We are proud to announce two of the Songwriters Hall of Fame Towering Songs “Stand By Me” and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” are among the recordings recently selected for induction into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington named 25 new sound recordings to the registry that have been recognized for their cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation’s audio legacy.
“Stand By Me,” written by Ben E. King and SHOF inductees Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller received the 2012 Towering Song Award and Towering Performance by Ben E. King. It’s been noted that the song was driven by the signature bass line composed by Mike Stoller. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” made a hit in 1964 by The Righteous Brothers, was written by SHOF inductees Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Phil Spector and was honored with the 2005 Towering Song Award. “We are thrilled at this honor for our song but must point out that not a single TV news outlet mentioned the writers of the song,” said Cynthia Weil. “This is not an ego callout. It is simply that without the creation of the song there is not song, no record and nothing to honor.”
Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian, with advice from the Library’s National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), is tasked with annually selecting 25 recordings that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old. The selections for the 2014 registry bring the total number of recordings on the registry to 425, a small part of the Library’s vast recorded-sound collection of nearly 3 million items.
Nominations were gathered through online submissions from the public and from the NRPB, which is comprised of leaders in the fields of music, recorded sound and preservation.
Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Many of the Library’s rich resources can be accessed through its website at [url=http://www.loc.gov]http://www.loc.gov[/url].
2014 National Recording Registry (Listing in Chronological Order)
1.Vernacular Wax Cylinder Recordings at University of California, Santa Barbara Library (c.1890-1910)
2.The Benjamin Ives Gilman Collection, recorded at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition at Chicago (1893)
3.“The Boys of the Lough”/“The Humours of Ennistymon” (single)—Michael Coleman (1922)
4.“Black Snake Moan” / “Match Box Blues”(single)—Blind Lemon Jefferson (1927)
5.“Sorry, Wrong Number” (episode of “Suspense” radio series, May 25, 1943)
6. * “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” (single)—Johnny Mercer (1944)
7.Radio Coverage of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Funeral—Arthur Godfrey, et al. (April 14, 1945)
8. * “Kiss Me, Kate” (original cast album) (1949)
9.“John Brown’s Body” (album)—Tyrone Power, Judith Anderson, and Raymond Massey; directed by Charles Laughton (1953)
10.“My Funny Valentine” (single)—The Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker (1953)
11.“Sixteen Tons” (single)—Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955)
12.“Mary Don’t You Weep” (single)—The Swan Silvertones (1959)
13. “Joan Baez” (album)—Joan Baez (1960)
14. * “Stand by Me” (single)—Ben E. King (1961)
15.“New Orleans’ Sweet Emma Barrett and her Preservation Hall Jazz Band” (album)—Sweet Emma and her Preservation Hall Jazz Band (1964)
16. * “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (single)—The Righteous Brothers (1964)
17.“The Doors” (album)—The Doors (1967)
18.“Stand!” (album)—Sly and the Family Stone (1969)
19.“Lincoln Mayorga and Distinguished Colleagues” (album)—Lincoln Mayorga (1968)
20.“A Wild and Crazy Guy” (album)—Steve Martin (1978)
21.“Sesame Street: All-Time Platinum Favorites” (album)—Various (1995)
22.“OK Computer” (album)—Radiohead (1997)
23.“Old Regular Baptists: Lined-Out Hymnody from Southeastern Kentucky” (album)—Indian Bottom Association (1997)
24.“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” (album)—Lauryn Hill (1998)
25.“Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman” (album)—Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop, conductor; Joan Tower, composer (1999)
*= songs written by Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees