"The Great Pretender" is celebrated for its distinctive "Tin Pan Alley" sound—a hybrid of traditional pop songcraft and burgeoning rock and roll energy.
: The song's success made The Platters the first Black group to reach #1 on the national pop charts. The Platters Greatest Pretender
: Pressed by music executive Bob Shad for a follow-up to the group's previous hit, "Only You (And You Alone)," Ram bluffed that he already had a better song ready and spontaneously gave it the title "The Great Pretender" before he had actually written it. Musical Impact and Legacy "The Great Pretender" is celebrated for its distinctive
The song was written in just by the group’s manager and producer, Buck Ram. "Only You (And You Alone)