Great Pretender

“Great Pretender” (Live version)

The Platters’ “Great Pretender” (1955) was one of the earliest #1 hits of the rock ’n’ roll era, written by Buck Ram. Tony Williams’s smooth lead voice sings about hiding pain behind a smile. The song has been highly influential; Rolling Stone ranked it among the 500 greatest songs, and it remains a template for doo-wop love ballads.