless like all cities, the roofs (rooves?) are an ever present oasis. ;)

[sauquoit13456]

On this day in 1975 {May 16th} the Drifters performed "Up On The Roof" on the NBC-TV program 'The Midnight Special'...

Thirteen years earlier on November 3rd, 1962 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked at #5 and spent 20 weeks on the Top 100...

It reached #4 on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart...

Three covered versions have charted on the Top 100; Cryan' Shames {#85 in 1968}, Laura Nyro {#92 in 1970}, and James Taylor {#28 in 1979}

R.I.P. Rudy Lewis {1936 - 1964}

[brwnlady]

It's my favorite part also. Nobody sings this the way Rudy Lewis does.  Absolutely nobody!

[maoridude04]

Classic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jim saunders]

Mark,we didn't have much for rooftops in Detroit,being mostly single family homes,but sure can connect with the big city feel

[mark aviles]

coneyisland,new york 1962 these guys grow up the borough bronx,brooklyn and manhatten ben earl nelson king was the lead singer then went solo .i wish i could meet them now .if everybody remember radio wcbs-fm 101.1 new york don k reed .he should running it .he`s best disc jockey there.1 more bobby jay .

[SmokeThe Bear]

I was born in 93, this song was put on one of my baby VHS tapes, and i don't think any song today can match the feeling i get when listening to this song. smiless

[Wright Scott]

a song that moves the soul, the vocal is chilling

[Rick Parker]

I was born in 70..not quite the same as being born in 58...but I yeah I can attest to the fact that as a kid in the 70's and very early 80's there were many of same memories that you described about your time (being a adult in the 70's probably not as memorable overall ) but it had to have been 20 times better then being a adult in the 2000's (or even the late 90's)