"The Great Pretender" | ||||
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Single by The Platters | ||||
from the album Encore of Golden Hits | ||||
B-side | "I'm Just a Dancing Partner" | |||
Released | November 3, 1955 | |||
Recorded | 1955 | |||
Genre | Rhythm and blues, doo-wop | |||
Length | 2:36 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) | Buck Ram | |||
Producer(s) | Buck Ram | |||
The Platters singles chronology | ||||
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"The Great Pretender" is a popular song recorded by the Platters, with Tony Williams on lead vocals, and released as a single in November 1955. The words and music were written by Buck Ram,[1] the Platters' manager and producer who was a successful songwriter before moving into producing and management. The song reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top 100, and No. 5 on the UK charts.
The song has been covered by a number of singers, most notably by Freddie Mercury, whose version reached No. 4 on the UK charts. Sam Cooke's cover of the song is believed to have inspired Chrissie Hynde to name her band the Pretenders.[2]