The Great Pretender - The Platters - MP3 instrumental karaoke

“The Great Pretender” is one of the most famous and acclaimed songs from the 1950s rhythm and blues boom. The song was written by Buck Ram, who was already a successful songwriter in his own right before becoming the manager and producer of American vocal group The Platters. When The Platters needed to record a follow-up single to their massive hit “Only You (And You Alone),” Buck Ram gave them this composition to record. The Platters would record their version of the song with Tony Williams on lead vocals, and release it as a single in late 1955. “The Great Pretender,” a mournful but uptempo ballad, became a smash hit for the group, reaching Number 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart as well as Number 5 on the UK charts. It would go on to be covered by a wide array of artists, most notably Freddie Mercury and Sam Cooke. Other artists who’ve covered “The Great Pretender” include Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, and the rock group The Band.