Watch Tracy Chapman's beautiful cover of Ben E. King's 'Stand By Me'

Tracy Champan covers Ben E. King&#039;s &#039;Stand By Me&#039; — (Image credit: Late Show)

Ben E. King, who wrote (with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) and recorded the original and iconic version of "Stand By Me," died on Thursday at age 76. That song has been covered more than 400 times, but just two weeks ago, David Letterman requested that Tracy Chapman perform it live on his show. She did, just her and a guitar. It's haunting.

"When Harry was a little boy," Letterman said of his 11-year-old son, "I knew two songs, and I loved them, and I found them both, certainly, meaningful for me." One was Simon and Garfunkel's "America," and the other, King's "Stand By Me." Now, he said, "to hear Tracy Chapman sing that song is heaven." Watch below. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.