About The Song
The Platters achieved historic success as the first African-American pop supergroup in the early 1950s. Comprising David Lynch, Zola Taylor, Herb Reed, and Paul Robi, the group was established in 1952, with Tony Williams joining as the lead vocalist in 1953.
Despite initial setbacks on the charts, the group’s fortunes changed when producer and songwriter Buck Ram took over as their manager. Ram made strategic adjustments, securing a record deal with Mercury Records, propelling The Platters to become the most triumphant vocal group of their time.
Buck Ram penned two pivotal hits for The Platters, the first being “Only You,” followed by the major success of “The Great Pretender” at the end of 1955. This song reached the coveted No. 1 spot for The Platters.
“The Great Pretender” is a poignant composition, featuring Tony Williams’s distinctive delivery and captivating harmonies. The lyrics convey a narrative of a man coping with heartbreak by concealing it behind a facade of laughter and feigned happiness.
In a creative burst, Buck Ram conceived “The Great Pretender” in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, where the group was performing. A year later, both “The Great Pretender” and “Only You” became part of the soundtrack for “Rock Around the Clock,” a musical film depicting the decline of big bands and the rise of rock and roll.
In 1987, Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, breathed new life into “The Great Pretender” with his rendition. Although it didn’t make waves in America, Mercury’s version climbed to No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. In a poignant interview, Mercury hinted at the song’s resonance with his own career, possibly alluding to his undisclosed HIV diagnosis, discovered shortly after filming the music video.
For the next four years, Freddie Mercury continued to tour, appearing in public while denying his illness. In retrospect, this period could be characterized as Mercury living as a “great pretender.”
Over the years, numerous artists have covered “The Great Pretender,” but The Platters’ rendition remains unparalleled. Witness one of their standout performances in the video below.
Video
Lyric
Oh-oh, yes I’m the great pretender
Pretending that I’m doing well
My need is such I pretend too much
I’m lonely but no one can tellOh-oh, yes I’m the great pretender
Adrift in a world of my own
I’ve played the game but to my real shame
You’ve left me to grieve all aloneToo real is this feeling of make-believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can’t concealYes, I’m the great pretender
Just laughin’ and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I’m not, you see
I’m wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you’re still aroundToo real is this feeling of make-believe
Too real when I feel what my heart can’t concealYes, I’m the great pretender
Just laughin’ and gay like a clown
I seem to be what I’m not, you see
I’m wearing my heart like a crown
Pretending that you’re still around